Amazing Cleaning Day!

I sent out an SOS to my sisters a few weeks ago about how to cope with my messy house. I need a system, and nothing I keep trying works with all the different ages and abilities of my kids, and I was feeling like giving up. I did order the Freedom Mom's "Smart Chore System" thing but I haven't finished watching the videos about how to do it. Today, instead, we tried one simple thing that my SIL Amy recommended, which is just basic chores during the week (like kitchen and washing dishes) and don't worry about bedrooms, and then on the weekend have EVERYONE all work together, mom dad and kids, and we all clean until it's done. We did that today and it was awesome. Corey didn't work, but he did stay present and played the more role of bouncer. He made sure everyone was working and also made sure that I did not work - he told me I had to play manager. I got in trouble a few times for working too much, like when I was helping Lily wash door frames or Sophi do the baseboards... "Tiff! No! Don't work! You manage!" Ok ok! Then I'd go walk around and give instructions on proper cleaning. I divided chores into two groups - big kids and little kids. Little kids have simple chores like washing walls, doors, baseboards, Natalie vacuumed the stairs, and I'll probably just divvy those up each Saturday. The big kids chores will rotate each week, and the little kids rotate among them too. Today it was:

  Mel - bathrooms
  Ethan - music room/study
  Hyrum - front room
  Wesley - side room
  Abi - kitchen (mop)

Mel was in the zone and worked for like 3 hours on the bathrooms, getting boogers off the wall, cleaning the toilet bowl and behind the toilet and she did the TUB in the kids bathroom and she even suggested we wash the shower curtain and it looks so nice now. I'm embarrassed that I never thought to do that before. I guess I thought it was weak plastic and would shred in the washing machine, but she said they did that in her apartment and it worked. So instead it was gross pink and now it's white again! Amazing.

She worked the longest and hardest (and also might have been avoiding homework, which I didn't know until later today when Corey mentioned it...) well, sorry you spent so long doing that Mel but thank you! I really appreciate it. Abi did an amazing job mopping and wiping the fronts of cupboards. 

So during the week we do the basic clean, and Saturday is the basic plus a deep clean of something. And next week we'll rotate it up. Ethan doing the study doors today.

 Sophi washing the kitchen baseboards.

Sophi and Lily struggled getting going and didn't want to do their assigned task and they both moped and complained, and I tried to accommodate them by changing chores from walls to baseboards, then after they didn't like that I said tough. Eventually they got into it and did a good job. Peter helped Sophi wash the windows by using a pair of his pants and waving them on the glass, cute!

Lily clean the inside and outside of a pantry door and I have to say that was the thing that pleased me the most. I didn't realize how dirty it was, but I'd walk by and notice how clean it was and say "Wow Lil, good job! That is a clean door!"

Wes gets bonus points for keeping Owen and Daniel busy helping him which was super cute. Taking a quick break to style their hair with the hose vacuum....

Peter sat so still, wow... looking good Peter!

Vacuuming under cushions and under the couches. The house looks great and the kids worked hard and it really filled my cup. I plan to do this again! Next week might be an adjustment cause next Saturday will be filled with listening to General Conference, but we'll plan on a deep clean the week after that.

After cleaning, the kids took a break and played games - Hyrum on the xbox

Mel did homework and then moved her stuff upstairs so that Joseph can be downstairs if he wants. 

We got word via email around noon today that Joseph will be coming home tomorrow, so that will be exciting. We don't know how isolated he will have to be, but we figured it will probably be best for him to be set up downstairs. We moved Natalie over into the room with Lily and Sophi, and Owen and Daniel are in the boys room now (beds are downstairs, we are just sliding their mattresses under Ethan's bed) and Abi and Mel are together. Tonight I tried to go on a jog, but Daniel saw me leaving and wanted to come. He did pretty good for about 1/2 a lap, and then he wanted me to carry him, which was what I expected. I carried him home. 

He's cute. I took him home, we read scriptures, and then I left and finished 5 more laps to get in my 2 miles. It was a good day, I am in my element with the kids here are home and very few outside distractions, I love it and I hope it never ends.