The Defense & The Verdict

When Eve returned from the State Fair last Sunday I asked her about the red stool. She nonchalantly said, "Oh, it's in the living room." I followed her into the living room and asked, "What is this pile of stuff?" After a hesitation and a stutter or two she replied, "Oh, I was building a house... for my markers... see? I can put all my markers inside... right here under the red stool..." I held in my laughter to say very seriously, "Eve, that's not what it looks like to me. It looks like you were trying to hide the red stool."
At this point Eve plopped down in the floor and after a long pause said, "Mommy, you know, sometimes I color on things I'm not supposed to?" I said, "Uh-Huh, and what happens when you do that?" Eve answered, "You put my markers on top of the fridge," and then realization hits, "Are they already on top of the fridage?" I nodded. "Will they be there for one hundred days?!?!"
We had a talk about what we should really do if we make a bad choice or a mistake and this judge decides to inflict only a 3-day-no-marker punishment (because, after all, the jusge provided the markers in the first place... but that's a whole other issue unto itself).

From one Eve to another...

Tonight I was straightening up toys, dishes and random other things when I ran across this scene:

I have passed this strange pile in our living room several times in the past 24 hours and haven't thought much about it. As I began to move the pieces I realized that this wasn't just a random pile of stuff, but a strategic configuration that carefully hides our little red stool. Here's what I uncovered:

I now find myself thinking two things.
1. When do kids learn that if you do something wrong you should hide it? I mean, I didn't teach Eve to cover up mistakes or bad choices. She just knows to do it. Ironically it reminds me of the first Eve in the Bible who knew to cover herself after eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and I realize that my Eve knows... she has knowledge of her wrong-doing so she tried to cover it. Wow. Pretty powerful. Eve has a lot to learn about admitting when she makes a mistake and I have a lot to learn about parenting her.
And what was my second thought, you ask?
2. Note to self... if you are going to go to the trouble to use toys, small furniture and large gift bags to hide something upon which you drew with (probably permanent) marker... Don't use anything with your name on it as part of the cover-up. :)

The Princess & The Pea

My first ever start-to-finish-made-by-me-(albeit with my sewing machine)quilt is finished!!

(I found the pattern on one of my favorite blogs: www.modabakeshop.com)
I'm going to join in with Jeanne (my sister's mother-in-law... yes, our families are that close) on the One Thing, One Week Challenge she found on another blog. This week I actually got several things finished, but I will count this quilt as my 1 thing. (I may need to save some of the other things for future weeks when I'm less productive.)

And now for our juggling act...

I never really blog about myself, but I have a lot going on right now. I thought it might be theraputic to write about it. Aside from caring for my girls and Jay plus getting ready to start my ninth year of teaching I have some side projects. On Monday a colleague and I will present our school's professional development. On Sunday I am teaching a routine I wrote for Murray State's color guard. I have agreed to sew ten aprons for our church's Ladies Day in September (I have 2 finished). My little Etsy endeavor is beginning to pan out as I have already taken several orders. I am almost finished with my first quilt ever and it's adorable (If I do say so myself).
Now, I am notorious for taking on too much then becoming way overwhelmed and finally breaking down in an emotional mess before eventually successfilly fulfilling all responsiblities. I am in no way saying it won't happen this time, but I feel pretty in control and it's nice. I think it's a sign I'm heading in the right direction and actually growing up. :)