“The thing that makes our home feel like home is that there’s always a certain amount of kid stuff around… We actually live here,” she says. Crow appreciates that some day that “mess” won’t be there because her boys will be grown. “I’m gonna miss seeing those shoes by the couch or the football on the entry table.”
The House Rules
With the acceptance of a home that looks lived in (because it is!) there are still several house rules that Sheryl and her boys follow. In fact, you’ll find them posted. “I’m embarrassed to say that we do have a hand-written list [of rules] that the boys and I put together,” Crow says. “I just always want the boys to remember that not only are we family, we’re roommates.” The rules are pretty straightforward:
Bring in the eggs. The boys built a chicken coop during the pandemic, so one house rule is a reminder to bring in the eggs so they don’t wind up with a pile of eggs going to waste.Make your bedTake belongings up [stairs]. Crow says, “I typically put things on the stairs if they need to go up to their rooms so one of the things on the list is: If something is yours on the stairs, take it upstairs.” Clean up after yourselfHang up towelsHelp Mom around the houseFeed your animalsSports 30 minutes. The boys get 30 minutes of phone time each day, but there’s no screen time until homework and piano practicing is done.Read Take out dogs[Ask] How can I help? Typically this is a reminder to ask Mom how they can help, but Crow loves it when the boys volunteer to help each other.
These house rules are clearly for her boys. If you’re a guest in her home, Crow has one hosting desire: Relax and visit with each other, worry about the dishes later. She loves having big get togethers on the back porch when weather allows, but wants everyone to simply enjoy the time together. So sit back and enjoy listening to the music of Jackson Browne, James Taylor, The Beatles, and The Eagles she’s likely to be playing while keeping everyone involved in the conversation.
Around the House
A bit of kid stuff is some of what you’ll find in Crow’s home, but there are a few other things that make the home uniquely her’s and her family’s.
The Dogs
Crow has two dogs, a mutt named Jewels and a French bulldog named Buster. Wondering how they got those names? “When the boys were little and we adopted [Jewels], they decided that her little spots looked like jewels, so that’s how we came up with that. And Buster just looks like a Buster. He also has a nickname… Muscles McGee,” Crow says.
Workspaces
There are two areas of the home where Crow does most of her creative work, a piano room and an above-barn studio. Right now she is using the piano room as she works on writing a show for herself that she hopes will be a one-woman show. “As soon as I drop my kids off I get my computer out, and while it’s quiet I do some writing and maybe some playing,” she says. Above the horse barn (where there are currently two horses) is her studio. When asked if there are particular things that must be in the room with her to be at her creative best, Crow replied, “I have one guitar that even though there are a ton of guitars in there [the studio], I have one that I find is like an old soft blanket for me. We call it the little money maker because most of the songs that I’ve ever made any money off of were written on that guitar. It is kind of my go-to, so generally wherever I’m working, that guitar is with me.”
Artwork
Since her boys were little, Crow has put their art on the walls. She shares that one lesson to come from that practice is celebrating things being imperfect. “Whatever the kids think perfect looks like, it’s the imperfections that make things unique and artful,” she says. It’s also teaching them to accept compliments. “It’s hard sometimes to accept a compliment so it’s really fun to have stuff up on the walls and for my kids to hear, “That’s so cool!” and to have to learn that.”
Shoes On or Off?
Crow doesn’t care either way, in part because she plans to update the house some day. “I tell people all the time, when my kids graduate I’m gonna just gut the whole house… And we have dogs, so there’s not a great argument for people taking off their shoes because I’m certainly not going to have dogs wear slippers.”
Rinse Dishes Before Putting in the Dishwasher?
As a creature of habit, Crow does rinse her dishes before adding to the dishwasher. Not quite a house rule, but still a part of her everyday, is the life motto that Crow tries to live by. “Be in the moment. Don’t stress over what has already happened and don’t stress over what’s in the future. Just try to be in the moment because that’s what makes life feel like it’s not zooming by.” As a “fully realized boy mom,” Crow and her boys spend most of their time outside on the trampoline, throwing a football or baseball, or riding horses. On occasion, Crow will stop her kids and tell them to look at the moment and remember it. A good “rule” for us all to follow.
