So, my baby bird has been home fulltime since Dec. 20. I have to admit, although I've loved having her home and we've done a lot of family activities, she has driven me a teeny bit mad with her messiness. Dirty dishes, dirty drinking glasses, dirty clothes everywhere. She'd clean up just enough if company was coming over, then revert.

Well, I figured, okay, she's been working full-time ever since she came home, I'll cut her some slack until after New Year's. So I planned to lay down the law tonight and force her to clean up. So guess what? Last night she had a frenzy of energy and began cleaning before I even brought it up. Her room is now clean, there's a row of bags ready to go to Goodwill of clothes she no longer wants (and she informed me she'll come home during lunch and get them), and the only mess is on our pool table which she has been using to sort things she wants to take back to college. I can live with that!

Just when you think they're hopeless, they can surprise you.