Does anybody else have this problem?

Counters literally covered in dirty dishes? Even the table has no space:
That's what happens when mom has been in a crafty mood! I've done really well lately keeping up with all the chores, we've had a good rhythm to our days and the girls help each morning and evening with their own chores. But then I started having fun! We were in desperate need of some new pot holders. Of course when I mentioned making some Anna and Josie wanted me to make each of them one first. Josie chose alligator material, Anna chose blue checked on one side and yellow striped on the other (which matched the apron I made her for Christmas one year) and then of course they all had to have dark purple on the outside. Here are the finished products:
A clean kitchen and table was definitely not a part of the finished product. We may have some fun new potholders but no clean pots to use them with! We had to eat our smoothie on the picnic table outside this afternoon because, as you saw, there was nowhere to eat at our table inside:


Anna and Josie had fun taking turns giving Ruthie little bites. Ruthie loved it:When Mitch brought in a huge bouquet of beets and beet tops for dinner tonight he had a fun time trying to find somewhere to put them, something to wash them in, and somewhere to chop them. He was resourceful and pulled out our last cutting board that actually fits over the top of the sink. You found some space, Mitch! We were cracking ourselves up.

I even got to use my new hot pad!

And later that night I made sure the kitchen looked like this:

Before I let myself do any more of this:

Ssshhh! Don't tell Anna! That's the quilt I'm making her for her birthday. I'm pretty excited about it. It's actually one that I started when I was pregnant with her and I finally decided to finish it hopefully in time for her 4th birthday less than two weeks away. I've been working on it every night after they are finally in bed asleep. That used to be the time that I would finish up any dishes I hadn't finished during the day so I've been getting behind on the dishes again, especially when my time during the day that should be spent doing dishes is spent making fun (and needed) potholders. Oh well. It's been a fun trade-off, I must say.