Fun at Home

I don't want to say that I hate summer because that's like saying you hate Christmas. I'll just say I don't want to do anything when it's hot and kids running ammuck all day every day drive me crazy. So October is a big relief for me. I swear that's when I feel alive and functionable (not a word, should be) again. I actually look forward to sunny days and plan things. And actually do them. But this post is not about those things. Stay tuned.

A delivery of toilet paper came the other day and as I was trying to find a spot for 244 rolls of toilet paper, Erica thought she had stumbled upon a box of my-size squishy Legos.

Henry looked really old to me while he was pulling his shoes off so I took a picture. I feel like I got a glimpse of teenage Henry.

A few weeks ago I heard a mouse rummaging through my bedroom at night. If you know me or have followed this blog for any length of time you know I have a deep and equal level of hate and fear of mice. It's a hate/fear relationship. The first night it was into my necklaces, the second night I woke Justin up at 4 am because I could hear it scratching near this stuff in his side of the closet.

The next day I found a dried piece of bread in his open luggage. Apparently one of our children buries food like a puppy. I'm looking at you, Erica.

I removed the bread and every.single.crumb in our house, set up 3 more traps, replaced the weather stripping on our exterior doors (I went a little crazy that day. I should have put war paint on) then I sat and waited alone in my lit bedroom all night long for the sound of a snap trap to capture him. I watched him bypass the snap trap and run out of my room. (I should mention Justin was out of town so I was facing this mouse infestation on my own with only my absolute disgust and hatred to keep my fear in check.) The next night I slept on the couch. Then the next night I slept because Justin was home and I knew my new electronic mousetrap would protect me. But of course it was the snap trap in the storage room that finally did him in. I still wake at any and all sounds in the night because we all know mice like to tell their friends where to find bread in closets.

Sarah has been watching the kids in our neighborhood catch the bus in front of our house since she was a baby. I can't believe she is one of those kids now.

 If you leave your backpack out, Erica will put it on all by herself.

 I think she feels a little left out.

 This is what yogurt looks like in her hair.

 Erica loves her pumpkin bucket. I found Baby Cupcake in it one night after I put her to bed.

Between Saturday's sessions of conference, we got our wiggles out at a park nearby that I never take my kids to even though they ask all the time.

 Pure slide joy.

 Pure swing joy.

 Henry makes the cutest Lego guys and never wants to take them apart.

 I found this pig in my dresser. I'm leaving him.

Erica looked so cute in her fall leggings and boots so I tried to get a picture of her. She would not cooperate. But I've wanted a picture of her praying for months and this is close enough.

 And she's super cute so joke's on her.

I have to be really on the ball at putting dishes away right after dinner or Erica will wander back in and help herself to leftovers. Here she is scooping up some honeybutter.

I can't say that I blame her.