Coming up for air

Hi. Miss me? No, you did not.

So we survived our first week and weekend of soccer frenzy. Christopher has practices Wednesdays, Tommy on Thursdays, and they both, along with Joey, have a game each on Saturday. The schedules worked out this weekend so that all games could be coached by the assigned head coaches and watched by the others. I got the U8 league underway, with kids in their uniforms and only have three players for which I need to find an extra shirt in their team color because the total team number exceeds 12 players and 12 uniforms are available. These extra players push the count to 13. But it all works itself out eventually.

I actually went in my pool this weekend. It wasn't cold, as long as I kept on moving. Of course, it was a tremendous motivator to have the hot tub to go into after getting out of the pool. But then I got so hot, that I had to go back in the pool again, just to cool off. Then back in the hot tub to warm up.

And on Sunday, I spent the day working in my garden. G said I neglected my duties as a mother, but I strongly opposed the remark. Working in the garden and on my walls is my outlet and the boys were around me off and on, pushing their trucks in the dirt and helping to bring loads of stones. The garden is my outlet like his porch is his, and guess where he spent most of his day yesterday?

Last week, I was heading upstairs to put the boys to bed and was met by an unexpected sight in Joey and Christopher's room. Joey, ever the precocious one, who has been discovered doing things with things that can be expected from boys his age but that one doesn't want to have to face and deal with its repercussions, had amused himself with he probably assumed was sand, but was not. The contents of the tin in which this substance was temporarily being stored had been poured into an empty baby wipes container. Sure, there was a little of it spilled onto the rug, but thankfully, most if it was salvagable. I did have to collect the vacuum cleaner to clean up the remnants. The substance is back in its tin container, well hidden for now. I suppose I should only have myself to blame for not taking care of it in a more timely manner, but then, I suppose a lock and key piece of furniture may have to find a place in this home for things of this nature to ensure their safe keeping.

Knowing what this substance was, one would be repulsed, to say the least. But a curious 4-year-old carries the innocence of ignorance and I couldn't very well blame him for playing with the 'sand'. He did get reprimanded for taking the tin from on top of G's dresser because he and his brothers have been told countlessly not to touch things that weren't theirs. Still, had I moved the substance to its final spot, I wouldn't have been met with Joey's afterplay in his room. What can I say? How could he know he was playing with Koda?