monday morning clean-up

I have lots of pictures to put up, but not much time this morning. We are going to clean up the house a little bit. "We" being Evelyn, who somehow missed the bus this morning, and Sonja, who somehow didn't get up until the bus left. We are having company for dinner tomorrow night, and need to go to the store. While I have these enthusiastic helpers, I want to get a few things done around here. I spent many hours Friday cleaning and polishing and dusting around here...now one would never know it. The window behind the bench where the well-mannered children sit is smeary again. ??? There are clothes on the couch again, a few towels draped around, the girls' new raincoats are on the dog-crate, along with yesterday's newpaper, two hairbrushes, and a bible. And my purse. Any surface is game for clutter, and I do not like it. It is a continuous battle, and sometimes I just feel like giving up and saying, "Okay kids, you want to live in a slobhouse, fine..." Okay, I HAVE said that.

Evelyn has already started cleaning under one of the living room chairs....okay, a refridgerator magnet, the empty garlic powder container - all chewed up, a baby shoe, some Thomas train track, a circus coupon, a small plastic hanger, a dolly, a naked Barbie, a Fisher-Price Little People car, and a pretzel. That is just under ONE chair. We have my chair, and two couches to go....and it could take a while because Evelyn is just sitting there reading the circus ticket. She is like me, easily distracted.

Charlotte and Camille are eating breakfast with Sonja, and I should get moving....this thing is a time burner.

But oh, I have so much to say!! Maybe later.....