Reality

For design junkies like me, the drive to have a magazine perfect home is is a constant. Last week I was exhausted and feeling a bit sick. The dining room was painted but not reassembled and the adjoining living room was supposed to be emptied. Laundry piled up, dinner was ignored, and I did not vaccum everyday--horrors!
Over the weekend I felt a little better and decided not to do most of what was undone as just a check with myself about priorities.
And questions...
My loquacious two-year old often asks, "Are you happy?!" and before I can even register the query she chirps. " IIIIImmm happy!
When I walk into the house, through the  (pronounced GAYR-ahzh in my head) garage, I enter the TV/family/casual room. 

I am always put off when it is a giant mess of toys. And God help the soul who has eaten in there and left evidence.

In reality, I don't demand or expect perfection in my home. I have enough space to create formal and loosely, conceptual spaces as well as functional, family spaces that do not completely sacrifice looks.
If I only had furniture to choose in life it might all be lucite and silk covered settees.

Luckily, I get to choose little and my life is blessed with children and that is the function that Mama's form must follow.

My point is that as much as I crave a perfect home to look at, I have a better home to live in because I push aside the crazed neat freak that is not a fun person to live with and hope no one rings the doorbell.