kids live here!!!

Pick it up and put it away? But they're still playing!


And then there are the fire trucks...

I can clean up my house, but it won't STAY clean. Because we like to be comfortable here. Or perhaps because it's just too much work to keep it spotless, although I seriously wouldn't know. I think every family has to find their own comfort level, what they can live with on a regular daily basis. Unfortunately, my idea of comfort is a few levels up from the rest of the slobs who live here, ha. But since I'm the mom, it's all my fault anyway, right? One mom told me a few years back that I'm not doing my kids any favors by not teaching them be cleaners and organizers. Sorry kids!

The thing is, I don't like walking around nagging. Who's sweater is this? Who left these dishes on the coffee table? Orange peels on the arm of the couch? Seriously? I can issue a general statement, saying this won't be tolerated anymore...but of course I'm wasting my breath, because we all know: NO ONE DID IT. Or perhaps one of them will helpfully point the finger to a sibling, who points to still another sibling.

Anyhoo. Just keeping the floors clean is like a part time job.

Okay, so we're taking a trip this weekend. I have taken trips with all different kids in the family through the years. Teenagers are fun to travel with, but the little kids are a riot because they are so unreserved about their excitement. They don't cross their arms and mumble, "yeah, I guess I'm glad we're going. But it'll probably be really lame." Nope! The hotel pool! Can we order pizza the first night?! We'll probably stop at McDonald's on the way down!!! They are packing the poker chips/cards (yeah, my little kids play poker), and the Yahtzee! game. They are packing movies and tablets and each one pillow. I keep telling them to pack lightly. ha.

Their excitement is contagious.

Today, my little friend Davian is coming over. We can't talk about our trip in front of him, it's too sad, because he asks, "What about me?" He is seriously adorable. He told me yesterday that he was going to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon.

I find these days, I get up at six-ish in the morning, am relatively busy all day....I say "relatively", because yesterday I sat in my comfy lounge chair while the kids splashed in the little pools. Jon even brought me a 15 calorie popsicle. (and ha, I am sitting here right now, aren't I?) But overall, driving people places and making meals and and and...keeps me busy enough. I tried to read in bed last night and just conked after like 20 pages. I turned out the light at midnight, and slept like a rock. So I can't complain, which I shouldn't anyway, which Jonathan so nicely reminds me.

Another load of laundry is done, so off I go...