That's Fun to Say

Sam was playing in the living room while I was cleaning up the kitchen and he just kept repeating the word "limestone."

Sam:  Limestone.  Limestone.  Limestone.
Me:  Why do you keep saying that?
Sam:  Limestone.  It's a type of rock!
Me:  Yes, I'm aware.  But I'm asking why you keep repeating it.
Sam:  Oh.  I didn't know you would know that Mama!  Limestone.  Limestone.  Limestone.  Limestone.
Me:  Sam.  Why do you keep repeating the word "limestone?"
Sam:  Because it's super fun to say.  Liiiiimestone!

I fear he has gone full Buddy the Elf.

Yes!

As I said, we made gross looking cookies the other day.  The best part?  I had to run down to my desk to answer a call, and left the two crazies upstairs with the cookie dough.  I came back up to find them both grinning ear to ear.  When I asked what was going on, Sam said, "We tried really hard to not sneak some of the coookie dough Mom, but it was just too doughlicious!"  I refuse to apologize for how proud I am of him and his blossoming pun skills.

Aspirations

Don't mind Sam...he's just over here workin' on his Bo Duke hair.

Day 11

I fear I have exhausted my ideas to keep them busy by doing not one but TWO activities today outside of normal playing and school work.  We made chocolate chip cookies; Sam's were dyed green and Alex's were dyed blue.  They look as digusting as you imagine.  We also did some chalk shape coloring with painter's tape on the driveway.  Turned out pretty cool.

Day 10

Today marks the 10th day since these fools have been in a classroom.  And as many days that we have been socially distancing.  Martial law is slowly taking over.  Underwear is the only acceptable clothing option.  Blankets are used for any sort of required warmth.  Haircuts are a thing of the past.  And then this:

"HA!  If I farted like this?...Alex would have a toot in his face!"

Laundry Lessons

Alex is good about helping with the laundry.  But, every time he puts clothes in the dryer, he puts in like 7 dryer sheets.  I know I know, I should be using wool dryer balls.  I don't.  I like the smell of Bounce sheets and I cannot get Travis on board with dryer balls.  Which is weird seeing as though this is something I thought would be right up his alley.  I mean, he is the the guy that just bought 4 sets of reusable produce bags.  Four.  Each set has 10 bags.  Suddenly, I'm like the Oprah of produce bags.  You get a set of produce bags!  And you get a set!  And YOU get a set of bags!  But that's it because we actually want a set too.  I'm not a very good Oprah.

Aaaaaaaaanyway, dryer sheets.  So last night I asked Alex to change over the laundry, or as it was called in our house growing up, "Washer dryer dryer washer!"  I reminded him to only use ONE dryer sheet.  And that's when he let the cat out of the bag.  "But Mom, if I only use one, how are the clothes going to get dry?!"  Well, that explains it.  So, yesterday, Alex was 10 years old when he learned that dryer sheets are used to keep clothes soft and wrinkle free and not to expedite the drying process, and instead that process is facilitated by, you know, the DRYER.

Flow

This kid's got curls for daaaaaaaaaaaaaays.

Ponderings

This past week has been somthin'.  We are all practicing social distancing, which honestly isn't that hard for me...I tend to not like people much.  The reality of the boys not being in school hasn't really hit yet.  But then picking up their computers from school was completely emotionally overwhelming for me.  I seem to be in a constant state of feeling like we are overreacting and underreacting at the same time.

Leave it to Sam though...

Keeping a normal bed time has been a struggle so far since the boys and Travis are all little night owls and they technically don't have to get up for anything specific.  And the upset in anything normal, has sent me right back to giving in and snuggling with Sam until he falls asleep every night.  Two nights ago, it was a loooooooooooong snuggle.  This kid.  We went to bed around 9:30 and he FINALLY stopped talking when the clock was nearing 11.  So.  Many.  Stories.  And questions.  And "jokes."  And stories and questions and questions and questions.

"gasp!  MOM!  What is the entiiiiire universe made of?!"
"Hey Mom...why did the cookie cross the road?  Because he was stuck in a crack.  Wait, no, that's this one.  Lemme get it back in my brain.  Mom...why did..no wait..why diiiidn't the cookie cross the road?  Because he felt crummy!  HA!"
"Mama?  How do you make grass?"

Go.  To.  Sleep. 

Lesson learned I guess

We have a small tent the boys often have set up in the house.  They have only slept in it once.  It was defintiely manufactured as an outdoor sleeping tent, but they prefer to use it as a tv watching station, a hot wheels playing station, or any other thing besides sleeping.

Last night they were playing with some friends...some kids were in the tent, some were outside of it.  All children were scream-laughing, so obviously something was going to break.  So I stuck my head down the steps and told them to take it easy or they were going to break the tent.  "Ok Mom!"  8 minutes later?  "Alex!  Take. It. Easy.  Or you are going to break the tent."  "Ok Mom!"  3 minutes later?  "You do realize I am not buying a new tent once you break this one right?"  ::Sam slides off the sinking top of the tent::  "We're not going to break it Mama!"  5 minutes later?  "Hey Mom?  I need you!"  They broke the tent.

So I went down there to find Alex holding a splintered support piece and I quickly instructed him to put it down so he didn't get a sliver.  I took it from him.  I got a sliver.

Tents are fun.

Masterpiece Photography

I am titling this one:  "Scene of a Mother's Sleeplessness."

See that small area where the blankets are pulled back?  That is the amount of space I was granted for sleeping in the wee hours of the morning.  The pile next to my little cherub's head consists of 2 blankets and 6 Sunny Bunnies.  Please note, those items received the same bed width of space that I was allowed from 4am to 6:30am.  Don't even get me started on how much room Lulu gets.

Go to sleep

Sam took a long nap yesterday.  I knew when it was happening bedtime was going to be a disaster, but he really needed to sleep to keep the rest of yesterday in tact whatsoever.  So I let him sleep.  And as predicted, bedtime was a disaster. 

First he wanted to read 17 books.  Then he wanted apple slices.  But then I gave him too many.  Then he wanted me to sleep with him becuase he is positive he will get nightmares if he sleeps alone but he would not accept that having his brother and dog with him did not constitute sleeping alone.  Then he got the giggles.  Then when I thought he was finally asleep, he had to go to the bathroom again.  Which apparently needed to be narrated to me.  Then a ton of whining to get me to snuggle them.  Fine.  I curl around the side and foot of the bed, avoiding the dog and both boys' feet.  Then he doesn't have enough room to stretch out his legs and he can't feel my skin close to him so he can't sleep.  I finally relent and lay on my side on the sliver of bed next to him and firmly instruct him to put his damn head on the pillow.  He does.  For 42 seconds.  Then he starts giggling and says, and I freaking quote, "I forgive you for talking in a mad voice to me.  But you need to move back to the bottom because with you up here, I'm warmer than a toasted Pop Tart!"

I.  Give.  Up.