My twin brother and I were raised in a house filled with the sights and sounds of our family's heritage and one of the traditions that stands out most in my mind, today, is how household chores were treated as an Olympic event.

Every Saturday morning - after eating our cereal and being allowed enough time to watch our favorite cartoons - my mother and I would divide up the rooms in the house, while my father and brother took to tending the backyard.

Each weekend, we would mop, polish, scrub, sweep, wash and weed our way through lunch and finish shortly before dinnertime.

While other kids in the neighborhood were attending girl scouts or going to football games, my brother and I were busy trying to finish our chores in time to pop a couple of wheelies, or perhaps shoot a few hoops through a makeshift basketball net that my father nailed to a tree in front of our house.

Today, I look around at the half-done chores and can't help wondering where it is, exactly, I went wrong and how I can't believe I used to be such a clean freak!?!?

Dishes in the sink, left over oatmeal on the table and play dough on the floor dried to the point of petrification, and dust bunnies that even the dog thinks...are real.

Where did I go wrong?

"Oh, quit being so neurotic and make the kids help you, already!"

If my husband only knew how badly I'm emulating some of the best memories of my youth, right now.

"They've got baseball, choir, girl scouts, soccer, volleyball and - not to mention, making more-than-decent grades at school - do their share!"

I'm sure my parents would be just as disappointed - though, they did let me and my brother get away with a lot more, than they ever did - but, who wants to clean on a Saturday?

Still.

"Come and pway doll house wif me, Mommy."

My three girls share a room and it's an absolute mess - who said girls were neater than boys? - but, I sit and start to play, anyway.

Until.

"But, what is this...EWWWW...can this doll house be any dirtier?"

My youngest already know's what's coming and - a real sad state of affairs, I know - hops up and runs to the bathroom to grab a container of wipes.

"Hurray, time to clean the house!"

We both start wiping and sing an old Barney favorite - the clean up song.

"We're having fun, aren't we baby!?!"

A neurotic episode?  Or, a beautiful bonding moment?  Either way, we have two birthday parties to attend, are visiting with the grandparents and probably won't be home all weekend.  Clearly, there's no need to clean the house, now, is there?