Looking for the Silver Lining

So I've decided to stop pouting over the departure of the boys and look at the bright side of having them gone. I know it sounds a bit harsh, but you deal how you deal, and I'll deal how I deal. So this is a list so far of how it's not so bad.

1. The amount of laundry I have to do has dramatically decreased. Deuce will put on a fresh pair of socks about 3 times a day. It was worse in the beginning since their lovely, thoughtful mother never packs enough clothes. Unless we are talking about clothes taht don't fit them.
2. I no longer have to pick up socks that have been left throughout the house when Deuce decides to put on a fresh pair.
3. The number of dirty dishes has dramatically decreased. Eldest and Deuce both opperate under the impression that the dish fairy will take care of those glasses for them. That's why they feel free to get a new one out each time they are thirsty.
4. Not one single person in the house uttered the phrase "I'm so thirsty" yesterday. Deuce isn't able to come right out and ask for a drink. No he's more into hinting around.
5. This goes the same for the phrase "I'm so hungry" and Eldest's favorite "What can I have to eat?"
6. Murph didn't argue one bit when I said it was bath time, or tell me that he had had a bath only the day before. I didn't have to make him use the age old disagreement settler of "Rock. Paper, Scissors" to figure out who would be showering. I just started the water and he ran to the bathroom.
7. The house smells better. 9 and 11 year old boys just have an odor about them. Withing ten minutes of them arriving, their room will take on a definite funkiness. I'm not sure how it happens, and can only hope it won't happen with Murph.
8. No one talked about poop, farts, burps, or any other body function. Now I will say that Chief was a bit under the weather, so he wasn't quite up on his game yesterday.
9. No one asked to play the computer or the Wii. No one sighed and muttered how much they wanted to "rock out".
10. I was not "shinged" with a sword, or shot with a nerf bullet once yesterday. Though I did get poked with a stick by Murph as he said Doe! Hmmm.

See. It's not so bad having the little bleeders gone. I'm sure I could think of dozens of good reasons!

Of course I don't think Murph is quite as convinced. He tried to go into their room several times, called them on the phone, and laid down on the piece of cardboard they had turned into his magic carpet waiting for someone to pull him down the hallway.