Turning on the love Spigot

Yesterday was Veteran's Day...and it was the oddest "middle of the week" vacation around these parts.  Monday was normal...Tuesday was normal and then.......errrrrrrrrrrrkkkkkkkk.........nuthin'.  John didn't go to work....the kids didn't go to school.....the birds stopped chirping.....dogs covered their heads with their paws....well, the last two were a lie - but seriously - the kids and John were home.  Weird for a Wednesday.  So, to celebrate the tremendous sacrifice made by warriors past and present - we raked leaves and I made pot roast.  We are party animals...

John and Jack raking....Jack actually just stood there until John said, "Buddy, seriously...hold the bag before I drop these leaves!!!"

Jack...thinking about what he could be doing EXCEPT holding a bag while John did the hard work.

A pile of Fall goodness that made our yard look like a hurricane had blown through...

Right after John dumped this Jack said, "EEWWWW!!  Gross!  You touched a big blob of dog poop!"

Jack found mushrooms growing in the yard....when I turned around he said, "LOOK!  Earmuffs!"  I said, "Look!  Poison mushrooms on your head...poisoning your brain!" and he dropped them....sorry buddy...

Saving the mushrooms from John's rake.  They are ALL currently in a ziplock baggie on our back patio.  ALL of them....all 40 of them...

 

Was that not okay?  Should we have done more?  I'm not really sure - I suppose if I'm asking - I should have.  Note to self:  "Whoop up Veteran's Day 2010". 

After an odd day of housework and yardwork we got really crazy and ate dinner and took showers and got our jammies on...the kids started acting crazy....the dog needed to go out every 5 minutes and John positioned himself on the couch.  Then, I snapped.  I was sick of the lack of routine that had plagued us all day - sick of the bickering - sick of the little messes that the cleaning fairy (she is SO fired!) keeps forgeting to clean - and ready for the whole family to cut their losses and go to bed!  And then - I cleared my throat and blasted out the ORDER...."Everyone, time for bed!  Lights off...IN your bed (you have to include that for Jack) and no craziness."  And off they went....muttering something about 9pm being too early.  And I went and turned on my bedroom television and sat there.....all puffed up and puffy....and moody and hormonal.  Then, as if sent by a stage hand...here came Jack....very driven...eyes focused on me....arms to his side....feet marching (he marches a lot...he's a soldier kind of boy...) and then he layed himself on me in a very floppy hug and said, "You need a hug because you need to get the love flowin' through you."  Melting ain't just for ice, baby.  I just sat there and started laughing because my Jack was right on target.  Without sugar coating it....I was in a foul mood and what I really needed was to get that love flowin' again - and because Jack's resources are limited - a hug was all he had to turn on the flow...

I'm happy to report that it worked....a hug is a pretty powerful thing with powers beyond what I even understand.  The next time you need to get the love flowing again - grab someone and squeeze! - I guarantee results.