Cleaning The House......

A few years ago my Mom gave me a magnet that says, "Cleaning the house while the kids are growing is like shoveling snow while it's still snowing." Well last night was the perfect depiction of that statement! I had an hour between the kids coming home from school and dinner. Amazingly the kids came through the door and parked themselves in front of the TV. Ok, this was my chance. All are quite, I'm going to clean and mop the mudroom. I quietly snuck out of the house. I opened the mudroom door and put the dogs outside. I waited, the kids were still entertained by the TV. At this point I realize I have about 25 minutes before their attention will be broken by the end of their show. Ok, 25 min and counting! I started spraying window cleaner like a mad woman! I wiped down the washer and dry, cleaned off the window sills, dusted the bench and the items hanging above it. Wow! I'm on a roll! I froze in place and waited for a sound from the living room. Still silence, woo hoo! Ok, I removed the decorative items on the cabinets. I wiped each one down, shook out the cloth runner and swept the floor. Home stretch! All I have to do it mop and I'm done! I grab the mop and bucket. I sneak into the house and quietly fill the bucket with water and cleaner. I literally tip-toe to the kitchen door. Still undetected by my quiet TV watchers. I place the mop into the bucket and the kitchen door flies open. "What you doin' Mama?" asks Ella. "Oh, just mopping the floor." I responded. "I help?" "No, you don't have any shoes on, go finish watching your show with the boys." "No, I help you now." replied Ella. Ok, let's stop here. For those who may not realize, a two year old has a skewed view of the term help. Helping is never helping. Well, actually it is.... they just help you do the opposite of whatever you are trying to accomplish. Ella walked back into the kitchen and returns wearing Reid's rain boots. Yep, she's here to help. At this point half the mudroom is mopped. "Ella, go outside and play with the dogs." "No, no me stay here wif you." "No, the doggies are so lonely, go pet them and I'll be right out." She runs outside and I quickly mop my way out the door. I did it! My mudroom is clean! Woo hoo! I rock! I'm awesome! THEN I hear it......... "MOM! MOM! Where are you?" Yeah, my 25 minutes were up and out the door came 2 rowdy boys, right out the door and into a mud puddle. I scream. Two MUDDY, rowdy boys ( who apparently didn't notice the freshly mopped floor) think I'm screaming because they are outside jumping in mud puddles with sneakers, turn and run into the house. Ok, people......did you notice the moment between my clean mudroom celebration and the boys running into the house. THAT is the exact moment my house was clean. Most likely, at this rate, the cleanest it will be for the next 18 years! I give up! If anyone wants to watch the "Merry Maids" have a nervous breakdown, send them here! It'll push them right over the edge!