I Let the Boys "Borrow" a Camera...

At the end of February, when my parents came to visit, the seven of us piled into my vehicle and headed to the zoo. My mom had given us a membership to the zoo for Christmas and this was the first semi-sunny, semi-warm day we had really had since we've moved, so it seemed to work out to be a great day to get out of the house.

While we were there, I did my "mom-blogger" duty by snapping pictures here and there of everyone to later use on the blog (but it didn't ever happen). After about an hour, HD asked if he could use my (Canon Rebel) camera to take pictures. To explain to an 8-year old how the zoom works + the hold to focus then push all the way to take the picture, all on top of not dropping it or banging it around is simply exhausting. The day before I had found a book titled, "Who's Butt?" at the library and assumed HD would like it simply because it had the word "butt" in it. In short it was a book about a photographer who, more times than not, captured pictures of the behinds of animals instead of their faces. (Anything to get him to read!) HD thought this was a great book, and wanted to make one of his own. That's what he set out to do with my camera in tow. I can't tell you how many times I heard, "Look! Look! I got a picture of its butt!" You know what though? I didn't care because if you know HD, he's usually bouncing around or not paying attention. This trip to the zoo was so relaxing. This kid was F.O.C.U.S.E.D.

Fast forward to spring break this week. I spontaneously decided we needed to get out of the house after JP broke the mirror that hung over my mantel. He apparently dropped kicked a football, right after I agreed he could have a friend come over. I cleaned it up, picked up his friend, made sandwiches and packed lunches for everyone, and then found batteries for an old camera of mine. I've been meaning to pick up an SD card for it, but haven't remembered yet, so I popped my Canon card into it and away we went. HD again enjoyed his time photographing animals and it seemed to make the zoo trip a little less chaotic. What was I thinking taking 4 kids to the zoo by myself?

That night at bedtime, we allowed the kids to sleep in the fort they had built in JP's room. HD grabbed the camera again and gave a very nice tour of it. Perry thought it was great! It wasn't quite up to the funny standards as the sledding video they made in December but hey. I love how HD points out every little detail.


In some of our down time yesterday, JP remembered the camera was working and took a very animated video of himself dancing on the ceiling. I don't know what I love best about it. Is it the music he makes himself? His dance moves? The way he tricks us into thinking he's actually dancing on the ceiling? It could very possibly be how out of breath his is at the end...

I didn't realize how much youtube they must have watched on my mom's iPad, but I also enjoy how they introduce themselves at the beginning!

Now My House Smells Like a Campfire

I have always wanted a home with fireplace, and to be honest, I'm still thrilled our new home has not one, but two fireplaces. For the first month we lived here, we had a fire burning in it nearly every night. With the weather slightly warming up, we've cut it back to one or two nights a week. (And because our wood pile is dwindling.)

We planned accordingly and saved enough wood to have a fire going while Grandma was here visiting. There is just something so calming about sitting in front of a fire... After we arrived home from our outing last Saturday, a fire was made upstairs. As soon as it was going, we all decided to go downstairs to work on a puzzle. I thought it was silly to have made a fire upstairs when everyone was downstairs, not able to enjoy it. So the hubs and I agreed to let it burn itself out and we'd just start another one in the basement.

I didn't immediately go help with the puzzle (I really don't like flipping all the pieces over...) so I continued to enjoy the fire as it continued to burn. I can't tell you how many times HD started messing with the doors and the vents, even after my numerous explanations as to why it was fine the way it was.

In an attempt to get him to leave it alone, I had him help me in the kitchen by cutting up some fruit to take downstairs to everyone. He's a sucker for fruit trays and anything that involves cutting. I felt like I was winning my "distract him" plan. As I gathered up the last couple things to take downstairs, I heard him shut the doors to the fireplace, again, which is fine since we were going downstairs. I should have checked.

As I neared the bottom of the stairs, it started smelling a little smokey, but it always smells a little smokey when we have a fire going in the basement. I thought nothing of it and carried on about delivering our snacks. The hubs and I, and Grandma worked on the puzzle for about 10-15 minutes before he was stated, "It just smells really smokey, doesn't it?" Off he went to check it out. Not seconds later though, he was shouting.

Apparently the kiddo, not only closed the doors to the fireplace, but also CLOSED THE FLUE. I don't even know how to do that. But he did it and because the smoke wasn't able to go up and out the chimney, it went out the little vents and filled up the living room, dining room, kitchen, and entryway.

