Winter Break

We've kept busy in one way or another over this holiday break.  Life is great with no schedule to keep.  We ate when hungry, slept when we were tired, and played in the times between.  With only a day or so left before it's back to bedtimes, homework, and after school obligations, I reflect on what is so great about having three crazy, demanding, rambunctious boys at home.  There's never a dull moment, and there is always someone to play with, and something fun to do.  We were lucky to go plenty of places, and see plenty of friends, but truthfully my most memorable moments were here at home shared with one another.

I didn't take this picture, must of been part of the bunch taken on an impromptu photo shoot with friends, not even a real computer, just a prop that they use in there pretend play game.... I think they call it Computer Nerds.

Like when Abe convinced Jonas to trim his hair, on my orders, so he says.  And Jonas just following orders, gave Abe's hair a good trimming, some might use the word chopping to describe it, but no real damage done, we've all see Abe's hair, can't damage what's already broken.  It still makes me giggle that Jo completely believed what his three year old little brother told him, no doubt in his mind that he was trimming hair under my orders, some might call him gullible, I call him an innocent believer.

Sol even invented his own super hero, Rainbow Ranger.  He decided to design and make his own costume, out of what else then....... scotch tape, markers and paper.

Inspired by his older brother Abe made his own costume.  Attaching the picture he was most currently coloring onto his chest, costume complete, he was...... Hawkboy!?! (pumpkin has nothing to do with his theme, I know I also was a little confused)

Again with the marker, at least it's mostly on his arm

But probably the sweetest moment was a shared conversation during a late night rocking to a fevered three year old......
"Mom look we're like a puzzle, our pieces go together, see."
He motions to the snug fit we have, he's right we go together, just like two puzzle pieces.
"Mom it's a good thing I'm tough and can fight a germs.  You want to know why I'm so tough.....it's because I'm half human, half pig, and half duck!"
"Is that so.... so tell me how come you're so stinken' cute?"
"Stinken?" glances over his shoulder, "Are you talking to me?"
There is no one else in the room.
"Yeah, why are you so stinken' cute?"
"Um, that's probably cause I eat too much food?"
"So you're stinken' cute cause you eat too much food?"
"Wait..... Um.... no maybe it's cause I have too much gas?"
Obviously "stinken'" to a three year old has only one meaning, even when he doesn't feel well he can make me smile, my sweet, sweet, stinken' boy.

This past week and a half has been great, but hasn't been without it's challenges.  We've had tummy troubles, ear aches, arguments, sniffles, failed experiments, fevers, a wicked cough, and one rough movie outing.

I'm no amateur, I take the kids on my own far more often then with the help of Monte, but sometimes I can't seem to get it right.  After some initial difficulties we were able to purchase our tickets for our chosen show, the only ones left, front row and all the way to the right, even with us being 20 minutes early.  I was even encouraged to spend the extra $7 for Abe a front row ticket for a seat that he would never sit in.  Just enough time to hit the concessions, which also went a little rough, and then off to find our seats, at least that was easy, they were the only empty ones in one extremely packed theater.  Abe spilled about a third of his drink down the front of his shirt before opening credits, an easy fix, remove wet shirt and replace with fleece, shirt will dry, thank goodness for layers.  Another quarter of his drink ended up in the popcorn bucket after he kicked it from the cup holder about 20 minutes into the movie, it's hard for him to get situated on my lap.  The last of his drink was kicked yet again, despite my previous warnings, this time spraying the group next to us and leaving a huge puddle at our feet.  It was a large enough puddle that I had to do some sort of cleanup, which meant I could either leave the kids for a minute to find something to wipe it up with, or take all three with me, I opted for the first, and made a dash from my now even more noticeable front row seat.  With our mess somewhat contained, I tried to enjoy what was left of the movie.

"Where is the Popcorn?"  "What do you mean it got ruined?"  "Let me see it, I think I might like it with root beer."  "Why does this movie have so much singing?"  "I have to go to the bathroom."  "Mom, what happened to my drink?"  "I'm not sharing my drink, he'll spill it!"  "I really have to go to the bathroom."  "No I can't hold it."   "I told you, I wanted to see this movie in 3D!"  "Wait, where is the popcorn!?!"  "Mom, I've got to go pee!!!"
 
As soon as the closing credits rolled, I was ushering my kids from the theater, we made a race for the bathroom, and because of the crowds, I made all three go in the family bathroom with me, despite  objections.  The half full drinks that no body wanted to share earlier were left on the floor of the bathroom, which I almost immediately kicked over.  So there I was for a second time, moping up root beer from a dirty floor, public restrooms, yuck!  Only have to get to the car, that should be easy right?  I spoke too soon, lost a child before the exit, found him carelessly checking out a "new and improved movie seat", grab his arm a little harder then I should, but not nearly as hard as I wanted to.  One last disagreement in the parking lot over slug bug rules, it ended in one child slugging his brother a bit too hard on false slug bug pretenses, oh yeah and I forgot Abe's root beer soaked shirt.  For several minutes it was a pretty tense car ride, I'd taken my own advice, and said nothing at all.  At least the mood lightened before we got home, even I'd relaxed and was enjoying hearing about movie favorites.

There's been a couple of nights I've wondered "What should we do tomorrow?"  Some days we've planned, and others we just do what the day bring us, but truthfully whether planned or not, it will always be entertaining, for us all.