I’m actually a good juggler.

Not, like, an actual juggler, unless you count juggling with two balls, and I can’t imagine that anyone gives any kind of weight to that.

What I mean, of course, is the ability to do all of the things that I do. I mean, sure, my canned response when people say, “I don’t know how you do everything that you do!” is always to remind people that I just don’t sleep, which is only mostly true. I don’t, in fact, sleep much—usually only about four or five hours each night. But really, the way I am able to get everything done is that I have become a fairly decent juggler.

Of course, I do have the occasional, you know, moment where my brain is crying

but most of the time, I’ve got things under control. Ish.

I work, then I stop to wake kids and dress kids and feed kids and make lunches for kids and brush hair attached to kids and find umbrellas for kids and shoes for kids and bags for kids and kiss the kids goodbye and shove them out the door.

I work, then I stop to throw some laundry in the washer.

I work, then I stop to make banana bread out of the overripe bananas.

I work, then I stop to throw the laundry in the dryer.

I work, then I eat banana bread.

I work, then I stop to talk to The 3:30pm Dictator and fix all the cuts and scrapes.

I work, then I sign forms and drive to playdates and pick up from playdates and drive to dance and pick up from dance.

I work, then we go to the dentist, or the eye doctor, or the hand clinic for my son’s oft-broken limbs.

I work, then I throw the chicken in the oven and fold the laundry fresh from the dryer.

I work, then…well, you get the idea, yes? 

Juggling.

Balancing.

See? Good jugglers can have three kids, two jobs, one dog, and banana bread. 

Good jugglers prioritize. I figure out the things I really want to do, and make sure I make time for them — working out, watching copious amounts of television, making my bed, going to Target, taking my kids to the park.

Good jugglers delegate. I don’t take out the garbage cans, I require my husband to do it. I don’t bring in the garbage cans, I require my children to do it. I don’t have a green thumb—I don’t even have any green fingers or toes—so I hire a gardener. I don’t like to clean toilets (although I seem to be quite accidentally skilled at unclogging them) so I have a cleaning person come in  to do them and to change the sheets on the beds because I’m under 5 foot 2 and making my high-rise queen bed takes me about an hour and is basically an extreme sport .

And just last week I texted my husband to tell him that before the summer, before the kids descend upon my household and change up the routine that I have finally figured out, it would be amazing to have a cleaning service come in and clean my house.

Not tidy. Tidy I can do. But a deep clean—a down-to-the-baseboards, behind-the-fridge clean.

And then, the skies opened up and someone heard my prayer.

Because I got the timeliest and most wonderful email from a company called Aspen Clean asking if I’d be interested in trying out their green home cleaning service. I leaped, jumped, flew at the chance. Yes! YES! In the world of stay-at-home-mom required prioritizing and delegating — I have prioritized a clean house, but I need to delegate someone else to make it happen.

So yes. Three of the loveliest people showed up with all eco-friendly equipment required, including their own vacuum. They cleaned while I did my usual daily juggling. They truly seemed to love their work. It showed—on their faces, and on my walls and floors and bathrooms and kitchen and entryway.

And now I have time to fix all the cuts and scrapes.

And pay it forward to you. Yes! It’s true. Toronto people! I’m giving away an Aspen Clean gift card so you can have the chance to try this amazing cleaning service in your home.

All you have to do is leave a comment, and you are automatically entered to win. Additionally, you can tweet or share this post on Facebook for extra entries. Follow Aspen Clean on Facebook and Twitter. I will randomly choose a winner at 9pm on Wednesday, July 2nd. You must live Toronto or Toronto-ish (…even all the way up to Newmarket) to win. The prize pack is worth $264 (plus GST).

Good luck!