I Quit!

A few weeks ago I gave my two weeks notice.  I don't know why it took me so long to realize this job isn't for me.  At first I loved it.  That was 10 years ago when the group was just two of us.  Since then we have grown into 5 and this change is long overdue!  I was inspired to "quit" after reading an article in a magazine.  The following day I wiped my hands on my apron and haven't looked back.  As of today my job title of Mom (aka, cook, dish cleaner, taxi, doctor, maid, gardener, coach, queen, story reader, wall scrubber, clothes washer, bed maker, bath giver, teeth brush er, floor cleaner, hair doer, vacuum cleaner, yada yada yada...) has been shortened!  Now that I have given my two weeks notice I no longer carry the title "Clean up after my kids"  It's a beautiful thing!  

I use to fill the dishwasher daily with the cute little cups, bowls, and plates.  Everyday was the same thing.  A sink FULL of those cute little people dishes- and a dishwasher FULL too!  My last day at this job I piled all those cute little dishes in a box and put them in the attic, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN, and taught my kids how to clean their own dishes!  Each child has their own colored cup, plate, and bowl.  If they want breakfast served in a clean dish they better wash after dinner!  You can bet I have a smile on my face when I am sitting at the table and I see my kids clear the table and wash their dish before they run off to play.  The color coded dish identifies the culprit if a one gets left behind.  I know the pink plate outside on the picnic table belongs to Jen, and Jen knows it too!

Ahhh, my job title is getting a little lighter to carry.  My goal this summer is to outsource most of my tedious chores to their rightful owners.  So far I have seen some creative ways to make a bed and hang up clothes, and have been quite impressed with efforts in scrubbing the bathroom, and love the fact that Jace can be dressed with the help of siblings instead of MOMMY!   Why didn't I think of this sooner?    I wonder how I can teach a 5 and 6 year old how to go grocery shopping???

My dishwasher loves me now.  It only runs every other day.