Friday A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 14

Craft time.....

In a house where a family lives?

Making beautiful creations that bring joy to our surroundings.

Working together. Learning new skills.  Talking and laughing.

Admiring our work....

..then checking to see where the little ones disappeared to...so quietly.

Oh, Hello.

Just doing a little study on Aboriginal face paints in here.

...with the giant tub of clay that was set aside for a school project in a presumably unreachable-by-children spot.

HAH!  

And while you clean that up, we'll be in the bathroom.  Doing what we do....

And while you clean that up we'll be in the bedroom....doing what we do.

SHEESH!  When will I learn that when the family makes a mess, it is FRUITLESS to try and clean it up by myself??! Because if the kiddo's aren't helping with the current mess....they are (happily and contentedly) making a new one.   My girls imagination cracks me up!! I love that they are NEVER bored.

Now you know why I don't apologize for fingerprints, smudges or dirty kitchen floors.  Those are merely signs of everyday living (as opposed to adventurous, imaginative days) in a home where a family lives!

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 13

Sharpie Markers....  Really.  Do they belong in ANY home with children?


Here are some pictures to prove that they DON'T!  Luckily, we all lived to tell the tale.

Culprit #1 alongside the piano bench.  I was originally convinced, via her accomplice, that she was the ONLY culprit.

Then I saw this:

Yeah...she's talented, but I'm pretty sure she didn't color her own back.

 Parts of the dining room table.  There were little scribbles like this all over it.

Many pages of this book fell victim.

The truly painful moment of truth....

 my beloved piano.  Each and EVERY key was lovingly "decorated".




What, Mom? You aren't excited about my artwork?!

Culprit #2 fesses up. 

The entry way. 

Not to mention the walls, door and fireplace.

Do you want to hear the happy ending to this story?  With a lot of patience and hard work, it almost all came off!  ALMOST all.  The flat paint on the wall needed to be painted over and there is a faint little mark or two left in the stone entry tiles.

Bet you wouldn't see THIS if a family didn't live here. ;D

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 12

Notice the front face of the drawer? ....on the ground!!!

Nothing comes between this baby and her lipgloss!!!!!!!!!

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 11

Styrofoam packing material.  What family HASN'T had some sort of mishap with this???

The pictures do not do it justice.  Our ENTIRE house was covered.  They wouldn't vacuum up because of static!

B was very proud of herself for making "SNOW!"

I love how she crawled down into this shot as I tried to take a pic of the carpet.  SMOOOCH!

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 10

Feet like this?  A SURE sign of a family.

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 9

Fuzzies..all over the kitchen floor.  Totally normal, right?

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 8

Welcome to "The Relaxation Station"

(Yes, that is what they called it.  Came up with it one their own.)

What? You don't have a spa in the middle of your dining room?  These girls must have sensed Mommy's stress!  They secretly put this together then invited me with a "ticket" to the spa.  Ironically, this is the only "spa" I've ever been to! It was better than I could have imagined! Do you see those cuties??? Really, what could be better?

Notice the boombox in the picture?  A cd of ocean sounds was playing on it.  The towel under the table was where I got my massage/baby sit on your tummy and everyone has a giggle-fest!  That was followed by toenail painting.  Jealous, yet?

Friday: A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 7

Tea Parties.  They happen at our house for any old reason.  At any old time.  A SURE sign of a family, right?  At least, a family full of girls.

My cute, sweethearts create them all on their own.  A written invitation is always issued.  The invitation for this party was on a heart shaped paper, stating  Tea Party. Lunch by H  Games by N (because what "party" would be complete without games??)  Heart shaped signs were on the door of the kitchen.

The attention to detail!  They made their own frilly toothpicks by coloring little cut up pieces of paper!

Heart decorations on the sliding door. 

Pinkies up!

Getting ready for "Pin the tiara on the princess" 

Friday A Family Lives Here: Exhibit 6

Totally normal scenes at our house:

Living room windowsill:

Fireplace mantel:

And end table in the living room:

Friday: A Family Lives Here - Exhibit 5

It's lunch time at our house.  Inspect the following picture and you will see:

Oldest daughter's slippers kicked off from breakfast. An empty playdough can.  A dust pan and broom under the table. Some drawing paper and a craft stick under the table. Scattered crumbs and traces of dried playdough.

Check out this side: Some wipes from the bathroom,  A bib that was ripped off during the last meal.  Lots of crumbs and dried up food bits.  Oh, and a phone charging cord. How safe.

On top of the table, you will find MORE evidence that a family lives here:

Another scrap of art. Leftover butternut squash from lunch(leftovers--use up every bite of food!). Water bottles (because otherwise the kiddos grab a new cup for EVERY glass of water they drink during the day! LOL) A mason jar for Mommy (because in a house full of kids, buying nice drinking cups is not a priority!) Discount bread from the clearance section of the grocery.  Basil from the patio garden.  Finger foods as a main course.

The kitchen.  I know I posted something similar, earlier. (A shot of the dining room floor.)  But it is just one of my favorite things.  I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually ENJOY preparing food for my little bunch.  At the beginning of my motherhood adventure, I remember thinking that cooking for a crew, with little ones under foot (aka LOUD, often crying or screeching, definitely pot banging and throwing things in the trash that shouldn't be there-little ones) sounded daunting if not torturous.  Three kiddos later, although it is often a struggle to make meals in said scenarios, it is so rewarding and the view from the kitchen, so undeniable pleasant, that I truly enjoy making meals for my family.  Even if the evidence might be misunderstood by those not living surrounded by a family, I am learning to love the evidence, and the memories they evoke.

My view from the kitchen: