A Mother's Revenge

While we were in North Carolina, we tried to go to church with my mom. She teaches the Sunday School class during the church service. Unfortunately, she was locked out of the Sunday School room and the person with the keys was in the middle of the service. After hiking from building to building, we sat the kids down in the lunch room and found some coloring books, paper, and crayons. I nervously watched them, waiting for the first person to take that crayon and do something naughty. I was sure it would be Noah first, considering it didn't take him long to draw on my new couches.


Or maybe it would be Robert, he's the instigator of the majority of trouble in my house.


It couldn't possibly be Matthew, he is an "angel" according to his father.


Hmmm...who would it be? I leave art to their teachers these days, they can clean up the mess! I couldn't understand what was happening. My kids were all coloring nicely. Leigha was busy making Father's Day cards for her dad.



Then I think my jaw just dropped like a cement block. All of my children were intently listening to Grandma teach a lesson. WHO ARE THESE CHILDREN?



Then it happened. The boys took off and headed for the nearest exit.


The boys headed for the kitchen and the chase was on! They were having the time of their life running around the large island. Robert was pretty fast at switching directions on me- which made him laugh even louder.


Noah couldn't stop smiling, through the giggles, as he rounded each corner. This was so much more fun than listening to Grandma. Why sit nicely when they can cause Mom to go more grey?


Don't even think that Matthew wasn't going to get in on this fun! I couldn't believe the speed that he gained as he came around the island. He would put his hand on the island once in awhile, but more for reassurance. However, he was a bit distracted when he learned that the cabinets were not childproof. Do you know how many cabinets were in this kitchen? I took a mental count in my head as I saw the first one opening and closing.



The church service was still going on, and we were only in the next room. How thick were those glass doors? A few minutes later, the doors opened and I could breathe a little bit easier. We stayed around to greet everyone and then went out back to the little playground they had there. It consisted of a really tall slide, big kid swings, and a contraption that reminded me of what we used to have at school. Immediately I knew we wouldn't be there long. Robert used to be the only one that would even get on a slide, but even he has been shying away from them. Noah won't even get in the vicinity of a slide- he will walk the perimeter of the playground and won't get near any of the equipment for fear his evil mother will grab him and force him down the slide. I wonder where he got that idea from?

Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Once again I had to pick my jaw up off the ground as I saw my son, who wouldn't even climb up a three step ladder at home the last time I checked, sprinted to the top of the slide. I cringed at the thought that he was going to freak out when he got to the top. I could just see him trying to get back down and falling to the ground. The gory images were wiped out of my mind when he came over the top.



I just sat there amazed as Noah kept running up the ladder and smiling all the way down. I am guessing that there is a slide at their school! Robert was a bit slower to work his way up the slide, but once he did, he didn't want to stop.



I felt sorry for Leigha. Who wants to be at a park, wearing heels and a dress? That didn't stop her! She was determined to climb the contraption, especially when I told her that is what I used to love to play on.


Matthew wanted nothing to do with those wood chips, slide, swings, etc. He spent that time in the van watching Aladdin. I can't really blame him though, it wasn't the easiest terrain for him. The other kids had a blast and weren't too excited when I said it was time to leave.



The fun didn't stop there! We went to McDonald's, and to the children's surprise, I actually let them play in the play area. It's an unfortunate thing that my kids know McDonald's so well, but we usually only sit down in one when we are driving across the country. I was scoring some big points that day!

When we arrived back home, it was time to make the children work. Noah went straight for the wheel barrel while Robert cleared the path of dirt. They were two boys on a mission.







I am going to have to embrace this slave labor I have living in my home. I just have a feeling that it might cost me dearly, though. To finish off the torture, we let the kids help fill the pool my mom had just blown up. Sounds like fun, right?







Grandma and Mom were scoring some big time points with that pool. That was until we told them that no one would be swimming in it until the next day. Torture, sheer torture, and I loved every minute of it!