Letting things slide

Since my injury I've let a lot of things slide.  I didn't clean the house.  Mike vacuumed and dusted and the boys cleaned the bathrooms.  However, I use the term cleaning loosely when I refer to the boys.  Jay's idea of cleaning is putting windex on a papertowl and wiping down the tub, the toilet, and the sink, all in a matter of 5 minutes.  Nick's idea of cleaning is usually followed by an argument or him knowing a better way to get it done and considering I wasn't at my best, I usually gave up with Nick and told him to forget it.  The boys did unload the dishwasher everyday and helped with small chores here and there.  Jay mowed for Mike the entire summer and that was a huge help.  But another thing I let slide is their behavior.  Nick's argumentative nature is out in rare form.  This is a part of Nick's personality that has to be monitored and yes, tamed.  This summer I simply didn't have the energy and now that I'm starting to recover it hit me like a freight train that I have a lot of work ahead of me with Nick.  Additionally the fighting and bickering between the boys is ridiculous.  By August I always feel that way but this summer we were all together in the same house for weeks (and weeks).  The boys swarmed me like bees and when they weren't swarming me, they were bickering with each other.  And so tonight I have pledged to myself I'll get ready for my next battle - taming Nick's attitude and getting the fighting under control. May the force be with me.