A Stroke of Genius (if I do say so myself)

A week ago, in an effort to increase safety, sanitation and sanity when entering my sons' bedrooms, I implemented daily "floor inspections," for which the bedroom floors must be clear of books, blankets, clothes, toys and all the other odds and ends that mysteriously make their way upstairs (and piling everything up on the beds does not count!).

This initiative appeared good in theory -- navigable bedrooms are much more pleasant, safe and non-malodorous than those in which the floor is impassable. But as I considered enacting it, I realized that in practice, this was a) going to make more work for me, since I'd inevitably be the one to police the inspections; and b) yet one more opportunity for mommy to come across as a bad guy on a daily basis.

Cue animated light bulb over my head.

I was not going to perform the inspections -- they were! Oh no, no one was going to be inspecting their own rooms, no, no, no, no. The two boys of each bedroom would inspect the bedroom of the other boys, letting them know whether or not the tidying was up to snuff.

And so, for the past week, Levi and Luke have diligently (if not excitedly) let Isaac and Elijah know just exactly what needs improving in their bedroom, while Isaac and Elijah very thoroughly inspect Luke and Levi's room for stray socks, papers shoved under the beds, and other miniscule litterings.

The rooms look great, the boys are shouldering responsibility, and mommy is happy.

Now if I could just come up with a plan for keeping my own bedroom floor so uncluttered.

Tae (Kwon Do - Kung) Foo

One of Isaac's vocabulary words this week is typhoon.

"Is that like Tae Kwon Do and Kung Foo?" he asked before I gave him the definition.

The weather's latest moves on mankind! Watch out, here comes Ty-Phoon!

Unrequited Love

I love spring. I love flowers and green grass. I love warm sunshine and short sleeves. I love getting my hands in the dirt. I even love pulling weeds. I love hanging the laundry on the clothesline. I love walking to the grocery store with my little red wagon. I love doing all my errands on foot or two wheels. I love the smell of sunscreen. I love the lack of snow.

And, I love finding new gardening gloves in my favorite style and size after not being able to find them anywhere all last year (there were only two pairs left on the rack -- I bought them both).


I loved these gloves dearly. We bonded. They gave me the gift of a gardeners tan. But it's time for them to go to the big garden in the sky where fingers will never wear through and dirt will never stick.


I love the little inside greenhouse Wade built for my seed starts!


And I love the happy little plants that are staying warm and moist in the little inside greenhouse that Wade built.


But I don't love that this is the view from my dining room.


Ahh, spring, my love is unrequited.

Deep Thoughts

Overheard coming from the Lego pile...

Levi: There was more magic in the old days, like in the days of Noah.

Isaac: It wasn't magic. It was miracles.

Levi: But it was like magic.

Luke: Miracles are like a sort of magic.

Manly Men with Dishpan Hands

While I'm thankful to have our dishwasher working again, I'll miss the sight of my little men, shirts ripped from their bodies, muscles rippling, all ready to... wash dishes!