Summer Cleaning

We spent all day Monday cleaning and organizing upstairs. Our upstairs has been so messy that you really can't walk through Ashley's room or the playroom. Daniel keeps a pretty tidy ship and Laurie hasn't really figured out how to make a mess yet. Usually, this is something I would take a picture of to post with my blog, but I actually find it really embarassing. I'm really not a messy person, but I've been having a heard time finding motivation for them to keep it picked up. It has been so frustrating for me, that I have been avoiding the issue for months.

So, we spent the whole day cleaning, organizing, and throwing away. The upstairs looks great. I should run upstairs and take pictures! That night, I told them we could have game night, to reward them for their hard work and because we actually put all the games in their boxes in the closet. Would you believe my 4 & 6 year olds chose Monopoly? With all the games we have - that's their favorite. So, Daniel, Ashley and I played Monopoly after Birdie went to sleep. They love it. And they beat me. I must over analyze the game. They just play and get really lucky. Brian played with them the next night and they beat him also. Is there such a thing as a Monopoly prodigy? Or are Brian and I just that bad?

While organizing the playroom, we decided to move a few toys into Laurie's new playroom attached to her room (the one we had built out in the Spring). So, all her baby dolls and accessories are now in her room. Laurie just loves playing up there. When I brought her downstairs after her nap the other day, she looked at me and said, "Momma, I go upstairs, play baby." I said ok, and as we started to go up the stairs, she turned back around and said, "Com'on sissie". It was so cute. Ashley didn't want to go play baby, but Daniel went with her. While Laurie is up there playing, I baby gate her in her room and listen on her monitor for when she wants out. I'm just not ready to trust her running around the upstairs by herself.

She also loves her music. I've made copies of several of her favorite cds so she can listen to them without me having to worry about her breaking or scratching them. Her all time favorite is still "Signing Time". But boy, can the girl boogie to Miley Cyrus with her sissie.

This picture is of her sitting in her baby stroller in front of her gate the other day. She was so cute.

While at Hobby Lobby with the kids yesterday looking at all their crafting supplies I had an idea of how to motivate the kids to keep upstairs clean. They are really really into crafting, painting, drawing, etc right now, especially Ashley. I have been picking up supplies and little kits for them to do during Laurie's naps. So, I told the big 2 that if they kept their rooms and playroom cleaned for the week, then I will take them back to the store to pick out craft supplies. If its not clean, then no new craft kit. It's been 3 days and still clean. Only 4 more to go. We also brought back the requirement of them cleaning their bathrooms in their rooms (w/supervision of course). Monday is my laundry day, so we made it clean your bathroom day too.

I hate to say it, but I just can't pick up after 5 people all by myself all the time. The 2 big kids are old enough to take some responsibility for their own rooms and bathrooms. I just need to be consistent about enforcement. Please say a little prayer for us succeeding in keeping the upstairs clean over the long term, I have a feeling we are going to need it.