So what about the mess?

So today I started to make some egg salad. The kids seemed interested in helping so thought why not. Alyssa and John loved cracking the eggs and picking off the shells. John especially liked putting the shells on the floor. No big deal - still hadn't cleaned up from last night's meals and there were still broken lollipop pieces stuck to the floor. So can just clean it up all at once. Kids seemed to have fun and I did too by not freaking out about the messes that were being made. So now I am left to clean up the mess - but happy to do so knowing the kids enjoyed themselves. Each day am trying to be more and more relaxed about things that really don't matter. So what if Alyssa is wearing her favorite cupcake shirt and monkey shorts for the third day in a row without getting washed. Just trying to do things each day the kids will remember - and most importantly to have fun. That's really what's most important not only to our kids but to ourselves.