Dad is out of town for the weekend, and I am kickin' with my home boys. Like always, there is always some sort of 'excitement' meaning...never a dull moment. Really, I wouldn't have it any other way. But really, it is doing a number on my hair color.


So, I have been very conscious of my tone of voice w/ my kiddos. And last night I realized that until then, I truly only have raised my voice at my kids...Yep. Until then. Until this happened...

I came into the room, and there was Bodie with a Steak knife.
(onesided conversation went like this:)
Mom: Woah, Bodie, what are you doing with...*eyes travel to the sofa, H U G E gasp, hands cover the mouth, stare in horror for 10 seconds, grab knife from child's hands*
WHAT ARE YOU DOING?? (yelling) YOU DO NOT TOUCH THIS KNIFE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND? WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS? (like he could give me an answer) GO TO YOUR ROOM. NOW! (so I don't hurt you) -*proceed to take deep breaths and pace the floor, then assess the damage.*

(Not that these pictures do it justice! There are 20+ stabs in the cushion on the right, and scratch marks, with random stabs in the other cushions and sofa)
Wow. What could I do? I called Marilyn who was able to talk me through it. It is just a couch after all. Now typing this, it is amazing to think how upset I was...Over a couch...one that will soon have stiches. Big deal. I got off the phone and was able to talk calmly with Bodie about how important it is to not play with knives, (he got it out to open up a snack bag of crackers) that only grown ups use them, and that we need to treat our furniture nicely. (I feel an FHE coming on). And then I loaded Brock &Wyatt in the double jogger, Bodie road his bike, and we took off to let out some steam. Needed that still. :)

Today we brought the 'chariot' out and rode to the 'dips'. Bodie showed me all his cool new jumps and Wyatt and Brock had a fun time running around and watching. I was impressed and a little nervous when he asked me if he could do one of the 'big' ones. I still said yes - hoping he wouldn't break an arm or something - but he was cautious and careful, just riding to the bottom. I tried helping him back up the hill (he was pushing his bike back up) and he adamantly said No, he wanted to do it himself. geez.

Later, the boys were playing across the street w/ the neighbors' little granddaughter in the front yard and I went over to chat. It ended up being a really nice evening. We sat out in the driveway and talked politics and whatever else came up. Bruschetta & cheese was brought out, I cut up some watermellon, & we sipped lemonade while the kids rode their bikes and played. The weather was perfect.

The sun finally set, so we went in for baths. Somehow the boys got their clothes in the water and started throwing them around...I have never seen so much water on the floor- and that is saying a lot!!! It took 4 large towels to sop up the water -they were all dripping wet. Crazy kids.

The water is never calm at bath time. And seriously, I have NEVER seen bath water THAT dirty before. Gross!


I wish I could've had our bedtime conversation captured on a voice recorder or video... Oh man, Brock is a story teller! -His little voice and face are so animated. He gets so excited - there are a lot of "ya's" and jumbles of the tongue. He and Bodie made up a bed on the floor to sleep next to each other. - So I laid down by them and told them 'the big bad wolf' (3 little pigs) story upon request while Wyatt bounced off the walls and bed (literally). Then Brock starts asking me to tell the "Water, and then then the crocidile and he swallows the *voice lowers and slows* BEN. TEN. watch, Mamma - tell that one." I of course have no clue what he is talking about - but Bodie picks up where Brock left off - "And then I get the watch and turn into an alien" and Brock says, "Ya, w/ 2 arms..." Bodie corrects, "No, 4 arms Brock..."
There were several more scenarios like this, and I just soaked it in. All the craziness fades in those sweet moments.