A Notice to the Children

Good Monday morning!

I have had houseguests for the last 3 days . . . 2 children whose parents were out of town. Really good kids.

However, children can tire of each other so quickly and then you have issues. You know. So, for the last 3 days I have shuttled 7 kids to the pool, to a movie, to the pool, to the mall, to the pool. There have been pizza nights and house-wide hide and seek games, and one child has stashed all his valuable toys in piles in my room so as not to have the visitor touch them. (Yes, I'll be working on selfishness issues.)

So, this morning I find my house in chaos. And I'm not really one to mind chaos. Actually, I find it a little invigorating. However, a close inspection will reveal popcorn on the rec room floor and stuffed into the cracks of the couch, cracker crumbs dotting the rug in the Man of the House's office (So not good! This man is not invigorated by chaos!), and peanut butter and jelly in swaths on the kitchen chairs.

I have, therefore, taken steps to remedy this. I have hired Youngest Son to babysit Youngest Daughter for 3 hours, (he can still be purchased relatively inexpensively . . . and he's saving up for a really big Lego set) and I have posted the above notice.

I just hope the kids understand that dogs escaping in a neighborhood with "leash laws," a brother tickling you while holding your head under his knee, or a small child walking through your freshly painted room making soft zigzags on your wet walls with her fingers do not constitute "national emergencies."

3 hours without interruptions? We'll see how that goes! I think it's worth scrubbing bathtubs and shampooing a carpet just to find out!!