My Perfectly Imperfect House

I found the perfect blog hop to join in today.  It's over at Jill Savage's blog Hearts at Home.  One of the dangers of reading blogs/Facebook/Pinterest is that we tend to compare ourselves- as moms, as wives, as homemakers, as homeschoolers.  But this blog hop is just the opposite.  It's an acknowledgement that we aren't perfect- not a one of us.  And it's a celebration of imperfection.  And that I can agree with.

So, today's topic: My imperfect house.

When I was first married, I imagined decorating beautifully.  I read Southern Living (We didn't have Pinterest then!), and I could picture my house on the cover.  There were a few problems with this in reality:

1. I married a husband who did not share the same desire for decorating.  Instead, he would rather leave his stuff comfortably scattered around.  And he really doesn't appreciate it when I clean up his stuff.  (Maybe it is because of the paycheck I threw away once upon a time.)
2. I found that I really did not enjoy decorating.  I wanted it to look like a magazine, but I didn't really want to do the work.
3. Money.  Decorating can be expensive. Even before we had children, we didn't have high money making jobs.  And once children came along and I was staying home with them, the money for extras really wasn't there.

I struggled with this lack of a perfect house for a long time.  As my children have grown and I have settled into homeschooling, my priorities have changed, and God has brought me a long way towards being content with what I have and who I am.

So welcome to a tour of my perfect, imperfect home:

Our game shelves in the living room and the stuffed bookshelf (one of six in our house) are evidence of our love for games and reading.  The chart on the wall is pretty typical of my decorating style. (It's been called "Early American Homeschooler" by a web board friend.)  I use any and all available wall space for all things pertaining to school.

Behind the rocking chair and somewhat hidden in the corner is one of Jason's "piles." I've learned to let him keep his things where they are accessible and convenient for him and just "hide" them or blend them in with the room.  It's called compromise.

This is my laundry closet.  It's in the kitchen, and it is one area that I am not truly content with.  I would love a full laundry room.  I do have some plans to make this area cleaner, better, and more organized, however, without spending money.  The laundry area is on my to do list for this year.

This is my kitchen.  It is small but homey.  And I am super thankful for my new fridge- found in the scratch and dent section of Lowes for almost HALF of the original cost!  Woohoo!

I hope you've enjoyed this small glimpse at my perfectly imperfect house.  I am thankful for it and for the family that fills it.  And I'm thankful that God is teaching me little by little that I am not to compare myself (or my home) to others.

You can visit other not so perfect homes at Hearts at Home.