Cleaning Up, Kids' Style

I asked the big kids to please clean up the playroom since we were having friends over the next day.

"Sure," I heard.

Then I heard the zip of bags and a lot of planning.

"We're going to California!" my daughter explained. They each had duffle bags and backpacks filled with random items from their rooms that they might need in California: the baby's musical seahorse, a picture of the baby, house shoes, a sweatshirt, stuffed animals, a doll, a rainmaker, books, a Barbie microphone, half of a game of Go Fish, a devotional, coloring books, a collection of Littlest Pet Shop.

Back and forth down the hall, carrying their luggage, shouting orders at each other, chirping about who they were visiting, plans getting grander and grander.

Meanwhile, I was cooking dinner and feeding the baby in the kitchen, so I was on the periphery of this expedition.

When I checked in, I saw this:

Well, so much for cleaning up. When is my trip to California?