is someone gonna clean up this house?

Just because I am a girl...a mom...a HOUSEWIFE, for goodness' sake, does NOT MEAN I LIKE TO CLEAN THE HOUSE. blah. I like when the house is clean, but that is an entirely different thing than actually cleaning it. Oh, sometimes I get into a groove and don't mind polishing the stove and cleaning off the burners...vacuuming in the corners and shining up the windows. But every stinking day? When school started this year and I was ha, "home alone", I thought that FINALLY, the house would be clean. But guess what? Seems my house just won't stay clean.

I did take my nap yesterday afternoon. My headache was atrocious, it was dark and rainy, the kind of day that just screams CHOOSE THE NAP! So I did. Sonja K. didn't get the memo though, she got off the bus, wondered where Mom was, and crashed into my room just as I was falling into a nice slumber...I said hi to her as she realized I was trying to nap, and out she went. blah.

An hour later I heard the school bus again, second trip kids were home. The princesses didn't care in the least that I was napping, they climbed right into bed with me for a snuggle. I didn't mind. Camille did not want me to get up and start dinner.

But I did. I had boneless pork marinating in lemon pepper sauce...and a pan of brown rice (I always bake the rice now...if it is pre-soaked, and is baked with a bit of olive oil or butter, sealed with foil, it comes out nicely and is just more brainless than the stovetop way.) We set the table and microwaved some veggies, and voila, dinner for...I don't know, Abigail joined us so I guess 15.

Since I am such a good housewife, the dishwasher was already running so we had to just rinse the dishes and leave them in the sink...washed the pans, and out the door we all went to the Activity Club fall party.

The path into the woods was illuminated with the pumpkins the kids had carved the week before, with candles...and glass jars with more candles...in the clearing at the end of the path, chairs and hay bales were set up around a camp fire...there was popcorn, and hot cocoa. Music and a small children's meeting...all done by the young people at church. We have an amazing youth group! (When Char said her prayers last night, she thanked God for all the good things the young people had done for the kids...)

Back inside for cider and donuts and a balloon stomp and games...and bags of treats.

I had brought a travel mug of chocolate fudge flavored coffee (no sugar, just flavored) to ward off any donut temptations. I did munch on some popcorn though.

Anyway, the sink is still full of dishes. The floors need sweeping, and there are some clothes on the couch, which we all know could turn into a baby couch monster very very easily. There is laundry to do, and the bathrooms, ugh. It just gets messy so fast! So many kids here, each leaving just a thing or two or three around...

And then of course I occasionally leave a jacket on a chair or my purse on the table...

The books on the bookcase get put back horizontally on top of the other books...socks get taken off....mugs of tea left on tables...

And guess what? I do not feel like cleaning it up today.

I just don't.

We are all out of pull-ups. The wearers only wet occasionally, but it is certain they will wet their beds if I don't head to Walmart and get some.

I don't feel like doing that either.

But. Guess what? I don't actually go to work...but this stuff is my job. Whether I like it or not. So I will make myself get out of my comfy chair and do my best to make the house nice and homey and clean...

I do like having all the kids though. They fill my life with joy and noise and fun (and fighting and worry and oh, they always need stuff!)

I am in the middle of a new, "Anne Tyler" book. She is so good. I just want to curl up and finish it. But this is my job, and people do not read books at work. ha.

Yes, I am well aware that I have it good.

Oh, my hot tub...it still leaks. I am hoping it is just a loose fitting or something. After the pipes were repaired, we scrubbed it all shiny, filled it up...and the water drained back out...wah. It was leaking near the motor, not near the places that were patched up. Hopefully it is a cheap easy fix.

Jonathan is home today. He has a cough. He has been dragging. I didn't wake him this morning, and he slept an extra hour and a half. He is pretty darned happy to find himself home with Mom. He is sitting on the couch watching a dinosaur show with Suri cuddled up to him. Suri, who is NOT allowed on the couch....

Suri is a sweetie. She is just so good and kind and nice. But. She is also a Bad Puppy. She loves going in her cage, to put the things she sneaks down the hall and steals from the kids' rooms...dolls, stuffed animals. She will get a candy wrapper or a yogurt cup, and put it in the cage. Sometimes I put her in there for a bit, try to get her used to it ha. Well, the other night I put her in there before I went to bed because I was getting sick of having to lock up the garbage can and batten down the hatches, she is such a counter-jumping thief during the night...she was fine for an hour or so, then she started barking...then howling. So, I let her out. I put the garbage can in her cage and locked it up, sprinkled chili powder all over the counters to keep her off, and went to bed. she won.

The chili powder does help though. She didn't steal bread the last few nights, and I didn't find any veggies or apples on her blankie.

Anyway...I think I will clean up then take Jonathan to Wallyworld....