When all else fails, blame the monkey

Sometimes random items become the "it" item of the day at our house. Yesterday it was one of those little ink stampers...the kind you can order from those prize magazines for 9.99/gross. Tyler was enamored and covered himself with blue smilies. He and Alan both decorated their bellies with smiley "eyes" and a smiley dots smile, with their own belly buttons for noses. By the time I discovered what had happened, it was time for supper and church. There wasn't time for a bath, and we don't usually take one after church on Wednesdays. I was just glad all smilies were concealed by their clothes, and no one at church was any the wiser. We put everyone to bed, late, as usual for Wednesdays, and thus ended another day.

Decided to do today's preschool activity outside since it's been so beautiful out!
T-Toothbrush painted T's! :)

Most nights I sleep all night without a peep from any children. Most of the times if a child is "peeping", it's Tyler. Sometimes he's telling me he's thirsty ("Your water glass is on the table"), or that he has to pee ("Use my bathroom"). Last night, as usual, it was Tyler standing by my bedside in the wee hours.
Tyler: Mama?
Me: What sweetie? (I don't always answer so nicely.)
Tyler: Will these blue smilies come off me?
Me: (Laughing inside in spite of the wee hour) Yes, sweetie, they will.
And off he went, back to bed.

Don't let those GREEN stamp marks on Tyler's forehead confuse you. They are, in fact, different from the blue ones on his belly. From a new stamper they found this morning. Where are these things coming from!?

Daniel was up before 7 again this morning. This time Greg was already gone and it was Alan that sprung him from his crib. Which was just as well, because that meant Alan was up before 7. I really like it when the big boys are up and showered before I have to tell them to. Or at least one of them. Daniel wasn't as impressed with the shaving cream trick today, but I still managed to get showered without him playing in the toilet or digging out all the feminine items from under the counter (it wouldn't be the first time - for either).

Daniel participates more all the time. He really liked this one! (And check out the one-legged photo-bomb in the background)

Even though we mostly follow a schedule on weekdays, I've been cheating it for weeks now by skipping the morning walk. I tell myself I like having that half hour to catch up if we've gotten behind already, but the truth is, I think I've been letting us fall behind because I don't want to take the walk. My midwife's office recommends walking two miles a day. Two miles!? Seriously? Who has time for that? And frankly, the 3/4 mile route we take for our 25 minute venture wears me out.  But, the kids like that half hour and I suppose it's good for all of us, so I put it back in today. And I guess tomorrow as well. And all next week. We'll see. If I do it long enough it will get easier, right? ....right?

This afternoon after school and naptime I was sorting through a stack of papers in our bedroom. Brooklyn, (who has a nasty habit of having an f.i.t. when she doesn't get her way (we're really, really working on that) ) asked for some play time on my phone. When I said 'no', she turned her head away from me towards a stack of greeting cards I had set aside to save. This one happened to be on top:

And so, mama said, "no phone games" and Brooklyn burst out, slapping in anger, "I hate that monkey!!!"

Because of course, it was all the monkey's fault.

Everybody always blames the monkey.