Thursday Cleaning: Tackling the Yard and Choosing Joy

Thursdays are my designated cleaning days, and today was no exception. I had a full to-do list: cleaning the backyard and front yard, emptying the trash bins, and finally, mowing the lawn. The grass is still growing like crazy, so this was the second mow of the week—something I wasn’t exactly thrilled about but knew had to be done.

While I was busy with the yard work, the kids played nearby, their laughter and energy keeping me motivated as I powered through my tasks. It was a productive day, but there was one moment that really caught me off guard. Our neighbor, who I’ve noticed before, was at it again—picking up debris like dog poo, trash, or lawn weeds and disposing of it on my property. It's incredibly disturbing and, honestly, hard to understand why someone would go out of their way to do something like that.

But I’ve decided not to let this bizarre behavior spoil my day. After all, life’s too short to dwell on negativity. Instead, I’m focusing on making the rest of the day enjoyable. I’m planning a fun evening with the kids to wrap up the day on a positive note. 

Yard work might not be the most glamorous task, and unexpected frustrations like the neighbor’s antics can be aggravating, but at the end of the day, it’s about how we choose to respond. I’m choosing to end today with joy, surrounded by the people who matter most.