More no-ide photos and the highlights of my day.

I took the kids to the park for photos. I learned, and this was a new realization, that there's a window of time where photos are good. Ruby grins, she laughs - she's all good. The worst that can happen is that she decides to crawl to another spot on the grass - the bugs over there look tastier.




However, 2 is not a good age to photograph. Sterling would agree with this statement, if he hadn't been sent to bed for crying when I asked for a kiss. Seriously, the kid's moodier than a PMSing teenaged girl. Ask for a photo? Forget it. He'd rather scowl - and he will. If he stops crying, that is.
The window is back once two is past. You might get goofy grins or fake smiles, but they are more than willing to work for their reward.

Six years old, I'm afraid, is the edge of this window. I can see awkward pre-teen coming from many miles away. She's not there yet, but it's coming. Every once in a while, a glimpse of what will be is seen. And that glimpse has scared me far worse than what a two year old can throw at me. This house is full of girls. And it's gonna be bad.And with that little narration of what parenting in my house looks like - another about a house. We found one! Should you so desire, check out 2074 N. Columbia Ave listed here under houses. That's the plan.

I washed the floor today. Then Ruby spilled peas everywhere. Not awful, but a mess. Then, Eden dumped her plate of buttered pasta. Ok, Momma's getting crabby. Then, Eden dropped the pyrex bowl of red sauce and meatballs. The pyrex shattered (grrrr. That makes Momma very crabby. Tile is not nice to my favorite dishes.) and red spaghetti sauce sprayed from one end of the dining room, across the room and into the kitchen. The packed boxes? Yep, pretty in red polka dots. The table legs? Beautiful with their new pattern.

There's a new mandate in my house. If you come, wear shoes. Glass is hard to find and easy to miss. Ruby will be in mittens and knee pads for a few days, I'm afraid. Foam flip flops? Not a good glass-on-the-floor cleaning option. They'll pick up the glass for you sure. But then what?!

Oh, and then, after mopping the floor again, Ruby spilled rice everywhere. Seriously, why mop?

Ruby then changed tactics. The bottle of fluoride rinse, gloriously close to empty for a change (this isn't the first time I've mopped up gargle) was dumped/drank in the living room all over the coffee table. Thank you, Miss Rue, for missing carpet. I might have screamed. But Ruby is smelling oh so minty fresh tonight!