Quantity vs Quality

I have posted about my friend Dana that I met a few months ago, and her new baby girl Leah. Dana writes a blog that you can find here.

Yesterday Dana wrote such an incredible post that I asked if I could re-post it. So glad she said yes. But before we get to the nitty gritty, here are some very important pictures:

And now onto Dana's brilliant words:

Brian told me a story the other day, one that he heard during one of his many trips this past month. I believe it's an actual study done at some school, somewhere:

There were two groups of college students who were asked to make pots that would be judged at the end of the competition. One group was told the judging criteria would be based on quantity of pots, the other group on quality (at this point in the story I had Brian clarify what they were making... not pot as in weed, pots as in pottery, duh. Although I'm sure that would have made for an interesting competition).

The quantity group got started right away. They made short pots and tall pots and small pots and big pots. They just kept turning them out, one by one. The quality group, however, started by researching pots. They checked out pottery made by ancient Greeks and other cultures that withstood the test of time and beauty. They took months to complete their research and finally, days before the end of the competition, they made their pot. They placed it carefully in the kiln and waited for their perfect piece. Meanwhile, the quantity group just kept making pots.  They made wide pots and narrow pots and deep pots and shallow pots. They made lots and lots of pots. 

When the time came to judge the pots, both groups were told they would be judged not on quantity as one was originally told, but on quality. And wouldn't you know, the quantity group made the better, higher quality pots. You see, in the time the quality group was researching, the quantity group was doing. They were practicing. They were perfecting. 

Now, this story isn't exactly surprising. At some point while Brian was talking, I actually figured out what was going to happen.  While he had to finish telling the story before relating it back to our lives, my mind started doing that somewhere in the middle.

I can read all the books and ask all the questions I want, but I'm not going to learn what works for me or for Leah if I don't start doing (don't get me wrong- I will still read and ask because it's what I do, but I cannot take it as gospel).  Sitting at home in my beloved Kansas sweatpants because I am exhausted, overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated is not going to help me become acclimated to our new normal nor will it allow me to learn from my experiences at home or in the community (except for maybe what show is on what channel at what time).

I need quantity.  I need to remember that it's not going to be perfect every time (or maybe at all) because it's all new for both of us and I need to practice.  I need the opportunity to struggle and fail and troubleshoot.  It's the only way I'm going to learn, and it's the only way Leah is going to learn.  And you know what quantity leads to?  Quality.  I will be a better mom raising a better daughter to have a better life.

So here's to screwing up, not being on schedule, and disastrous trips to Target because we will learn and we will get better.

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning has been going on. And by that I mean I spent many hours attempting a wreath and about one cleaning. Charlie did drain the pool:


Apparently you're supposed to do this every like, 8 years, and the prior owners hadn't done it once. So we rented a pool pump/drain (no idea what it's called) and did it.

Doggies, don't fall in!

They don't seem too interested. (whoa, I almost typed to instead of too).

Last night while eating a batch of fresh kale chips (literally off of the pan I made them on) I had the idea to keep the pool empty since we will be in Alabama for June and July, so we could save a huge water bill! My mom and Katy were over but since my mom was sharing the kale chips with me and Katy hadn't dug in yet, I made Katy e-mail Charlie from my mom's computer. The e-mail said something like: Hey sweety, I have an idea, why don't we keep the pool empty until we're back and save a huge water bill? By the way, what the HECK is all the stuff in the gym room?"

Well let me show you what I found in the gym room, interspersed througout granola bar wrappers, silverware, and paperwork:

It was NOT in the laundry basket, just all over there. I guess I did do spring cleaning beyond the hour of organization. When my mom saw it she asked if I was sure I wanted to marry him. What a ridiculous question. I just need to make sure to go in there more often to clean it. If I don't go into the office for two days it looks like a frat house.

I forgot to take a picture of the kale chips but it was super easy and delicious. I literally just took precut kale, put it on a sheet pan with about a tbs of olive oil, then took a lemon wedge and sprinkled it, a tiny salt, and fresh parmesan cheese. Bake at 325 for 20 minutes (although I think next time I"ll do 15 minutes). I don't usually do parmesan but the Moutnains left me some when they left.

I also roasted brocolli and brussel sprouts in some balsamic and olive oil. Katy and I ate almost the whole batch for dinner. I was STUFFED off of vegetables.



This was already dug into. You don't use etiquette at the Maddox household, just dig on in!

The living room (and kitchen area) is a wreck because I am organizing everything. Mom came over to help but first we ran to hobby lobby to get the finishing items for my wreath (almost done!!!!). Mom had an MRI done and she did not have a tear which is good and bad. Good because it's not a tear, bad because there's no surgical solution. Just needs to endure the calcium until it dissipates.

We sat her down on the couch with a heating pad and Katy and I started working on the bookshelves in the living room. Katy and I both have one of our degrees in psychology (my other is math and her other is premed I think), and we were laughing because we were like mice that go and do something inefficiently several times before realizing what the quickest route is. We kept going around behind a couch side table before realizing we could go the other way (duh!), before realizing we could just move the original side table! We have lots more to do and she's coming over soon to finish the job.

Charlie came home from work early and he kissed me hello and proclaimed "you smell like kale" and I proclaimed "you smell like alcohol". Thank GOODNESS he went out and had a little fun (I know he only had one drink but still!). He has been working nonstop and so he and Rob went and had a drink after work. He seriously comes home most nights and this is what happens:

This is from a couple nights ago. Odge loves his daddy and his favorite spot is to crawl on top of your legs right in the crack between them.

So if you're wondering why on earth the wreath is taking so long, ask yourself: would you be able to work on it when this little bubba crawls right in?

Mom can I sit there?

I looked over to Charlie to help me but Maya was taking all his attention:

(notice the ladder in the background? For our bookshelves)


The dogs nicknames have changed to Lazy, Stubborn, and Annoying. Can you guess who is who?

Lee - help me out here, get up!


No mommy I'm comfortable. Go watch Big Bang Theory.

I guess I'll finish the wreath another day.