Pants on the ground

It got oddly quiet during "rest time" today.

During a typical afternoon "rest time" there is much squealing and giggling... and often a few fights to break up along with an injury or two.

But today, around the time I expected to the bedroom door bust wide open and hear the pitter patter elephant stampede down the stairs, there was just the sweet sound of silence.

Wanting to insure that one of the aforementioned fights had not broken out leaving someone unconscious, I tip toed up to the room to discover a miracle:

Two sleeping children.

Please pay no attention to the state of the blinds. I don't want to talk about it.

Also, you may note; Mr. Jenkins is not wearing pants.

Did I mention yet that we are potty training? Well, Mr. Jenkins is pretty much potty training himself because Brent forbid me to even try potty training the boy until he was 3 because of the nightmare which was potty training Sassy.

Seriously, I think potty training day one for Jenkins was infinitely better than potty training day 296 for Sassy.

Anyway, Jesus clearly felt sorry for me and the ordeal with Sassy, so he blessed me with a willing potty training participant in Mr. Jenkins. We still don't really have the poop thing down yet, but the boy has not had a pee pee accident since he initiated this whole business a couple of days ago.

The only issue (besides the poop) is he isn't too great at putting his britches back on after the...ahem...event.

I knew he got up to potty during rest time because I heard the toilet lid slam.

I held my breath and listened for Chilli to be awakened by it. Hearing nothing, and being the responsible mother I am, I continued eating my sandwhich.

I however forgot that the boy would probably not be inclined to put on his drawers after the deed.

So consequently, the poor, pants-less child must have hopped back into the bed where upon he pressed his butt cheek up against the glass and fell asleep.

I hope the neighbors enjoyed the view.

Maranda

Foul play?

While out planting some tomatoes this evening, I found something disturbing in my galvanized wash tub.

I think Mr. Jenkins and "Tinky-bell" may have had a falling out.

Either that, or he treated her to a day at the spa (which must have included a mud bath), and just hadn't gotten around to picking her up yet.


Maranda

Flip Flops of Shame

Am I the only mom who loads up the kids in the van, insuring that I have remembered sippy cups, snacks, diapers, wipes, my purse, my phone, my Diet Dr. Pepper, my bag of returns to Target, my grocery list, my kitchen sink...Only arrive at Target to realize that some child has arrived without shoes?

I will not even admit to how often this happens to me.
At least once a week.

Sassy is the worst offender.

Consequently, I have begun to keep a pair of flip flops in the car that I refer to as:

The flip flops of shame.
(Not to be confused with The Pants of Judgement).

I had hopes that their hideousness would be a motivator for my child to remember her shoes.

Surely having to wear these ugly, uncomfortable, plastic shoes (which I literally purchased at the Dollar Tree when - SHOCKER - Sassy forgot to wear her shoes to a restaurant) would encourage her to remember to put on her shoes before we leave the house.

No such luck.

Of course they are now her favorites.

What am I going to do with that child?

Maranda

Inappropriate bug names

We went to Fernbank a few weeks ago for a dinosaur egg hunt.

I haven't had a chance to post about this because I was in conference planning Hades, but I thought I'd capture a few memories from our day.

Here is Mr. Jenkins waiting for the egg hunt to begin. Most of the mom's dressed their children in smart little Easter get-ups and provided them with precious little egg baskets.

You'll note my kid has a reusable grocery bag for his eggs.

'Cause that's how we roll.

Add caption

Not really sure what is going on here... but I am pretty sure he is discussing his "buttons" (which is what Mr. Jenkins calls nipples).

After the egg hunt which lasted an astounding 2.5 minutes. We headed inside the museum.

These things always make me chuckle:

The kids also got dinosaur tattoos.

We visited several other exhibits and even ate lunch outside on the patio in the perfect spring weather. It was delightful. Included in the kids meal was a toy.

One child received a praying mantis.

The other...

A cockchafer?

I'm sorry. But what is that?!

Who were the marketers who came up with this one? "Let's see... we've got the mantis, the dragon fly, the ant, the bee, the lady bug... and we just need one more.... Oh, I know... let's include the cockchafer!

This is a family blog, and I'm not trying to take it to a gutter level, but seriously... I am disturbed.


Maranda

Mr. Jenkins has a girl friend

There's a special little (and I do mean little) lady in Mr. Jenkin's world.

Let me introduce you to Tinkerbell...

He is quite smitten.

I am not sure I approve. I mean, seriously... girl has some attitude going on with that hand on her hip dontcha think?

And where is her skirt!?!?

He took her "out" ... as in outside in the back yard yesterday and played with her for quite some time.

 He had her sliding down my tomato cages and zipping down the pole bean trellis.

And here is is in sheer delight over his girl.

Ahhh. Young love.

He had her with him again today and I heard him rummaging around in a drawer, undoubtedly looking for scissors or a permanent marker to "beautify" something. Anyway, I looked over just in time to see him close the drawer on poor Tink.

Ever the gentleman, he quickly patted her head and said, "I sorry Tinky-bell"

What a guy.

Maranda

Soul Man's

I mentioned previously that I have a job in the "real world" in which I plan a conference.

This conference just occurred last week - thus my excuse for the lack of posting in recent months.

Anyhow, I have some recent kid shenanigans to share now that life has slowed down a bit, but I'll just ease myself back into the blogisphere with this little pic I observed while in Texas at the conference last week.

The restaurant is "Soul Man's BBQ" and the changeable letter sign reads:

JESUS IS LORD

FRIED PIES

49 CENTS

Once again...
I love Texas.

It's a bit of a mouth full, but I have started to incorporate this phrase into my daily speech... you know, kinda like an excited utterance:

What's that? You can work me in for a haircut today! Well, Jesus is Lord! Fried Pies 49 cents!

Jesus is Lord! Fried Pies 49 cents! Chilli is finally walking!

Say what!? We didn't have to pay as much as we thought in taxes!? Thank you 3rd child exemption - Jesus is Lord! Fried Pies... that's right... 49 cents. 

Okay... I am actually feeling a bit irreverent and fairly confident that I am the only one who sees the humor in this.

Like I said. I need to ease myself back into Blog Land.

Clearly.

Maranda

Nocturnal

I know you've missed me.

I've missed you too.

I don't know if I have ever mentioned on this blog o' mine that I actually have another job besides keeping my children alive.

You know... a job that I actually get paid for, but that is far less rewarding!

Consequently, I have seasons such as this where the blogging goes to the back burner, along with a number of other important things in life... ie. sleeping, bathing, tooth brushing, etc...

Anywho. Sassy said something today that I considered "blog worthy" and I thought I'd pop on quickly to post.

She apparently had some trouble going to sleep last night.

Me: I'm so sorry you had a rough time falling asleep. Do you know why?
Sassy: Yes. I certainly do. I think it was because I am a little bit nocturnal.

Thank you PBS kids. I am pretty sure you get the credit for that vocab word.

Well, that's all I have time for. I have an evening full of nocturnal activities of my own... editing content, emailing workshop presenters, confirming exhibitor details, etc...

*Sigh*

Maranda