You know the type of morning. It has been a long week and you just want to sleep one thousand, four hundred, and twenty-two winks more,at the very least. You have to drag yourself out of bed (okay, maybe this is a daily thing?) 

But then it dawns on you that you’ve got company coming over and panic ensues. The moms from your homeschool co-op will be arriving at 2 pm with their adorable daughters for your first afternoon tea club. In the busyness of your week, you forgot, and now your house is a disaster area. (If yours isn’t, I don’t want to know.) 

 But there’s no need to worry. (Much. Let’s be real — ya’ know you’re going to get judged.) 

Let me share with you a scenario of how cute aprons are the new cape for homeschool moms. Picture this…

I’m going to assume you’re going to prep for the afternoon by dawning your best pair of yoga-like pants (and for the record, leggings are not pants) and your favorite shirt. It might even be your Sunday best. After all, if you look good, they won’t be looking at the fingerprints on the walls. 

With your practical yet fashionable apron on, you feel empowered to set your focus and stick to your tasks. You are a feminine wonder, seeing to your household. And unless you let on or blurt it out, no one will be the wiser.

Whatever your tasks are, you’re happily eyeing the room. Perhaps you’ll decide to vacuum first. Or to take care of piles of books or papers. Maybe it’ll be the dishes, dusting, or dinner prep. Thank goodness you baked and froze those mini scones last week! Out they pop from the freezer, laid out on a platter with Celestial Seasonings tea bags. You’ve never been so thrilled that you asked your guests to bring their favorite teacups.

Just when you’ve got yourself into a groove, it happens. Suddenly, you zoom in on the window as you hear car doors slam.  

Good grief, what do you do? Because while progress has been made on your million things to do, there’s still about half a million things to get to for the house to be guest-ready. 

Breathe. You must breathe. If you’re strategic enough, it’ll all work out okay. So, you smile. And you go to the door with that bomb new apron on. Because this is your new cape, you Wonder Woman you.

As you greet your guests, almost immediately you’re guests ooh and awe over your cute apron. 

“It’s darling. And wherever did you find it?” 

“Great colors; they bring our your beautiful eyes.”

“It’s so flattering on you. It’s hard to tell if it’s just the apron or if your self-care is showing.”

And as you lead your company past the laundry, the stack of books, the stack of papers, the cobweb in the upper corner, you chat about your apron. As you seat your company at the patio table, you excuse yourself to go freshen up in the restroom for a moment. And to pause and reflect on what matters. 

You walk into the restroom to quickly put up that fresh hand towel before your guests use your facilities.  And you adjust your hair a little. 

Then, wide-eyed you stare with your jaw dropping to the floor. Or at least as close to the floor as your jaw will actually drop.

Is it possible? Do you truly have mismatched earrings on? You thought for certain you grabbed the matching one off of the earring display.