Cleaning rooms

The girls each have their own unique way of cleaning their room. Genevieve works quickly without complaint. She picks up any trash and throws it away and crams the rest in her closet. Then she goes about her business playing with her toys and if you ask about her room she confidently assures you that it is spotless and suggests that you go check it. It should be noted that her closet doesn't have a door.

Imogen on the other hand complains extensively. This is obviously the greatest injustice in the history of mankind but when she manages to get over herself and clean her room she meticulously makes her bed. She ignores laundry and toys all over the floor. She spreads blanket after blanket carefully, straightening them again and again. She's been known to unmake and remake her bed.

So today, I was asked to inspect their rooms.

Me: "Did you throw everything into your closet?" (Don't you love how parents ask the dumbest questions?)
Genevieve (completely unconcerned): "I wanted to."

And across the hall, I stare confusedly at the floor and Imogen speaks up. "Just check the bed."

Ice storm

It's hard to exaggerate how much ice there was around here. I went two full weeks without power. We were among the last people to be turned on and they only got around to us on Friday night at 5:30. I won't go into just how miserable that was.

Last night we moved home to find one of our rooms flooded. So Jeremy and I spent the day cleaning that up while the girls spent yet another night at their grandparents' house. My back hurts. Imogen and Genevieve just walked in and are thrilled to be home.

"I missed this house!" Genevieve said. They keep picking up toys and talking about how much they missed each one.

We're glad to be home, but we still have a lot of work to do in the office/utility room. If 2007 doesn't improve very soon I'm going to run away.

You might be a redneck...

Christmas pictures, late

Genevieve is relaxing on her beanbag she got for Christmas.


Zach was very lively and a wonderful conversationalist on Christmas.


Best smile in the world.



Genevieve is under there... somewhere.



Ben believes in maintaining his dignity at all times.

A very nice thing

Imogen commented to me that on Christmas her grandmother did a VERY nice thing. (Not just somewhat nice.)

"What nice thing did she do?" I asked disinterestedly, expecting something very typical like a gift or a treat of some grandmotherly fashion.

"She letted us wash the windows!" Imogen said, her eyes wide with the enormity of what she was revealing to me.

And I was very impressed with Jeremy's mother. She not only got my children to clean up her house, but she has managed to do so in such a way that this is put down in their little minds as a "nice thing". An example of generosity in the tradition of Tom Sawyer, white washing a fence. This was so impressive a display of benevolence, it goes beyond the mild giving out of candy. This random act of charity will be remembered for years to come as a highlight of the holiday season.

I wonder if I can get my bathroom cleaned like this...

On a power trip

Once upon a time, Imogen and Genevieve had their own rooms.

But Imogen emptied the dresser full of clothing onto the floor in her room every day so I got mad and created a play room (where they both slept) and a clothes room (which contained the dressers and whatever other random junk we didn't know what to do with).

And so time passed.

But to make a long story short, I cleaned out the clothes room and now it is Imogen's room. She has a new large twin size bed and a desk and will soon be getting a new dresser to replace the dilapidated one she has now.

And there was much rejoicing.

Seriously, if I had known how to get rid of her I would have done this a long time ago. She spends a lot of time in her room now. She set up her hop scotch foamy pad things and came to me and Jeremy.

"Please don't mess up my hop scotch. You don't have to hop scotch into my room, but I want Genevieve to. But please don't mess it up."

Jeremy took her aside and told her very kindly to get a grip. Somehow it has not occurred to Genevieve that she has the same set of powers that Imogen has over her room. It's harder for Genevieve because her room is not new or special and Imogen has spent a long time living in there. Still, I'm sure she'll figure it out and I'll get to hear all the joyful screaming about who is allowed in who's room and what set of actions are necessary to gain entrance into the other room and how far one much bend over backwards to avoid expulsion from said room. But for now, Genevieve is excited to be invited into Imogen's room and mentions that she hopes to sleep in there one day, which Imogen, with the air of a benevolent ruler, promises that she will.