Mud Massacre

It has been a few months since I allowed water in the yard. My kids still know how to get filthy without water but give my kids a little water and they know how to totally cover themselves with MUD, LOTS OF MUD!
I made the mistake and went out to water my tomatoes, cucumbers and such. Then I noticed that part of the lawn was looking a little green so I put a little water on it. Quickly Henry jumped on the chance to have water and started to play in it. And before I knew it we had full on MUD. Toy dumptrucks hauled the mud around the yard. Shovels scooped it and little hands formed it into mud pies.
I really don't love the mud. But I have accepted the fact that my kids love it and will play in it every chance they get.
I just really don't enjoy having to clean it up in my house.
I usually try to catch the kids before they come inside and hose them off a bit. Or at least isolate the mud to the bathroom. But today that didn't happen.
I had just finished scrubbing Sophie in the shower. She of course had joined her brothers in the mud fun. She was clean and headed to her room to get dressed. The boys were still outside having the time of their lives so I thought I would head to the kitchen to start something for dinner. This was not to happen. Henry decided that he needed to tell me something. Absolutely covered from head to foot in wet dirt he came into the house, through my bedroom (which is where the door to the yard is), the living room and into the kitchen.
I found foot prints like this...
and this....all along the path he took.
I quickly grabbed him and took him straight to the bathroom to shower him off. Ian of course had to come in then too. So both boys were striped down and put in the shower. This was another mistake on my part. I left them there for a bit and went to clean up the muddy footprints all through the house. I could hear the boys laughing and giggling in the shower. When I made it back to the bathroom a few minutes later I found the bathroom covered with muddy water. The ceiling was even dripping.
They had been throwing their wet, soggy, clothes at each other, at the ceiling and all around the bathroom.
I try to look at events like this as a good thing. It makes me HAVE to clean up the bathroom. I Have to mop the floor, wipe the counters and shower walls. At least my bathroom is now looking pretty good. I also have some squeaky clean kids for the moment.