The one where I cleaned, and threatened, and caved.

I thought yesterday's post would generate all sorts of comments telling me how smart I was to think of sending the kids in to do the grocery shopping.  Instead, I feel silly.  I did get a lot of messages and phone calls and comments...but you all said stuff like, "Oh, my kids have been doing that for years.  Isn't it great?"  


Sigh.


So I guess I'm not smart...or imaginative...or innovative...


Big Sigh.


But I'm wondering, if you all have been doing this for so long and it is so great, WHY DIDN'T YA'LL TELL ME ABOUT THIS???


Oh well...It's still a great idea, and I can't wait until Clay can drive and I can send the kids to do the shopping and I won't even have to drive them!!!


I got a lot accomplished yesterday - nothing exciting, but very satisfying.  I cleaned out the closet in the guest cottage and created a pile of stuff as big as Mount Ranier to go to Goodwill.  I cleaned out Tim's side of our closet.  I cleaned Clay's bookshelves out, and did part of his closet. (And just in case you're wondering, Clay's room was worse than all the rest combined.  Also, just in case you were wondering?  I found six bowls, eight of my spoons, and wrappers from trail mix, ice cream cups, MY TRUFFLE BARS, and various other food items which are NOT allowed in his room all underneath his bed!)


As a result of all that cleaning, I now have little (and big) piles of "stuff" all over the house - piles for Goodwill, piles for the used bookstore, piles of trash.  Of course, Clay keeps picking through the piles and hiding things he wants to keep (like the tacky pink Christmas pig which sings Jingle Bells and swings it's tail in time to the music).  


After all this cleaning and purging the kids and I hit the pool...

Where Clay had control of the Super Soaker and was menacing his sister...

He thought he was quite funny...aiming it at MOI!

I glared at him, and calmly said he should definitely "go for it"...but that he would be grounded for the rest of his life, would never fish again, or do anything fun at all...but sure...go for it, honey.

I think I also told him to PULL HIS PANTS UP!

He (wisely) decided to point it in another direction.

And got his sister...again.

This was accomplished with very dramatic facial expressions and war/gun/grenade/bomb sound effects.

Boys.

Paige found a weapon too...

The war was on!

Afterwards, I was presented with this document...

(Click on the photo to read it!)

I especially loved #12...because he told me this exact same thing the day before.  I did let him go fishing (how could I refuse?).

He didn't catch anything.