My kids... are they nuts???

I had coffee with Ingrid, our Children's Pastor, today, and was sharing with her some stories of my kids. Ingrid was showing me the new Bible Bucks, with pictures of our pastors on the bills (HILARIOUS!), and I had to tell her about Josh's recent purchase:

On the first Sunday of the month, the children can buy treats from the Bible Bucks Store, with $ they earned for bringing Bibles, memorizing scripture or bringing a guest to Sunday School. This month, Josh bought water balloons. As soon as Mark and I returned from Harrison, the kids wanted Daddy to have a water fight with them outside. They had buckets ready, and enlisted Mommy and Papa and Nana to help them tie their water balloons that they were filling in the bathroom. They all got good and wet, including the dog, and tracked mud across my kitchen floor. (Note to self: My next kitchen floor is going to be mud-brown!).

At bed time, I was turning down the covers, adjusting Josh's pillowcase, when I noticed how wet his pillow was. Under the pillow was a deflated water balloon - and a very wet sheet. GRRRR... I immediately checked Lucy's bed. Sure enough, there was another water balloon under her pillow, and a wet mattress. What were they thinking? Midnight ambush? Needless to say, the kids received the message LOUD AND CLEAR from Mommy: no water balloons in the house!!!

This morning, Lucy was sent to the bathroom to brush her teeth 5 minutes before we needed to leave for school. Her brother called for Help... and I found a HUGE gob of toothpaste in Miss Lulu's hair. Hmm.... face cloth was only making it sudsy - had to stick her hair in the sink to rinse and quickly blow dry it. Yes - we were a few minutes late for school today.

And last Thursday, I was the helper parent in Lucy's kindergarten class. I was working with some kids in the hall during centres time. When the kids were all called back to the carpet for circle time, I noticed Lucy's hair was unusually wet... as were the heads of her two best buddies. Hmmm..... the girls all decided to dip their long brown hair into the water table. Uh, gross! We had to make a new rule. I really didn't know how much "common sense" has to be taught!

Finally - this has all brought to mind an incident from March, when I sent the kids to get their jammies on while I finished up with an email message. I could hear them running back and forth from their rooms - but I don't mind when they are giggling and getting along. (Note to self: when siblings are giggling and getting along, it often means they are scheming or up to no good!). Suddenly I heard a crash in the hallway, and Josh crying in pain. I found him in the middle of the hallway, dressed with 4 layers of PJ's, a toque, scarf, winter jacket, a couple pairs of socks under his slippers. "What in the world are you doing???" It seems the two had decided to invent some sort of human bowling game, and thought a few extra layers might add some padding... only his face wasn't so well protected.

My kids are nuts. They must get it from their father's side.