Mud Baths

This past weekend, the Asst. Zookeeper got a start on a home-project that he has been wanting to do since we bought the house five years ago. Our yard is a hill. The children are able to play there and there is room for the playground and the sandbox, but a lot of it is still not usable because of the slope.

Well, the Asst. Zookeeper's father bought a back-hoe. And the Asst. Zookeeper borrowed it to regrade our yard. And the yard turned into a mud pit after it rained the next day. And the Heathens loved the whole process.


Anytime the back-hoe was turned on, all three of my Heathens were on board. The Asst. Zookeeper is always so good about letting the Heathens "help" when he does stuff around the house. I wish I had that kind of patience.

Here's a video clip of the Heathens on the back-hoe:

After the yard turned to mud, the Heathens had a great hour slopping in it. Check out the dirt on them! I had to clean them off before I could take them in the house for baths. And did I mention that our hose doesn't work outside? We had to use a bucket that I filled up in the kitchen. They had a blast! I just hope that no one visits my house until I get all the dirt cleaned up that they tracked inside!

Soccer Snapshots

The season of spring soccer has arrived. We now spend Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays, and Saturdays at the soccer fields at KidSport. Armed with folding camp chairs, we brave almost any weather to cheer on our Heathens. Luckily, both sets of grandparents come watch the games as well - our Heathens have quite a cheering section!

I finally snapped a picture of each of the boys in their uniforms. We managed to get really good colors this year and by luck, each boy got their favorite color. You can't ask for better than that.

And of course, Heathen #3 loyally attends EVERY soccer game all season. In this photo, he is entertaining himself by biting his father's fingers.

Momma's a FLAKE

This past week, I managed to prove to my Heathens (again) that they can't trust me to keep my act together. They know they need to be on alert to watch for my multiple, frequent screw-ups. Thank heavens they are vigilant (and forgiving).

After the month of April and all of the soccer practices and ballet rehearsals, I was so thankful for last Monday. We didn't have ANYTHING on the family calendar for that night. I was ecstatic! I was finally going to get to stay home for the evening. The kids could simply play. We could relax and I could catch up on the laundry pile that was threatening to take over the second floor hallway.

That afternoon, Heathen #1 had called me at work to ask if he had a soccer game that night. And I said that his first game wasn't until Wednesday. And I knew that I was right. I had spent at least an hour combing through the two soccer schedules and dutifully marking each one in my calendar that I carry and in the family calendar that hangs in the kitchen. So I went home and we had a lovely evening of "nothingness" as a family.

Tuesday, Heathen #1 comes home from school and announces that he DID have a soccer game on Monday night - one of the boys in his class in also on his team. And I said that was not possible! And I checked the printed schedule that we were given - and sure enough, there was a game scheduled for Monday night.

I know how and why I made the mistake - which doesn't matter. What matters is that I screwed up and he missed his first soccer game of the season. Which also happened to be team picture day! Talk about feeling crummy as a mother! Heathen #1 was very forgiving about it, bless his heart.

We made it to Wednesday's game without any issue. Friday rolls around, and Heathen #1 calls me at work again. He says that he has a game that night, but that it isn't marked on the kitchen calendar. He knows he has a game because he talked to the kid in his class again.

At this point, I figured it wasn't possible. I'd already screwed up the schedule and made him miss the first game. I couldn't possibly have screwed up twice in the same week - could I? So I checked the printed schedule just to be safe. And sure enough, there was a game that night!

So we made it to the Friday night game, that I had missed on the schedule, and it turned out to be the make-up night for team pictures - so we almost missed that one too!

Heathen #1 hugged me and said it was okay. Thank God for children.