Kids are KIDS!

           (This is at the park around the corner from our house.  It is down hill on the way there, but of course up on the way back.  They always forget this when they decide to ride their bikes there...lots of crying on the way home.)

In January, for Book Club, we read _The Happiness Project_.  I loved it.  It is so me.  Because of that book I decided to change the way I do my New Year's Resolutions a little.  Now, on the first Sunday of the month I review my resolutions and change focus as necessary.  I have a few guiding themes for the month.  Two from March were:  "What is the cheapest option I can be satisfied with?"  (this particularly helped with meal and party planning).  The other was, "What is the easiest option?"  I thought these two might conflict with each other, but surprisingly, very often they did not.  This month I decided to keep them both.  And to add to it, "Kids are KIDS!"  This is to help me relax a little in my parenting.  A little mess is fine!  And to remind me to take time to teach them to do things so that eventually I won't have to do it for them.  And to do fun things with my kids now and then.  This week was a good Kids ARE KIDS week.

I was able to smile and just enjoy the moments (or at least laugh a little):

*Libby took a loaf of (almost) week old banana bread to her teacher.  (She sneaked it into her backpack--I noticed it, and decided to leave it and do some explaining to the teacher before she tasted it.  So sweet of Libby.)

*Sarah was waiting for Libby to finish using the toilet.  Libby was taking too long so Sarah decided to go in one of those little paper cups you use for getting a drink after you brush your teeth.  Not super successful, but rugs wash, right?

*Ben says (frequently), "Not you mom, I am talking to DAD!" (or vice versa)

Last night Rachel was going to get him out of his high chair and he just pointed to me in very dramatic fashion.

*When Ben runs away when you want to change his pants...almost every time.

*When Ben said, "Mom, you are going to need to change me in a minute...I am going to poop."

*When Libby did backstroke the whole length of the pool! 

*When Sarah attempted to backstroke the length of the pool and ended up doing the bob up and down and need to be rescued.

When they played conference bingo...for 2 seconds or less

When Ben helped me cook this week, several times.  He loves to dip his fingers in the flour.

When Derek got Ben so dizzy that he couldn't walk (see below).
And when Libby and Sarah took of their shoes and played in the giant sandbox also known as a baseball field getting totally filthy.

I didn't get a photo when Derek let go and Ben face planted.

When I watched these 2 big kids play.

When we went to the children's museum on Monday when Libby had no school.  It was so fun to be altogether as a family for the afternoon!

When Ben wanted me to bury him in stuffies and take pictures (with the camera facing him).

When we played Wii bowling for our Friday night activity.  It was a good week!