I'm Going to Stop Cleaning

Last night one of the things I decided to do was to clean out a few drawers, closets, and bookshelves in the living room and kitchen.   I threw out lots of old school papers the kids had brought home that I normally just look at then stick away in a drawer.  I folded the kitchen towels that had become, um, sort of, wadded up in their drawer.  I organized art supplies for Sierra in 2 little drawers in the chest in the corner.  I went through the coat closet and now have a bag of too-small coats for Goodwill.  I even tackled the frightening drawer of cables, cords, chargers, and other wiry objects that are somehow necessary for my life in the 21st century.

But, again, could I find my cable that connects my camera to my computer this morning? 

No.  I absolutely could not.

The last time I lost that cable, which I'm sad to say was only a few days earlier, I found it on the kitchen table under my work bag.  It's not there today, because of course that was the second place I looked. 

Hey, maybe it's in that kitchen utensil drawer!  Just a sec while I go check....

Ok, I found it.  Not in the utensil drawer, though, no it was downstairs in the family-room-which-has-now-become-mom's room, on a table where I supposedly write and do various creative and organizational activities.  Creative organization is a nice way to put how I manage to stay just on this side of completely disorganized. 

So now I can share the photos from yesterday's new sport the kids invented. 

This is the first year that I haven't put the trampoline away before the first snow.  To be honest, I barely got the grill and the deck table in the shed before the first inch accumulated Friday night.  The hammock still swings bravely in the elm branches and the trampoline is available for Snow Jumping.  Sierra also is practicing some strange form of Curling in which she sweeps her brother instead of the ice.  I imagine she's planning to roll him over with a large polished piece of granite soon. 

When I look at these pictures my first thought is thank god there are two of them because I would not be able to keep up with either of these kids by myself.

Then I look out and see that Sierra has convinced Jeremiah to try the "through the safety net dismount."

Somehow everyone managed to get off the Snow Jumping Arena safely and inside for some post-game snuggling.  Now that is one activity where I can keep up with the kids.  In fact, I think I may be a contender for this year's middle-weight Kid-Snuggling title.  With all the time I'll save by not cleaning anymore, I can spend more time in training!

And as a post-script to yesterday's blog, I got a call from the Chief Elf yesterday who assured me the kids would not be getting coal in their stockings this year.  Who is the Chief Elf?  Well, Grandma, of course!