Unsanitary conditions

I was thinking the other morning when I was getting grossed out by a dirty countertop that we live an incredibly bizarre sanitary life. We have little interaction with real gross stuff. You do more when you are a parent, but we still have tissues to wipe our kids' noses with and disposable diapers to wrap up the poop and throw it away. We rarely are subjected to strong sensory experiences. I was thinking about the things I touch every day, and they are mostly plastic. When was the last time I dunked my hands into something slimy or laid naked in the grass? I even do a lot of kneading dough and bathing with my babies and playing outside, and I still often feel sensory deprived. I'm questioning my career path as well, locked inside my office doing research and writing for hours upon end, staring at a computer screen all. day. long. I know it makes Atticus incredibly grumpy when he watches too many episodes of Super Why! so I wonder how it will affect my life to be perpetually lacking in sensations. I also get from my mom an unusually keen sense of smell, so if my house smells musty or stale it really bothers me, but I don't like to use fake scented stuff. So, I'm trying to find ways to freshen up the house without hurting our lungs. Any suggestions?

I was thinking about ways to integrate sensory experiences into my every day life, and that of my children. I'm going to start walking outside more instead of taking the bus, cooking and baking more, playing with playdough and finger-painting and sewing. Listening to beautiful music. Yoga. Using essential oils in our baths and soaps (and playdough).

What do you do to utilize or thrill your senses?