Do they make fly cemeteries?

I think I need a swinging door put on my house. My kids are constantly running in and out of the house.

*I need to go to the bathroom
*I'm hungry
*When's dinner?
*It's too hot to play outside
*It's boring inside
*It's boring outside
*Can we go to......(fill in the blank)
*Can we spray the hose
*Can we take a blanket outside and lay on it
*I need my ball glove
*I need a baseball
*I'm thirsty
*I need to go to the bathroom

It's an all day, every day ordeal. I killed so many flies lately, I could fill an entire cemetery with their remains. Not to mention the dirt and sand all over the floor. At this rate, I should just sweep it all up and dump it back in the sand box, considering I have more sand in the house than in the sand box.

The other day, Rich was complaining to me about the flies and how many he has killed. I told him he needs to complain to the kids, not me, because I was just as frustrated about it as he was.

It's not just my kids that are running in and out all day, it's their friends that are doing it too. And while I'm happy that we can be the "hangout" house and I don't mind feeding extra kids (which I have....just about every day, at least once a day), I just wish they could close the door while they are running in and out. And you know maybe scrape their feet on those - what do you call them - Oh yeah, welcome mats that are placed oh so conveniently right in front of the door.

I was just thinking the other day.......

Whatever happened to the days when we were kids? We'd leave in the morning and didn't come back until it was time to eat dinner, or better yet for our parents, until it was dark and time for bed. Rich told me that his mother used to lock the door on him and his sister. I must admit, the idea did sound tempting, but alas, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Plus, what would be the sense in it anyway, they would just bang on the door until I let them back in anyway.

So until, I come up with a different solution, I'll just have to resort to making them sweep the kitchen floor and wipe the muddy, crap covered sinks that they wash their grubby hands in ten times a day. And Rich can continue bribbing their friends with cash while getting them to help out with the landscaping or other outdoor chores. And I'll secretly keep thanking my lucky stars that their friends like coming here, because it keeps the little boys occupied as well. And feel blessed beyond measure when Amanda volunteers to shuffle them all to the neighborhood playground for a few hours of blissful peace and quiet for me.

Summer time joys and all that - I guess I should enjoy it while it lasts, because it won' t be long before they're all back in school and I'm freezing my ass off again.