Grandma Clean

In my house growing up we had a lot of funny sayings. We would "meow" each other when someone was mad or the parents would threaten to get out "Uncle Richard" the wooden spoon and spank us if we were bad or my dad would "give us a gift" by making us do chores or homework. These things are so special to me now and bring back such fond memories but at the time were like a death sentence. One of the worst things was when my dad would say it was time to clean the house "Grandma clean". If we were given the chance, we would have all run away crying as soon as those words were out. But my parents were too dang quick. Anyway, the saying came around because every time my Grandma Joyce (dad's mom) would come and visit us, we would spend about half of the time cleaning our house with her. She is an amazing woman and loves to work and so on our precious Saturdays, when Grandma was with us, we would clean our rooms, the bathrooms, kitchen, closets, carpets, windows...you name it, we cleaned it. And it wasn't just a "lets pick up this room and vacuum clean" it was a "get on your hands and knees and scrub this floor with a toothbrush clean". Looking back I am so glad for being taught how to clean and clean well but as a kid growing up it was the worst form of punishment.
So the point of this is that Grandma cleaning has struck again only at my very own apartment. Yesterday was the first day I had had off in a very long time. Our house was a disaster and I was full of determination. I spent all day cleaning and scrubbing and dusting and vacuuming and shining and folding and now my house is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I cannot explain how much better it makes things when there are not piles and piles of laundry to be done and dishes from here to Sunday in the kitchen. As a girl, I swore to myself I would never use the words "Grandma clean" in my house but alas, it cannot be helped. I have turned into my parents. Every day I find myself doing something else that my parents did that I promised myself I would never do. Dang it.
I just think it's funny how much I find myself growing up and doing exactly what my parents did. I am so glad I had such good ones to turn into. And even my new parents are rubbing off on me now. I'm just so lucky to have such good examples to look up to and be like when raising my children.


AND...lucky for my husband, a clean house and kitchen always brings out the baker in me. This morning it was delicious lemon poppy seed muffins topped with slivered almonds and a sweet glaze. Oh so yummy.