Kid 5 the Laundress

What mom doesn't love a Girls Night Out?  Most of us moms who enjoy a girls night have some food, drinks, and enjoy the company of our girlfriends.  There is a reason I prefer to have a Girls Night In - meaning I prefer to have my girlfriends come to my house to enjoy the aforementioned activities.  Whenever I leave Kid 5 in the house without my supervision, it is cause for worry.  Yes, even if Daddy is home. 

A few weeks back, it was Friday night and I was invited to a friend's house for some grown-up girl time.  I took my neighbor with me, and we met my friends and had a great time.  It was somewhat of an early night, and I wasn't ready to face whatever adventures might be awaiting me at home, so I went to my neighbor's house for a margarita.  It was about 11:30 pm when I decided it was time to face the music, wondering what was in store for me at home.  I was hoping that the kids were asleep and that my hubby was awake and waiting for me.  Yes, it was a margarita induced fantasy. 

As soon as I walked into the house, I could feel the sneaky energy that Kid 5 emits when she thinks no one is watching.  I didn't see her downstairs, and it was quiet and fairly dark.  I started walking quietly up the stairs when I realized that there were clothes hanging on the length of the entire banister.  My hubby's gym clothes, some towels, and various other pieces of clothing that constitute a load of laundry in our house. 

As I stared in awe, my first thought was, "Holy crap, the dryer's broken."  That's when Kid 5 popped out into the hallway and said, "Hi Mommy!"  I responded somewhat desperately, "Who put these clothes here?"  Indicating the load of laundry hanging over the stairs. 


Looking proud of herself, she told me that she did it.  "But why?" I asked, still not making sense of what I was seeing.  "Because, I was doing laundry.  See?"  And she pointed to the laundry that was down the hall, next to her room.  I walked into the laundry room to find that she had emptied the dryer and hung all of the clothes in a fairly orderly fashion.  The dryer was stuffed with dirty clothes that she took from her room.  After laughing, I explained to her that dirty clothes went into the washer and started a load for her. 

I have to admit, the brilliance of her hanging the clean clothes from the dryer over the banister didn't strike home until a week later until Kid 3, who is 12, wanted to put her clothes ifrom the washer into the dryer and was at a loss when she found the dryer full.  She took out the clean clothes and deposited the whole load on the floor - and then left it there.  At least Kid 5 knew to keep the clothes off of the ground!