I started off the morning talking to a wonderful dear friend of mine in Canada.  She is such a beautiful person.  She has been helping me to get my life back on track.  She inspired me so much!

I got the kids up (a little late though) and after they had done their morning routines (get dressed, make beds, put pjs away, eat breakfast, do chores) they helped me start cleaning the house.  A is doing the dishes this month, so he unloaded and reloaded those, and cleaned out the microwave.  A just finished the dishes and came up to me and asked, “Now what would you have your faithful servant do?”

B wipes the tables and stove and does the laundry this month, so he did those and scoured the stove down.  It looks so nice!  Then he disappeared and I figured he was in his room devouring a book, but when I called him, he said he was in his sister's room cleaning it.  He had started cleaning his room, but when he put something away in his sister's room, he realized how messy it was, so started doing that instead.  After he finished with her room, he practically begged me to help him start the lawn mower for him, and I was actually able to start the old rusted thing! (It used to belong to my in-laws.)  Well, he got the lawn mostly mowed and then A took over for him, after he picked up rocks and sticks that had migrated to the lawn over the winter.

I started out the day wiping down the Toyo stove (heater).  He did a great job on it, wiping down all of the little slats where the heat comes out, the sides, the front, and the base.  Then he helped N wipe down the school bookcase and they decided they needed to wipe down my copier too.   After they finished that, he asked what else he could do, so I had him take out the burn trash to the burn barrel and sweep off the steps.

N started out by wiping down the school bookcase followed by the copier.  Then, she took all of the baskets off of the shoe rack and wiped the shelf off.  When she put the baskets back, I had her empty all of the winter hats and gloves out of them, and shake the dirt out.

Meanwhile, I emptied out the dining room and swept out from under my desk, in front of the Toyo, under the table, around the school cabinet and shelves, and between the diningroom and livingroom.  Then I sorted out a bunch of papers and magazines, throwing a bunch in the garbage, filing several others, and now have a few things to put away with the school supplies.  After that was (mostly) done, I swept up the entryway and shook out the front mat, started a roast in the crockpot, and helped B start the mower and pick up rocks and sticks.  Oh, A and I also moved the picnic table so B could mow under it.

I also nursed the baby twice, and made peanut butter and honey sandwiches for the kids for lunch.  And it's only 1pm!

B is now getting the laundry going again, I is wiping down the school cabinet, A and N are (supposed to be) cleaning the boys room, and M is sitting here “helping me” type.

Better get going and fold laundry, clean my room, vaccuum all the carpet, and sweep the kitchen and diningroom.  Maybe we will get it so clean that I will take pictures!