Little Messes

It's Monday. We've had rain for several days in a row. The kids are stir-crazy. So far today, we've had several messes to keep me busy. The first was Mark dumping all the crayons out and coloring on the floor.

I think I was trying to make a grocery list when this happened. The consequence was he had to pick up every single crayon, and then help me scrub the floor clean.


The second was Mark's bad aim in the bathroom, which resulted in another scrubbing (this time I didn't make him help.) Murphy's Law was in effect, of course, because I had finally cleaned the floors on Saturday.

The third was Nathan filling up the bathroom sink with bubbles. It was actually kind of fun to see that one. I let them both play around in them for a while - harmless fun!

In between these little episodes, I offered a mommy-controlled art activity. We made potato prints and stamped some pictures.

My grocery list remains unfinished, the dryer hums along, the kids are playing "poo poo pit" (which they are not supposed to do - they are fascinated with bathroom talk right now) and we'll probably have hobo stew tonight. That sounds about right. Nice and easy.

It's a gift

I was looking back at my posts from a year ago, and it seems I had a lot more time to compose my thoughts this time last September! The kids have become very jealous of the telephone and computer, although I try to limit the time I spend on each while they are up. Right before I sat down to type this post, they were cutting and writing at the table together.



Nathan is showing me a map he has sketched that will take me to Louisiana or Africa, or anywhere I need to go. We'll keep it in the car from now on.

I didn't think I had a lot of photos to share, and then I uploaded these funny ones this morning. I am not the best photojournalist by any means, but I am enjoying life with these kids.


Today I am reminded that life is a gift. Children are gifts, and I need to believe it when brothers fight and cry because one accidentally turns over the other one's small pot planted with parsley seeds (while I was on the phone with a dear friend who is grieving after a miscarriage). The pot should have been up high, but it was sitting on a low window sill so Nathan could water it daily. Anyway, it's over, and I did my best to teach that when we forgive, we also forget - but I know for myself, that's easier said than done. In fact right now, they're probably practicing how to sneak from one bedroom to the other so they can be together during quiet time. Those little rascals.

Then and Now

Mark and I were goofing around yesterday afternoon. I was telling him about his baby days, when I would twirl him around the room and then end up putting him down on a blanket when I couldn't figure out what else to do with him! He has a special affection for one of those blankets, now known as "blue blankie." Here's a look at when he was tiny enough to fit on it.


And here's now, silly faces and all.