Put water in a pot. This may take more time than you like because the children have gotten into fishy lake water and are having a bath to address that situation upstairs so the water pressure is low. You have five minutes to make this pot of water boil before they’re done and the nanny is out.
Get pasta out to dunk in the almost-boiling water right as the first child explodes down the stair-chute from his bath and starts yelling that he wants to help. Say OK you can help, because laws of physics, and ask him to grab a stool. On the way to the stool he sees the grated cheese on the cutting board and grabs a fistful. Two fistfuls. Some for the mouth, and some to confetti the floor!