One of those days

Have you ever had an experience that, in the moment, infuriated you, but after awhile you couldn't help but laugh at? I had one a few days ago.

The kids were playing quietly upstairs while I was on an important phone call. James came barreling down the stairs yelling - "Mom, hurry up - it's an emergency!" Now James' definition of emergency can mean many things so after asking whether or not it was life-threatening, he told me that Avery had drawn all over herself with a permanent marker. And she was using it on the books and toys in his room.

This sent me running up the stairs, flying into his room and stopping short when I saw her. The first sign I got was a huge "CTR" on her arm.

The only letter Avery knows how to write is "A."

I turned around to James and I didn't even have to say anything, he must have seen the rage in my eyes because he immediately panicked and said, "she told me to do it, I couldn't say no to her."

After putting him in time-out I took a closer look at Avery. She had smiley faces everywhere. On the soles of her feet, her legs, her other arm and a giant one on her back. Then I noticed marker on her "pinkalicious" dress that she wears almost every day and is dry-clean only. Then I noticed marks all over quite a few of James' chapter books that he had just gotten. After getting James out of time-out I sent him to his room and told him he had 30 minutes to clean it and set a timer. I have never seen that boy clean so fast. When the time was up you would have thought I had promised a reward to the kids. They were both hugging me and telling me that I was the best mom ever. I guess I seriously put the fear of God in them and they were going to do anything to get back in my good graces!

It wasn't until a day or two later that I found out why James wrote "CTR" on her arm. He said if she ever lost her pink CTR ring she would have a remembrance to Choose the Right.

I blame it all on Ben's tattoo.