Ausbrooks Rule of Cleanliness

For every cleaning action there is a worse and opposite dirty action.

Evidence:

• A recently mopped bathroom floor will soon be peed on. (Same principle applies to washed bedsheets)


• An obscure worksheet thrown in the trash without being "hidden" will be found by the author, who will give you an accusing and pitiful look. Now you can throw nothing away.


• If a rug is shook out, someone will come in the door who was just in the hayloft.


• Vacuuming is an invitation for 1 or 10 saltine crackers to be smashed in the carpet.


• If three children just washed their hair, one of them will quickly wipe butter on their head.


• When you ask a five year old boy to change his underwear, he will look at you like you have grown a second head.

Here are my sweet little mess makers. Sam and Cora love to fill Eli's bed with stuffed animals (of which we have more than a few) and then they all cover each other up and giggle. I like it because they are all contained in one spot for a short while!

Thank you Lord for a comfy home for my family. Thank you for my children, who are healthy enough to be messy. Prepare my heart for the day when I no longer have small children to clean up after. Amen.

Nothing to crow about

"Why don't chickens fly south for the winter?"

Our chickens are COLD! I have to go out there a few times a day to give them thawed water. That heated waterer at Rural King is starting to look like a bargain at $35.

Of course then I see David go by in his coveralls on the tractor and suddenly taking care of 7 chickens seems too easy. His face is so red it glows. The cows have to have hay...and water...and the turkeys need checked...and the list goes on. Thankfully, this year he worked it out so calving won't start until March. When that comes, he goes out a few times every night to check the herd. BRRR!

Cora went with me to the chickens yesterday. We took them some leftover popcorn. They LOVE any scraps, nonmeat nor dairy. In cold weather they slow down on laying, so we were surprised to see three eggs. Try as she might Cora could not pick up the eggs with her mittened hands. We stayed in the chicken house for about 10 minutes since it was out of the wind and a change of scenery from the house.

Church has been canceled for tonight. I think I would have gone even if we needed a tractor to get out:) Now we have to come up with some winter boredom busters for another night. Last night we did a favorite game: The Treasure Hunt

I make up a list of clues and place them around the house. Sometimes Sam has to read the key word, such as "Now go look under a rug." Or maybe they have to complete a rhyme, like "The next clue is not red, but it is hidden under Eli's ____." They really like to do these hunts with all the lights off and each of them use a flashlight. Eli gets so excited just following them all around. Usually the treasure is a snack.

Super Bowl Excitement

We aren't huge football fans, but we always watch the play-offs. This Super Bowl is a can't lose for our family. We love the Colts, of course. Who doesn't appreciate Peyton Manning's arm? And ever since Coach Dungee was in Indy we have been bigger fans.

BUT, I was at Pudue during the Drew Brees years. PU football games were so fun, especially with him playing QB. I still like to watch him do well, so its great to see him in the Super Bowl too.

Sam and Cora think football games are too long. In fact Sam said, "Why do they have to be 100 minutes?" They just like the game snacks:)