Housework?

The day started with Jon washing dishes while I made the beds. That sweet little boy found a gallon of distilled water in the cabinet, and dumped it on all the paper plates. It took two beach towels to mop it all.

Next, darling Ben helped with the laundry. Full bowl of dog's water dumped on a pile of clothes doesn't quite end up in a load of clean laundry, but it did add two more beach towels to the mop-pile.

Not much longer and the refilled dog dish was upended again. Will was a trooper and managed to help me by putting all his clean laundry away and dusting. . .sort of (I am calling it "done" anyway.) Then Prince Charming returned and asked, "What else can I do to help you, Mama?"

Miraculously, all four kids napped at the same time today, which meant I was able to grab a few Zs myself. When I heard them up and about, I went to the nursery to find all the clean diapers spewed on the floor and about 90 wipes scattered about the room. Maddie and Jon had managed to sanitize Ben and his crib with a big bottle of Purell. I know God was watching the entire fiasco and thinking of me fondly, because the powder wasn't opened and the tape was still on the roll. I am a bit worried, though, because I still can't find the fingernail scissors. Those two stinkers were so proud of the mess they made, but Jon ran away as fast as he could.

I managed to get the vacuuming done with help from the little boys. . . . really, they did help. It seems that is a new trick they do now, but they didn't learn it from me. (Thanks, Allen!) But silly mama went upstairs and forgot to do something. . . . When I came down all the kids were watching PBS. Will was on the couch, Jon was next to him, Maddie and Ben were sitting on the kitchen chairs. . . the two I forgot to take off the kitchen table when I vacuumed. I never thought I would ever say my kids were hanging from the chandelier, but that was sure close. Ben was sitting on his knees swinging the light back and forth (yes, the one on the 20-foot chain suspended over our table.)

After I got those two down from the chandelier, I found Ben stuffing a bunch of clothes into the washing machine. Since he didn't get to the buttons yet, I still haven't seen what is in there. I suppose I should go do that now. I just wanted to get this all recorded so one day when I wonder what I did with myself all day, I can look back and know why I lost my marbles.