Finding Balance

LONG day today. Yesterday we were busy playing all day so today was catch up on housework left behind from the weekend. My husband didn't get home until the kids were in bed so it was a long day. I am having difficulty finding a balance between spending time with the kids and keeping up with the housework. Yes I know, "Forget about the laundry! Spend time with those babies! These days go by so quickly. Before you know it they're all grown up and on their own!" I agree, these days are precious and fleeting. I am blessed to be able to stay at home while my kids are young. You know those parents who regretfully say they feel like they're missing out on their kids childhood because they're always at work? Not me. I happily eat up every single moment. So don't misunderstand me. I am happy to be a stay at home mom. Realistically though, I have a husband who expects a home cooked meal on the table when he gets home from work, clean neatly folded laundry in his closet, and a clean house to come home to at the end of the day. So how do you please the husband while keeping the kids entertained and growing their minds? I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet. I can never completely finish a cleaning project during the day. I start something while the kids are happy and usually am interrupted before I'm done to find another game for Kaley or pick up a fussy baby. By the end of the day I have 2 loads of laundry halfway done, a half cleaned bathroom, a dirty kitchen from quickly throwing dinner together, and other unfinished chores throughout the house. Some times I let Kaley watch TV so I can speed clean, but then I just end up feeling guilty that my kid sat in front of a television all morning. How do I balance the two?!? They are at a difficult age. A teething, breastfed baby and an energetic 2 year old. Sure I could stay up late and clean while they are in bed, and some times I do, but I am tired by the end of my day! I don't get a break from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The last thing I want to do when I finally get some peace and quiet is stay up cleaning bathrooms! I find myself having ugly thoughts toward my friends who get a break from their rambunctious toddler a couple days a week or pay a cleaning lady to come do their dirty work for them. *sigh* So what do you do? How to you balance the two? Do you have young kids and keep a clean house? HOW?