Mom-Please Lift the Curse!!

I am tired of cleaning, cleaning cleaning just to walk back into a room and see it destroyed. I spent last Saturday Morning de-junking the boys bedrooms and sending the toys back downstairs to the playroom instead of their bedrooms. I folded, dusted, vacuumed, washed and cleaned from top to bottom. I threatened that if they didn't keep it clean I would take everything away. (I am in the middle of decorating there rooms Ethan a Western Room, Garrison an Outdoors room.)This all went in one ear and out the other. I know as a kid I was just the same. My Mom would clean, I would promise to keep it nice and it would last about a week or two and then be back to mess again.Since I have my own home I'd like to think I have changed.I enjoy a clean house.Despite that my mother cursed me to have children just like me and that curse stuck.

Evidence 1-Ethans room. As you can see there are no legos to step on thank goodness, however where did he get all those pillows? Ethan also is very particular about his clothing. When I take him shopping he picks out his own clothes. If I do he won't wear them. At the age of 6 he already looks at the brand name or if there is "Cool" characters or designs on them. He will tell me "If you buy that it is a waste of money and I won't wear it." And he won't! Notice the laundry pile from 2 Days that is all clothing that I washed and put away in his drawers and he took back out and put in the dirty clothes because he won't wear them. He thinks that if he tells me they are dirty all the time I won't make him wear them. AGHHHHHH

Evidence 2- Garrisons Room

I have almost finished decorating his room. You can't see it but he has animal heads from Cabela's on the wall, pine trees, a mirror I stenciled,bear skin rug and his tent bed.His room is looking so cute when it is cleaned.I have allowed his train table,pirate boat,and a few little toys to be left in his room because he hates to go downstairs alone. I know that he is little and needs more help cleaning up than Ethan but I swear I am in there 5 times a day helping him and after 15 minutes it looks like this again!!! Yesterday I thought that it was a beautiful day why not send him outside to play. I don't care if there is trucks and toys all over the backyard. So I sent him out and being a boy he found mud. (Imagine that since I don't have any grass.Hint Hint Brady) I decided to let him get his fill and then clean him up. When he was ready to come in he had 3inches of mud stuck to his new crocs. I took out a bucket of warm water and cleaned his feet then started to clean his shoes. He watched me for a few minutes and then said "I knew you could do it Mom!" "Do what Garrison?" "I knew you would figure out how to clean! Your fantastic!" All I could do was look at him and laugh. What have I been doing the past 4 years of your life? Evidentally NOT cleaning. I just learned how! So I feel as though I have failed. I thought that I kept a tidy house. I will admit I have my bad days and I have my areas of clutter but I didn't think I was that bad. If you have any suggestions send them my way. Evidentally my house looks just as bad as my childrens bedrooms according to them! In the mean time Mom if you could lift the cleaning curse I would appreciate it. Maybe if my children turn into neat freaks I will have a cleaner house!!!!!