Genius

Yesterday I had a very Blah day. I didn't really do anything that needed to be done. I ignored the laundry, walked by the dishes numerous times and all the other odds and ends that somehow end up on my floor throughout the day/s. I watched TV, surfed the Internet and even pulled out a puzzle that I have been wanting to put together. This was all fine and dandy until around 4:30 or so. It was then that I started to feel a little guilty. Guilty that I had left so much undone. I decided we were going to play the bean game. The what, you ask? Well, it's this genius idea that Jess came up with while trying to convince our kids to help clean up the mess they had a very big hand in making. All while trying to avoid any fits, melt downs or protests of "why do we have to do all of the work?". It's not an easy thing, I tell you. Four kids cleaning with no trouble.
Here's the game: Two bowls of dried beans. Parents vs. kids. For each item that is picked up and put away you get to take a bean from the other bowl and add it to yours. Whoever has all of the beans at the end, wins. The kids work together, you house gets cleaned, a little counting practice and they think it's fun. It's win-win! A side note, as the parent it is your job to cheat or, shall we say manipulate it, to make sure the transfer of beans is slow enough that they don't actually win until all of the things are picked up. So, surprise, surprise! The kids won and they get to pick a weekend activity and the Sunday treat! I hope that it can work miracles at your house, too.
p.s. no, I'm not really sure how long it will take them to realize that we are molding the outcome. we are just taking it while it lasts!

Musicals

On Saturday, Summer and I went to see the local High School perform Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Summer sat mesmerized throughout the entire performance. (2 hours!) She was completely taken away by the dancing and singing. Her favorite part of the show was when she got to get up and dance in the aisle with two of the girls from the show. She keeps telling people it was kind of like she was in the show. Her favorite song was Benjamin's Calypso. After the show, we went to Target and she danced and twirled around the store while singing whatever words she could remember from the show. She listened to the soundtrack on Tuesday and then watched the DVD yesterday. I remember those days.
The first musical I went to, I was in middle school. It was Bye, Bye Birdie, and I came away with a full sized crush on Conrad Birdie! I wanted to sing and dance on stage just like those High School-ers. I didn't turn out to have much of a performing gift, but I love to watch others who do. I am excited to see what captivates each of my children. I can't wait to see where it takes them.

Happy Mother's Day

This looks about right, except I am missing two angles hanging onto me! Mother's day was filled with breakfast in bed, (which the kids helped me eat!) handmade gifts from the children, kids getting ready for church all by themselves, aerobic exercise trying to be low profile in church, followed by a few melt downs and a yummy dinner with friends. Sounds like Heaven, right? I think so, too.

These little beauties (plus T Jay) give my whole life purpose! T.Jay refused to be photographed, even with a not so subtle "It's all I want for Mother's day." request. Can't blame a girl for trying!

Happy Mother's Day to every woman whether you have children or not! It takes us all to get the job done. Off to bed, duty calls at 6am.