We all played with that for quite a while. The mess is still there today, but it's not exactly intact anymore. Another reason we don't get this set out very often! We'll probably rebuild it again tomorrow morning and let 'em have another day with it, then put it all away until next time.

Katie did great in school yesterday, just so you know. :-) Yep, this time it was Joe who was not cooperating. Why can't they both have a good day on the same day?! It would be sooooooo nice!!! Joe just was not in the mood to do school and tried every trick in the book to get out of it. Before long he was saying, "I don't want to do school today, Mom--can't I just be dumb???" It made me think of Melissa's twins. One of them was grumbling about his school work one day and suddenly became concerned and asked his Weese, "Mom, do they have school in heaven?" She assured him that there was no school in heaven. He was greatly relieved. Then he got a sly smile and asked, "Do they have school in hell?" Ha! Could you die?! What a crazy kid!!! (It's sad that Melissa doesn't keep up on her blog better--I would love a steady string of stories like that!) Anyway, Joe didn't want to take the time to do anything right--just wanted it done. The answer to one question was "night" and he asked, "Can't I just write 'day'? It's shorter!" Oh, brother. He did manage to finish everything up and it didn't kill him after all. Or me either!

Did you know there is a reason why tubes of Super Glue come with the plastic lid not on yet? The tube is sealed by a thin piece of foil, but the lid isn't actually on. I don't know what causes the phenomenon, but when you put the lid on before the foil is removed, the tubes leak. I know, because I did just that. I opened the pack (two tubes) and went ahead and screwed the lids on so I wouldn't lose them (I know me!) and tossed them onto my desk. Shortly thereafter I sat down and noticed them sitting in little puddles. I scooped them up and did my best to clean them, but how in the world are you suppsed to clean Super Glue schmozz??? I was actually able to get most of the gunk off of my desk (it's covered in glass), but didn't have the same luck with my fingers. I've got a streak of long, hard, crusty schmozz on my index finger that is just going to have to wear off over the next few days. I tried to peel the glue off, but it had formed quite an attachment and wasn't going to leave without taking some serious flesh with it. Live and learn. I ought to know. Since Sam came into our family I've used more tubes of Super Glue than I had in the previous 26 years of my life. For real!!!

Back to the pictures. I took these last night as we were putting the kids to bed. This is the nightly post-devotions tickle ritual.

And I took this today. Look closely. See anything unusual???

Here's a closer shot, just in case you missed it...

That's right, folks, my children have found a way to grow their very own weapons in the back yard!!! Or something like that. This was Joe's doing. I told him he's just going to have to wait for the next big storm to knock it out of there for him 'cuz I'm not going up after it! A sword in the tree. Of all things.

We've been doing this thing with the kids where we give them a sticker on their charts when they do something really good--usually something that exhibits good character such as sharing toys without being ordered to or helping somebody else clean up their mess "just because," --just anything that is genuinely kind. When they get five stickers in a row, we do something fun--like have a pizza party or ice cream cones in the backyard. When they fill up their whole chart (20 stickers, I think) we do something really special, like go to Chuck E. Cheese or something. Well, Katie and Joe both filled up their entire charts this past week (Sam is lagging way behind--imagine that!) and we decided to get them something special this time instead of going somewhere special. So here they are with their much appreciated loot...

Joe got a new Garfield 3-pack book. He was soooooooo excited! He's had it for two days now and I think he's probably read the whole thing already!!!

And Katie had her eye on this $4 Amish doll, so James picked brought it home for her tonight. She hasn't put it down yet!

Okay, I've got something really great to tell you. Are you sitting down?!?!? (I can't recall ever seeing anybody standing while checking out the blogs, but you never can be too careful!) You will never believe what I did today!!! I can't believe what I did today. I'm so proud of me!!! I deserve a Vanilla Coke. Or two. ;-) Okay, okay, I could tell you, but I'd rather show you, so here ya' go!

I realize that bloomers are meant to be used as an undergarment and not to be put on display, but how could I not display this?! I whipped out four pairs of bloomers today!!! How could I not show you what I've done?! And good ole' Katie--always ready to strike a pose. Or six or eight. Anyway, I had HAD it with crazy Katie and her complete lack of grace and decency and was determined that we were not going to keep being exposed to her ghandi's every time she took a tumble or wrestled with the boys. Or threw a ball. Or just sat down. Or about anything else. (The girl's got less decorum than a water buffalo.) Anyway, she's been needing these for a long, long time. And I did it!!! I actually did it! I made the first pair to make sure they would fit. (I had to come up with my own pattern.) When they did, I dug out three more scraps of fabric and just went to town! And get this... I didn't use a seam-ripper all day long!!! (I must confess that there toward the end I had to take out just three or four little threads, but I used my scissors so I'd be able to blog that I didn't touch the seam-ripper--and I didn't!!!) ~sigh~ Where's my Coke...

Okay, enough is enough. I'll spare you any more. After this. I was reading Joe's Garfield book with him yesterday (I think we should buy him a new book every time he fills his chart--it's a reward for him and Mom, too!) and I CRACKED UP when I saw this picture!!! It was one of those things that just gets funnier and funnier the longer you look at it. Isn't it great?! HA! Emilee, be sure to show Jon. If nobody else out there appreciates it, I know he will. :-)

Still Laughing,

~Bec~