Plain Jane / June 2012 / Your family doesn't care

Jun 18, 201211:23 AMPlain Jane

Because Moms Can't Be Afraid to Tell it Like it is

Your family doesn't care

I have been immersed in the deep end of the in-law pool for the last four days and have realized a few things. But before I cast the pearls, allow me to give you the back story.

My in-laws, who live in North Carolina, told us they were coming to Pennsylvania to attend my nephew's high school graduation party and that they would be staying with us. I stocked the fridge, cleaned like the Queen was coming and even made the boys organize their closets. (If you knew my mother-in-law you would understand. She makes Mr. Clean look like a 1-year-old who thrills at throwing food on the floor and leaving toys strewn about.)

But I don't know why I even bothered because the moment they arrived, you couldn't tell I had scrubbed a thing. Which brings me to Pearl #1: 

Family doesn't care—but in a good way. No need to kill yourself cleaning or trying to make everything perfect because, if they truly love you (like my in-laws love us) they aren't visiting to inspect your house, they are simply there to hug and smooch you. They honestly won't mind if there are streaks on your windows or marks on your floors, so put the Windex down.

Pearl #2: It's OK to sleep in and then spend half the day in your pajamas when your family is visiting. Relax. Linger over coffee and catch up with them. Make fun of everyone's bed-head. Your family loves you with or without makeup, so embrace this rare occasion to look ugly.

Pearl #3: "Walking tacos" or, as I like to call them, "traveling tacos" have the ability to solve all of the world's problems. I ate my first one this weekend at my brother-in-law’s house and have dreamt of them ever since. They are nothing short of happiness in a bag. I defy you to find one person who has eaten this mouth party who didn't instantly begin smiling and dancing. I guess what I'm saying is, this yummy meal with my relatives wasn't super-fancy, but it sure was the highlight of my weekend. What fun we had stuffing our little bags and then our faces.

So go spend some time with your family this summer. Have a picnic. Ask them to sleep over. Eat out of a bag. And don't forget, your family doesn't care what your house looks like.

Traveling Tacos Recipe:

• Individual snack-sized bags of Fritos or Doritos
• All the fixings for tacos (cooked, seasoned ground beef, shredded cheese, salsa, tomatoes, jalapeños, sour cream, lettuce, etc.)
• Directions: Open the tiny bag of chips. Crush the chips in the bag a little bit. Spoon in your favorite toppings. Grab a fork and let the loving begin.