What a MESS...My HOUSE, that is! Seriously, this place is an absolute dump. It just caps off what has been a lousy week. I have spent an entire week in my car driving around through snow storms and uncleaned streets, getting up when it's dark and then having the sun set by 4:15. The kids aren't really getting outside anymore and so they spend their days inside fighting, arguing and making messes.

Seriously, I clean the kitchen and living room so many times a day that I don't even like to be in the downstairs anymore. It's awful. On Friday, I spent the day cleaning up the main level. I battled kids dragging neighbors into the house with snow all over their boots, secret snackers who opened up the cupboards and took out food and left it out on multiple occasions and then gave Zoe a snack that she spilled all over the floor. It was a never-ending battle and by the end of a few hours of it, I screamed the heads off of everyone including the neighbor's child and then told them all to just "get out of my sight".

Yes, hours of cleaning and this is the result:



And another view:



The only proof that I had done any cleaning up at all is the vacuum and other cleaning supplies lying about.

If that isn't eybrow raising enough though, check out the downstairs where the kids went to play. I had actually tried to pull out my sewing stuff in an attempt to do some work the day before and it was spread all over the floor. Even my ironing board got knocked over.



Best of all though is my own work desk. I mistakenly put the kids computer there so that I could supervise them when they were online and they have destroyed my entire work area...completely...



Still in doubt? Have a peek UNDER my desk...a good look....


It's just gross. I can't keep up with the kids anymore....seriously....My mom tells me to just "give them responsibilities". I try...I really do...but quite frankly, enforcing all of these rules is even more exhausting that cleaning everything up myself. Also, they do help out usually...with their littler siblings...and that is a contribution that I also value. They also help set the table and clear the dishe. It's not like they don't do anything. But at the same time, when they enter a room, they feel like they have to open every cupboard and drawer to look inside without closing them again. They pull out the cereal and milk for an afterschool snack and then leave it all out. If I'm not quick enough, it all ends up on the floor because Zoe is so fast!

I'm exhausted. I think the time spent in the car is finally catching up with me. Aidan is just so busy and Zoe...she is a little monster. Cute. But a monster.

Witness said monster in potty mode. Try not to look too deeply into her eyes or she might cast you under her impish little spell. And please, feel free to notice that she is wearing her princess costume yet again and is smothered in chocolates that she stole from her older siblings' Nikolaus shoes.



The best validation that I have come from Thomas. He was home Mon, Tues and Wed. of this week and he helped out by giving me some extra time to myself. He told me that he could never do this, that I needed to go back to school or something because it's incredibly frustrating and mind-numbing and that Zoe is a "nightmare". (His words, not mine). She is so busy that it truly boggles the mind.

Here she is sneaking around in her elf costume getting ready for Christmas:

Click HEREto see the video I made of her.

In all seriousness, my personal patience level is completely off because I'm so tired and frustrated with the driving. For Thomas, the worst part of watching the kids was that he couldn't get online (check!), couldn't talk on the phone (check!) and couldn't watch his shows (check!). We talked about it last night and I realized that the hardest part of my day is that I don't have colleagues or friends to bounce ideas off or even make small talk with. The only conversations that I engage in lately are battles with my teens/pre-teens. Things were different even a few weeks ago because the kids were still able to get outside. They got together more regularly with their friends which also brought me into more contact with the parents. We've only been blanketed in snow for a week or so, but already, the Minnesnowtans are hibernating.

Ummm....YES, it is too soon to pull out my "I LOVE WINTER" posts unless you want to be removed from my Christmas Card list. :> Save the tough love for February.[/quote]