The next several minutes were filled with running around opening windows and setting up fans throughout the upstairs. Despite how smokey it was in here, it didn't take too long to air out - having two large sliding doors really helped with that. Unfortunately though, even though the smoke was gone, the smell was not. I took a shower to rinse the smell off, but Perry did not, so the next morning at church, all we smelled was campfire. Such a great smell... After walking back into the house afterwards, confirmed that we had a lot of scrubbing and clean up to do if it we wanted to rid our house of that dreaded smell.

But hey, we all survived and HD learned a very important lesson about the fireplace. That's a pretty big win right there if you ask me.

Brownies with a Side of Laughs

Last year around this time last year, I caved in and bought a membership to Costco. For the most part I've been *relatively* good at only buying what we actually need. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't bought a new pair of yoga pants or several books...

I usually end up at Costco about once per week to bring home a collection of items varying between fruits and veggies along with the usual milk and eggs. I caved last week and brought home a box of brownie mix. With our oldest being on a high protein and veggie diet, we've virtually cut out all extra sugars and a bunch of processed foods. Bringing home a box of brownie mix is a huge deal in this house. Just having the kids look at the box is enough to get them a sugar high. Seriously.

Now since the giant box of brownie mix has no home in our pantry, it has been taking up space on our counter. It's been sitting there just asking me to make some. I gave in on Saturday evening. I made a super think batch too. Go big or go home, I suppose. It baked in the oven long enough for several of us to lay and "rest" by the fire burning in the living room. Unfortunately for the kids, they had to go to bed before the brownies were *completely* cool. (Also known as mom and dad not wanting to share.)

After all three kiddos were tucked into their beds, I cut out two brownies to share. As I was leaving the kitchen, I spotted a creeper on the stairs watching and glaring at me. He was promptly sent back to bed with plenty of hugs and brownie-breathed kisses. (HD later tattled on me to his brother the next morning. JP walked up and attempted to give me a mean glare but since he can't seem to keep his glasses pushed up, his glare didn't have the same effect.)

Upon our arrival home Sunday morning from church, the boys headed to the basement to play Legos while the rest of had breakfast. To reward ourselves for doing so, we treated ourselves to a brownie. A three-year old trying to hide a brownie from her brother is probably one of the best things to watch. Ever. As the three of us sat down to start eating, HD came sprinting up the stairs, as if he knew what we were about to do, and he was missing out. I whisper-yelled, "Hide it!" I've never seen her grab a brownie so quickly! She hastily put it on her lap, leaving a trail of crumbs behind while the hubby and I simply used our hands to shield it from his view. He proceeded to ignore us and walk down the hall to the bathroom so we relaxed and began to chow down. When his footsteps were heard in the hall again, the three of us simultaneously covered our treats again and sat with a deer-in-the-headlights look about us. He wandered over to us, standing close enough to very easily see at least one of the three brownies at the table. He stood there yammering on about something for what seemed like an hour but was only a minute before he headed back to the basement, leaving us without having to talk through our brownie filled mouths. Just before we thought we were in the clear, he turned around to ask me a question. He was satisfied with several grunts before returning to the basement and he was none the wiser as to what he missed out on.

I never should have even made those darn things because for the rest of the afternoon, I was being asked when they could have their special treat... We gave in after dinner. I supervised the dinner table while the hubs cut up dessert. In the meantime I sent our squirmy little girl to get her jammies on. She detoured to the bathroom and danced about in her room before actually getting them on. This gave dad ample time to warm up and pass out brownies to JP and I, and devour his own. To urge her along, he called out to her to hurry up before he ate her brownie too and then switched her plate with his empty one as she scurried down the hall to the table. Upon seeing an empty plate, the meanest look over came her face so she was sent back down the hall to shut off the light in the bathroom and the one in her room. She stormed down and took care of her room while dad switched the plates back. She lit up when she came back but was sent back to shut the bathroom light off. This time my plate with a little brownie was switched with hers. We giggled as she came back mad again, and promptly switched them back.

Sometime I feel like my kids, particularly my oldest and youngest, are living DVR's. Immediately after something happens, they either re-enact it, re-tell it, or begin a story with "Remember when..." literally seconds after it happened. This incident was no exception. While our sweet girl began chowing down on her brownie, our oldest began re-telling the story. Just as he finished it up, JP looks up, chocolate all over his face, his white little fingers turned brown, and responds, "So that was yesterday?" He was so enthralled with his brownie, he failed to take in his surrounding and completely missed out on the "joke" but also solid half of the story. Confusion overcame him as he finished the last pieces of his brownie, not understanding why we were all dying of laughter as his listened to the story being re-told yet again.

And that my dear friends, is how we treat ourselves to desserts and a nice little laugh. Brownies are good for the soul!