WARNING **GROUCHY**

Life would be easier if kids came with instructions.

I had a very productive day. I mean PRO.DUC.TIVE.

I decided last night I wanted to clean house today. Very unlike me, I know, but it does happen, and with all my illness I've had lots of opportunity to stare at what needs doing, unable to function well enough to do it. I decided to start in the dining room, because unlike the kitchen and living room it is further from the door and therefore harder to dump your crap there stays clean a bit longer.

I cleaned off the top of my china closet. My husband puts things there. I never put things there. When I can't find the phone, 9 times out of 10 it's there. Along with pliers, scissors, screws, tape, papers, nuts, Legos, and a whole lotta dust.

'Cuz I don't dust.

So I put away all that stuff. Well, most of that stuff, and what I can't recognize is set aside for him.

I then dusted the top of it. Then the sides. Then (brace yourselves) I washed the glass. It's beautiful. I mean really pretty. It keeps dust out well, in spite of it's unfortunate need of repair a few years back, so I don't have to dust all the junk things inside. I washed the two things I left on top.
It gleams and sparkles and stuff.

I swapped a load of laundry.

I vacuumed around and under it. My vac doesn't really fit under it, maybe Fiddle Dee Dee's son has one that would, but I used the hand thing to get the dust bunnies cause my dining room is carpeted though with four boys that's just gross.

Anyway, then I proceeded to vacuum to where the desk is in the next corner. I cleared and dusted it. Then I stacked all my friend's scrapbook stuff on it to vacuum the next area. I cleaned the things off the little kiddie table that I don't really have room for but my kids and I still like so we keep it. I put away papers from the windowsill
on the next wall that is about a foot deep and collects things. And some covers. Lids to plastic bins that I buy so I can be organized. Yeah.

I swapped the laundry, again.

Then I vacuumed more. Then I cleaned off the Monitor heater that you should never set things on, (we aren't using it this year, so of course, it collected things) and the pile of clothes that needed to be sorted by size and filed away in closets for summer and for the next kids to grow into. Then I cleaned off the bureau on the wall opposite the china closet. Which translates to I put away my nativity set. Yeah, I know.

More vacuuming, under the table as well, and then I came to the washer and dryer. Oh, my Internet friends, if you only knew. But I wasn't about to take before pictures. Now, it's this:

which is nice. That's laundry hanging above the appliances. Because the appliances were bought when Child One was 3 months old, and the poor dryer can't handle four boys.

Did you know that letting your 2 year old first child sit on top of the dryer when they brush their teeth 'cuz the dryer is in the bathroom back then and they can't run and squirm away might mean he will knock over a can of shaving cream 'cuz there's no counter near that sink to put it on and that then the shaving cream might leak on said dryer and you will be left with rusty peeled paint spots for the next 10+ years? Yeah, me neither.

Then I swapped the laundry.

Ok, so, from the dryer I put away cards. Two cards to one game, 20 or so go fish cards, a handful of War cards... yeah. And everything that comes out of my 11 year-old's pockets. And my husband's receipts. And threw out more nails and screws and stuff. And toys. Little crap ones that teachers give out as rewards 'cuz they can't afford real ones 'cuz no one pays them enough.

And then my kids were home. And cranky. And now, It's 4:44, I sit here, and blog to you, in a very. bad. mood.

Because I have a wonderful, clean room, that took me all day, and no one will appreciate it. Instead they will gripe, groan, and moan, and I will reprimand, and threaten time outs, and try to wrap my brain around why sometimes, they just can't be nice to each other. Or me.

*sigh*

Tomorrow, I tackle the kitchen.

Please. help. me.