The simplest things.

I am about to admit to be so incredibly slow on the uptake in some things that I ought to hang my head is shame, instead of which I am going to tell the whole world about it! ( well perhaps not the whole wolrd as I suspect about 7 people actually read this but in theory it could be the whole world.)
I have done 2 things this week that are so simple yet have had a HUGE impact and change to my life. A fridge lock has been installed and a rota been composed. See? Simple.

The fridge lock. Who invented them? May I applaud and get down on my knees and worship your simple genius?

Never before needed or even thought about but my golly miss Molly it is now my best friend. I have had a full week of not a single creme caramel being dribbled across the kitchen floor, an 18 pack of fromage frais ( we're sounding fabulously european / cosmopolitan here aren't we?) lasted a full 4 days instead of 47 minutes. Not a single olive, cheese string, pint of milk ( yes we really DO have pints of milk, in glass bottles delivered to our door by a whistling milkman) has been grasped and dropped and "UH OH"- ed on the hard tile. I have been a veritable joy to behold in my kitchen when going to the fridge AND freezer ( yep, bought 2 locks and did the freezer at the same time) and seeing the food just as I left it when I last went there.
I have stroked and almost kissed those locks bought for a mere £1.75. Why, I wonder did it take me so long to buy them when I have been near insanity with the endless "ELIJAH!!! Get OUT of that fridge" moments since he first cottoned on to the fact that the treasure was just behind that door? I think it was when he learned to peel the top off his favourite " amma's puddin" (which is Creme caramel introduced to Elijah by Gramma, hence it is her puddin'.) Delicious but when opened by a 2 year old hurtling across the kitchen before he is caught is a nightmare, that glorious deep brown caramel sauce can stick your feet to the tile in seconds and whilst it only looks like a drizzle in the pot it spreads the whole length of the kitchen when Eli is in control. That was definately the moment I knew I had to get a lock.....and oh how blessed it is.

The Rota. Everyone does this don't they? every parenting skill show I have ever seen shows how a rota works. which is why I have never done one. Humph...ME? Earth mother ME needing a tip from a TV show?...as if...I'm not having a rota I'll work it all out myself. Until tuesday when weary of hearing H moan about Sophie not doing anything and Sophie moaning about that fact that she has to do everything and actually muttering under my breath about the fact that it is probably Me that does everything I put the brakes on, got the paper and pens out and did a rota...YEEHAW! I love it, H loves it ( but won't actually admit he loves it ) and Sophie was telling her friend about it on the phone and it didn't sound like she was complaining. Which is as close to admitting she loves it as we can expect.
Sophie is down for dinner twice a week and she was so excited to cook last night, she started talking about it at 2pm and she did a great job. H did dinner today which meant that I could take the boys out and not watch the clock and hoorah, lemon chicken at 6 o'clock and not so much as a thought did I have to give it until it was in front of me.
I did a mini version for the boys and even Eli is entering into the spirit of it by clearing the dinner plates and dumping them in the bin ( which is pretty near the sink and considerably lower so we let him off, in fact I alomst paid him tonight as it was my turn to cean the kitchen and do the dishes) Seth and Isaac take turns putting shoes away and clearing toys up.
Who said Isaac has special needs? Seth is thrilled with the chore rota while Isaac took one look at the toyroom and said " Me? Me tan't pit up all a lem!" and crumpled in a heap. Smart boy, the toy room has me crumpling at the very mention of it!
If they do manage at least a good stab at 'picking up all of them' for a week they get to go to the fabulous 'Rainbow fun house' http://www.rainbowfunhouse.co.uk/index1.htm which is SO not a gay club but a converted church with a humungous, 2 story soft play area that both wears them out and fills them with glee. I love it as I can sit and read while they scream, jump, slide, swing, and yell until their sweaty little heads are ready to be bathed and put into bed.
Great, it is so often the simplest of things that make life so much easier. I quite liked the family today which is a relief after yesterday when I could quite easily have sold them on e.bay with a buy one, get one free offer.