Mud.

I started watching two more girls (10 months & 3 years) on Thursdays, so that makes for 3 girls 3 and under, twice as many diaper changes and lots of fun. I won't lie. It's crazy. But it's fun! I am convinced all of this will help one day when I am raising my own children.

On top of the 3, Aliza and Anna came this afternoon to stay through the weekend while my mom and brothers are house hunting in Michigan with my dad. They finally sold their house after a long and tiresome several years on the market. Thank you, Lord.

Aliza, Anna and I wanted to walk to CVS after dinner and get ice cream cones to eat on the front porch. So we did. Afterwards we decided to water the flowers and yard. Loxley loves jumping in the hose, so I figured we could just leave him out while we were watering.

What was I thinking? Or was I?

It didn't take long for the entire yard to turn to mud, Anna had her shoes off and was stomping in the puddles and Aliza had run inside and changed into her bathing suit. (WHAT?!)

I turned to yell at the dog to stop jumping in the puddles but when I did, he landed right in the middle of one, spraying mud all over my face.

I took a step back and thought about how fun this could be. So, I sprayed the dog and he jumped several feet in the air, trying to catch water drops in his mouth. The girls were running up and down the front path, shouting for me to spray them too.

Before I knew it, everyone (yes, even me) was covered in mud. Oh, Loxley included.

The flowers did eventually get watered and it was time to call in a night. We wiped our feet (and paws) as best as we could and ran upstairs for baths. Loxley was first. He jumped in the tub and Anna hosed him down while Aliza brushed his hair and I lathered the soap.

There was water (and mud) everywhere. No joke.

I am not usually like this and I have no idea what possessed me to allow such a mess to take place in my house, but it was so fun. And now, the mud and water have been cleaned up, everyone has bathed, and the girls are sucking their thumb and wrist :) while watching The Princess and the Frog (thanks Tizzy!) with Loxley curled up sleeping at their feet. Precious moment.

I wish I had my camera, but truth is, if I did, I wouldn't have this story to tell. I can't be spraying the hose and jumping in the mud, all the while snapping cute pictures. It's just not me.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow. It's Friday and, the day before we're going to the beach. I love the beach.

-A.H.