So Happy Together

I'm not so sure about this going back to school thing. Everyone around me is so excited for school to start, they can't wait for their kids to go back. I just can't figure it out. I have had so much fun with my children being home this summer. I really don't want them to go back. I think I am a little selfish. When my kids are home, we have fun. We get to go play at the pool, go roller skating, work on projects together, and I get to sit back and really enjoy having a house full of children who are happily playing together. They do have their moments of disagreements, and when they do, my house gets cleaner because they penalty for fighting is extra jobs. On days where my body is screaming at me because of pregnancy anemic induced fatigue, I can ask Taneal to keep an eye on the little boys and go take a nap.

I also have help keeping my house functioning. Taneal's summer job has been the tile floor downstairs. She is incharge of keeping it picked up and swept. I tried to have the mopping as part of her job, but decided I would still do that job after her first attempt that took 2 hours to dry. Camie's job has been the downstairs carpeted areas, vacuuming included, and also all the trashes. Danielle's job has been the dishwasher and tidying up all the bathrooms daily. Not cleaning any of the bathrooms, just making sure the clothes were picked up and the toothbrushes were put away, etc. Spencer's job has been the table, setting and clearing. He has had the hardest time. I wish I could have got a picture of him wiping the table. He would climb up on top of the table to wipe it. He probably didn't improve the cleanliness of the table, but he was putting forth effort and doing a great job. Nathan still does not have a job other then putting his own diaper in the trash.

Who wouldn't love help like that? I know the house gets messier because they are all home, but they all help out to clean up. They are great children and are so easily pleased. Camie has really learned to bake and Taneal has done a fantastic job learning to cook. We have done so many little activities and really enjoyed each other.

And now school is starting. I have to send my 3 big girls back. I was secretly hoping they would get terrible teachers so that I would have to pull them out and home school them. But that didn't work out. They all got great teachers with wonderful kids in the classes with them. And the baby is coming soon, so it will be nice for the girls to be engaged in something while I adjust to have another little one. It is all good. But I still scratch my head and wonder why everyone is so excited to send their kids back to school. Maybe it is because I will still have three kids at home even with my older ones gone so it won't be much of a break? Maybe it is because I am still in a different stage of life and loving it.