Chore Problems? Anyone?

I've had a killer headache all afternoon.  :-(  Which is probably why, when I came home from work, I did nothing but sit in my recliner and watched t.v.  I watched this week's episode of Glee, then watched an hour of Friends.  Graham and Drew had a basketball game at school that they stayed after for, and my neighbor picked up all the kids. 

It was blessed silence. 

Well, kind of. 

Dinner cooked in the crock pot all day, so all I had to do was add the veggies and potatoes to make it complete.  We ate together, and my sweet hubby cleaned the kitchen for me afterward. 

So...the chore issue mentioned in the title...it's no secret that we have four children.  And messy ones, at that.  They're required to take care of the animals (at least help with it...but this is something we all do), and they're required to carry all their (folded) laundry upstairs and to put it all away.  They're responsible for keeping their rooms clean, and recently I've made them start cleaning their own bathroom.  Because it's gross and why in blue blazes would I want to do that??? 

Ugh.  At least I can hit the water.  That's all I'm sayin'. 

They also have to change the little boxes and clean the backyard. 

Lately, they've slacked off in this area.  One thing they have NOT slacked off from, though, is having fun.  There are ALWAYS extra kids in this house...whether they're some of the ones I pick up in the the afternoon, or friends...it doesn't matter.  They love having friends over, and it's almost always a party in either my yard or the playroom.  So tonight, we decided we're going to have to start grounding them from the phone.  Todd even threatened to put an auto-reply for all the texts they get, saying why they're grounded from the phone. 

Sound mean? 

We are officially over it.  There's no reason why any of these boys should walk by a full trash can and not take out the trash.  Or bring the trash can up the driveway on trash pickup day.  And I don't want to have to tell them.  I do enough talking as it is, without me having to remind them of what they should be doing. 

Is that so unreasonable??? 

I feel they should take responsibility.  Because we're not just raising boys.  We're raising future husbands and fathers.  And this is life.  As much as it kills me to say this, we are not superheroes.  ;-)  We are hard working people that require the kids to pull their own weight.  I do all the cooking and (most of the) cleaning, I wash, dry and fold their clothes, and I make sure that things stay organized enough so they will know where to put their belongings. 

It's not that difficult to stay that way. 

So, now that I have completely and totally vented on you...I'm thinking it's better that I wrote this instead of screamed it at them.  ;-)  Is it my headache that's making me feel that way? 

I don't know.  But tonight, when I go to bed, the upstairs will be all nice and clean.  It's better to work on that tonight rather than the weekend, don't you think?

Do you have problems with this in your house?  If so, share!  I am always looking for new ideas.

Enjoy what's left of your night.  Love to all!

P.s.  In case you don't think that I ever completely and totally lose it with the boys, I'm thinking today I lived up to the sign that rests above my bedroom door.  The one that my sister Lisa handed down to me.  The one that reads:

Beware of attack mother.  

:-)  I'm telling you...I have bad days.