Welcome to my world. An abandoned refrigerator in the dining room, bra on the chest freezer in the kitchen, and monster teeth in the toilet paper roll in the bathroom.

We are an untapped reality show resource. You can’t make this stuff up. For the record, I didn’t make this up. All three situations are 100% legit. Go ahead and roll your eyes – I am too.

According to Thomas Wolfe “You Can’t Go Home Again”. I beg to differ. We’re living in a time when over thirty-two percent of eighteen to thirty-four year olds live at home with their parents.

Circumstances vary drastically, but these homes share one common thread: it’s a blessing and a curse. (My response varies).

When I married and moved from my childhood home, I left my parents, one sibling and one dog. That was two hundred years ago. Today, that same house (no bigger) is home to four adults, two children and TWO German Shepherds. Because who buys only one big dog? Go big or go home, right? Been there, done that!

Every day is an adventure, without ever leaving the house. It’s not survival of the fittest around here, but the family member with the best attitude perseveres. Learn to focus on the positives and don’t dwell on the negatives. Actually, that’s true for life in general. I’m still working on this.

My parents are not young anymore. They still try to climb ladders and move furniture like they did thirty years ago. That’s when the next two generations step in and lend a healthier hand. And when I say, “the next two generations,” I mean, JP and Preston.

Six heads are better than one when it comes to remembering to buy toilet paper or laundry detergent (we can’t forget the toilet paper, where else would Preston keep his Dracula teeth).

Retired grandparents always make it to school activities held during the day when Moms are working and can’t get away. The grandchildren may appear a bit more spoiled than most, but they always have an adult to comfort, love and shower them with encouragement. Never do the boys (or anybody else, for that matter) come home to an empty house.

I can do without all the hype about “alone time” and “me time.” Our home has doors, but they’re rarely closed and never locked (except the bathroom). My thirteen year old son makes sure to knock on the door during my bubble bath. Since I fell asleep, just once, he’s made it his mission to make sure Mom doesn’t drown in the tub. That’s one of the plusses of the unempty nest, there’s always someone watching out for you.

There are lots of downsides to sharing an address with my entire family. I think I’ll  just  ignore those and be grateful for my not so typical home.