What happens when you finally clean your living room?

Your kids mess it up again, almost instantly.

With two trips in April the living room got really messy. Mostly the stuff was mine but the kids had a hand in the messes too. My mom did a good job while we were gone keeping the center of the room open but there were mega piles in every corner. I had quilt stuff, unfinished craft projects, piles of things from my purses and wallet to lighten my load (lipsticks, lip glosses, frequent shopper cards, receipts, etc), clothes I had opted not to pack, magazines, books, school papers and upon our return lots and lots of folded laundry.

Last week I spent literally hours cleaning up the piles. I worked in 30 minute intervals while rocking out to 80's music on my Ipod. (I am now down to one messy corner, my quilting corner.)

Suddenly the room felt so open. I guess the kids thought so too because the next think I knew they had made beds right in the center of the room. (Keep in mind this is right before the decons arrived for fast offering. Just once I would like them to come when that room is clean. Geesh.)

They were determined to spend the night on the floor. If there wasn't school the next day I wouldn't have cared but I new we were in for a mega giggle-fest. We told them they had 10 minutes to prove they could handle sleeping together.

After pictures they settled right down and slept really well.

I could hear one of them talking in their sleep. They cleaned up their messes the next morning. I won't be encouraging the behavior but it did go rather well.