Winners like these...

this hurts me more than it hurts you

It has become normal around here to clean one time a week on Saturdays.

I used to get all the cleaning done by doing one job a day.  That worked for a good many years.

Since we moved into this house, though, I have had not just Jackson, but Lena has really stepped into her own as a solid household helper.  It's like after all these years, she's finally coming off the bench and into "the show".  (Yes, I'm watching the game as I write this.)

A usual Saturday morning includes cartoons, a bigger breakfast, and then an hour of regular chores and house cleaning.  Jack had basketball today, though, so we tackled it after dinner!  And we got it all done except the kitchen floor, which maybe I'll still tackle if I have playoff nerves working through my system.

So I post the house cleaning chart and everyone just chooses the jobs that seem the least tiresome.  Oh, and PJ took a bath, so he was content for a good 40 minutes!  It's not a deep clean, for sure, but if we do the minimum every week, at least, we keep on top of things.  I leave toilets and bathroom/kitchen floors for myself and I usually re-do the sinks, too.  While doing those tougher jobs I just try to keep the two kids moving and in less than an hour, we finish.

I think the kids realize that their help each day around the house frees me up to play games with them in the evening, like tonight.  I'm also able to fully devote myself to homeschooling and food prep during the week days.  I don't even do dishes throughout the day, because I know in the evening we'll all work together to get the place picked up.

In this case, and with the cozy size of our home (read: small, which I love BTW), it doesn't take a village, but having two extra pairs of hands to help really makes a difference!

wrap it up

 It was a season! Now we're wrapping it up. I think it will go down in the books as one to remember.

 

The Christmas of 2012 will be remembered for all of the same reasons it will blend in with other holidays.  The food, the time with family, the fun activities.

 

We actually had all of our families together at two seperate events.  It was chaos and awesome!

 

I can only pray 2013 brings more of the same!

 

These are the guys.

Spent a week with these guys.  Yep, that's the guys.  Pops with the glasses and Gram with the very long face.  Ha  ha ha ha.  Artwork by PJ.

 

Though I'm sure all the time we spent with the Grandparents playing and reading and watching Christmas movies will be the true memories the kids hold forever, this day trip to the Aquarium was certainly the most adventurous, er, exciting!

 

Thanks for and to the family!