Snips and Snails and Swirlies

I grew up in a pretty quiet home.  My sister and I were always pretty mellow.  Books were for reading.  Dolls were for dressing up and caring for.  Game pieces were used for playing the games according to the rules.  When friends came over, we would go in our rooms to play until dinner time.  The loudest game I remember playing was NOK Hockey or pool. 

How I ended up in a house with two little boys is a complete mystery to me.  Neither Luke nor Benjamin would ever be described as mellow.  Everything around here is loud.  Books are used for reading, but also for stacking on top of each other to reach the light switch (and then falling on their heads).  Action figures fly around the room, jump on every piece of furniture, are tied to a string and then flung across the room at a stack of blocks.  Game pieces are used as ammo.  When friends come over, they run while yelling/laughing at the top of their lungs.  Everything is loud.

My sister and I liked to play dress up.  My boys prefer to run around in their underwear.

This morning, I was feeding Olivia while the boys were playing together.  I was talking to my sister on the phone, so I had closed the door.  All of a sudden, I heard something come from the bathroom that never would've been heard in my house as a child.

"Ben, just stick your head in and I'll flush!"

By the way, this is what happens when you leave your camera on the counter while you put the baby to bed.  Photos courtesy of Benjamin