Help Wanted

I just had a frightening realization. 

If I want my counters to be washed off before Kirk returns from his business trip this afternoon, I'm going to have to do it myself.  {insert horrified look here}

Let's be totally clear on the issue.  I almost never wash off the counters.  I hate washcloths.  They are gross to me.  Even a clean washcloth gets my hands wet, and I don't really like that either.  Plus, I just have my priorities, and the counters rarely bother me before Kirk grabs a rag and wipes them off.

But lately, Kirk hasn't had to wash them, either.  And I know that's been a big relief to him.  And I've gotten used to seeing the clean counters, and now I kind of actually care a little about them being that way.

You see, I've hired a nanny. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with everything this year, so rather than paying to take Dylan to someone else's house, I opted to pay to bring someone into my house and help out with a few light chores while watching Dylan. My sister wanted the job, and she is amazing!

Every day when I get home from work, the kitchen counter is clean and the dishwasher is empty. I can leave a note that, for example, says, "Michelle, please iron the uniforms in the laundry room," and I return to ironed uniforms. She even tries to anticipate what might help us out in the evening, and I will return home to find the kids appropriately dressed for their evening activities. 

But it's Friday.  And I don't work on Friday, which means she doesn't work on Friday.  And that means if I want the counters clean, I'm going to have to put on yellow gloves (yes, I am that high maintenance) and do it myself.

Which brings me to another realization.  My awesome nanny-sister is having a baby sometime around October 23rd, and she's going to need at least a couple of weeks off.  I am going to need someone to fill in for two to four weeks doing all the awesome stuff she does for me:

- Arrive at 10:30 am
- Keep the kitchen clean
- Read for 20 minutes with Alex
- Feed Al and D lunch
- Take Al to school (at noon)
- Hang out with D and complete any additional tasks
- Pick up Adam and Al from school (at 3:00)
- De-paper Adam and Al's backpacks, leaving papers in a stack for me to peruse
- Pass the child-watching torch to Kirk around 4:00

For this, I pay $40 per day, Monday through Thursday.

I just can't bear the thought of washing my own counters while she's busy bonding with my first niece on  my side of the family.  Please let me know if you have any recommendations for the job!