Today I stopped by a friend’s house unannounced to drop off a flyer for a church function. Actually, I didn’t think she was going to be there so I didn’t think it was a rude move since I would just slip the flyer under her door and call her later. It turns out she was there, and before I could apologize for stopping by without an invite she blurted out, “Hi! My house is a mess!”

I got to thinking about how I would react if someone were to stop by my house unannounced and I really think that the first words out of my mouth would be along the same lines. I long ago came to grips with the fact that if I’m going to work from home while raising my two kids there is an excellent chance that the majority of the time my house is not going to be guest-ready. Don’t get me wrong…I clean up if I know that someone is going to come over, but on a day to day basis there are toys on the floor, dishes in the sink, and I swear the unfolded clothes on the couch are silently mocking me.

Why should I feel guilty about this? My first priority is to make sure that the kids are okay, my second priority is to make sure that my deadlines are met, and my third priority is to make sure the house is in good order. I’d say that if I make it all the way down that tier and have everything set then it’s a really, really good day.

Today’s experience with my friend helped me to realize that I’m not the only mom with a messy house. You may laugh that I actually needed that revelation, but sometimes I think we forget how difficult a job it is to keep kids content and relatively injury-free. If our houses are a little messy but our kids are thriving, then I think that’s a pretty good trade-off, isn’t it?

Before I go into my tirade let me make sure I get something across to all my readers. I have nothing against the mommies who decide to supplement their family’s income by starting up a home-based business. I figure if you have a passion for Pampered Chef or Mary Kay, by all means you should earn some money from something you enjoy. It’s a flexible part-time job and it allows you to socialize, from what I’ve been told.

Having said that, let me now say this: Please stop inviting me to your home parties.

Give me a catalog and if I like what I see then I’ll order something from you. Please don’t make me get a babysitter just to sit through two hours of cheesy games and merchandise demonstrations. I would much rather go to get coffee with you and chat pleasantly while flipping through a catalog.

I can tell you exactly when I decided that I was finished with home parties. I went to a Pampered Chef party where the two hostesses had a competition to see who could get apples peeled the fastest for a dessert we would all enjoy a little later in the party. One hostess stopped her peeling, blew her nose, and then without washing her hands she went back to the peeling competition. Not only was I totally grossed out, but I decided that I was done with the whole home party thing. I already loathed the whole format, but after this my resolve was strong.

If you’re a new stay-at-home mommy then there will probably come a time when you will yearn to get your hands and something that’s all your own and can potentially earn you money. That’s why so many SAHMs wind up getting involved in home-based business; the initial investment is pretty low and you can work your own hours. It’s also why so many of us other SAHMs and WAHMs get roped into going to the parties.

Am I the only mommy who feels this way?