My sister and her two kids came over on Tuesday to spend the day with us. They were to arrive around 11:00am so that we could take the kids to lunch, go play a game of Lazer Tag, take a spin in the bumper cars, and then come back to my house for an afternoon in the pool.

My 15 year old daughter had done her weekly chores a couple of days earlier, but my son had not yet. So, I called him downstairs to do his part. He had to sweep and mop the kitchen (Whoever invented the Swiffer mop, I thank you from the bottom of my heart), empty all the trash cans (there are 6 of them), shake the rugs on the front porch and sweep it too.

I found myself wiping down the guest bathroom, vacuuming the living room, my office and my bedroom, cleaning the master bathroom (even though it's in our room and nobody will be using it cept hubby and me).

There was a time, back in my 20's (some 20 years ago) that my whole identity seemed to sadly revolve around a clean house. I was ridiculously obsessed with every detail. I had regular cleaning rituals each day and would get so anxious and downright crabby every time I threw a party or had company coming over. Geeze... what a looser!

I'm not that person anymore. Housework is way down on my list of priorities. I'm not a slob. Our home is always neat and I will scrub out a toilette if I've waited long enough for a ring to form, but I no longer have a cleaning day.

With the help of teenagers, the general surface housework gets done weekly around here. The kids dust, vacuum, clean their own bathroom, mop, sweep, unload/load the dishwasher, fold and put away their own clean clothes. They get paid an allowance for this and it really relieves me of a lot of work.

But thank God, we have company once in awhile, cuz it is then, that I really take a closer look at the things that may have been neglected for longer than they should have.

I should invite some friends over this weekend. The house won't be this clean for months.

Comments:

Hmm... Seems that I need more teenagers in my life to help with our cleaning.

comment by mellowdee on July 22, 2008 10:09 AM ()

Teenagers are handy lil' creatures. (when they're not mouthing off, )

reply by shesaidwhat on July 25, 2008 4:15 AM ()

comment by marta on July 18, 2008 9:03 PM ()

Ye, you better get to it,

reply by shesaidwhat on July 19, 2008 7:19 AM ()

I've never been one for cleaning. Thank goodness DH is finally coming around.

comment by nittineedles on July 18, 2008 3:59 PM ()

Cleaning stinks!

reply by shesaidwhat on July 19, 2008 7:19 AM ()

I was the same way when I was younger about my house. I would spring clean daily and was obsessed with my floors. Now, I could care less. There are better things to do with my days than clean all the time.
Someday I will just hire a maid.

comment by meranda on July 18, 2008 7:16 AM ()

Seriously, I wonder how many women are/were like that. My self worth was wrapped up in a clean home, though I was in an unhappy marriage and that may have had something to do with it. Who knows really? Just glad you and I have grown and moved on to what's really important in life.

Clean is over rated anyway.

reply by shesaidwhat on July 18, 2008 7:27 AM ()

I cleaned for my parents visit - I was shocked that to thoroughly clean a bathroom it takes HOURS!!! scrubbing, wiping, cleaning bleck.
I am not an overly clean person unless company is coming!

comment by kristilyn3 on July 18, 2008 6:52 AM ()

Oh man, Hours?? I must not be doing it right, ... too bad,
Happy Friday friend

reply by shesaidwhat on July 18, 2008 7:06 AM ()

Have fun with your company..and if your in the mood to clean some more...head on down this way..

comment by elfie33 on July 18, 2008 6:41 AM ()

HECK girl... I won't be cleaning for another few weeks, too busy enjoying the summer. Cleaning can wait till winter,

reply by shesaidwhat on July 18, 2008 7:05 AM ()