Sing like nobody's listening, dance like nobody's watching, but clean when you've got an audience!

Why does it take so long to clean the floors in my house?? Firstly I have to pick up at least a thousand toys, shoes, bags, dirty clothes and anything else my tribe has decided to throw on the floor rather than put away. Then it just takes ages moving chairs etc. and hoping the little ones can keep out of the way. When in only a few hours I can feel the clean feeling under my feet slipping away, with only one meal time as rice or grated cheese is being strewn around the dining room table or sand and grass are walked in from outside. But I do feel if I wait for no one to be home they will not appreciate all the hard work to get the clean floors or other jobs done in the first place (and it's a dreadful waste of child-free time!). Often my hubby will walk in the door and I can see from the look on his face "what have you been doing all day this place is a mess" He never notices if the bathroom's been cleaned or the mirrors or most things for that matter. He'll happily wear the ironed shirts without noticing he hasn't had to iron any for a whole week or two. So I say iron the shirts while he's lazing on the couch watching the footy, and clean the loo while he's brushing his teeth! A mother's work is much more appreciated when you've got an audience! Maybe the next time you've got the house to yourself you can enjoy a book or magazine and watch a bit of Ellen!

Here's a joke that captures this topic perfectly!

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pyjamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard.
The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog. Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.
In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.
He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.
He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.
As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pyjamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.
He looked at her bewildered and asked, ‘What happened here today?’
She again smiled and answered, ‘You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me sarcastically what in the world I do all day?’
‘Yes,’ was his incredulous reply.
She answered, ‘Well, today, I didn’t do it.’

Flood Relief

Sadly this month has been devastating not just in Qld with the Floods but also in Victoria as well as bad Bush fires in WA. I have been helping friends who've been affected and it really makes you appreciated how lucky you are. Driving through some of these flood affected areas has really taken my breath away - at how much destruction has been left for people to rebuild their homes. Here's a few ways of supporting flood relief initiatives.

http://writersonrafts.com/

or

http://www.powderfingerstore.com/music/detail.aspx?pid=97694

So get out and help any way you can!