Last Sunday after church we took a quick trip to the Tri-Cities. It was a last minute decision. I wasn't planning to go because it's such a hassle packing everyone up, and it was such a short stay; leave Sunday after church and come home Monday evening. Plus 3 1/2 hours each way with three crazy girls. However, Stuart had just got home from another trip and had only been home for one night. After church, when I thought about him leaving again it made me sad, so I decided we'd all go (Lucky Stuart--He says he likes having us come, and I know he does, but it does add an element of chaos. I would like to point out that I beat him at our"who can get 10 trivia cards first" game. I hardly ever win, so when I do I gloat a little. I'm working on being more gracious.)
In the end I was really glad we went. We saw Staurt's parents, which is always good (they always feed us--LOVE it). We stayed with my parents (because I still get homesick, I know it's pathetic), and I got to spend the afternoon with my sister and her children. Alyssa has three children, Brooklyn, Conner, and Kylie. Brooklyn is the oldest and turns 6 this month, Taylor LOVES Brooklyn and when they get togehter they like to "get wild". On Monday the craziest thing happened. After moving the cows (you know no trip to the Tri-cities is complete without some cow contact), Taylor and Alyson stayed outside with their cousins, Brooklyn and Conner (age 3), and Grandpa. I went in the house, happy the girls were getting fresh air, and were quiet. After a bit my dad came in to report the kids were having fun but getting "really dirty". I'm thinking, "my kids don't get dirty--they don't like dirt" (If Taylor could have her way she would wear a dress every day and only recently tolerates sand; Alyson freaks out if she gets anything on her--water, food, baby spit-up, etc...) So I went to look out the back window and there is Taylor picking up handfuls of dirt and dumping them on HER head. Unbelievable! There is this dirt hill behind my parents house (I should add a sidenote here--My senior year of high school and my summers during college I worked at an agriculture consulting firm--I have many stories I could tell from that job, but the first thing I learned was not to call dirt dirt. The proper name is "soil". I was corrected many a time my first few months. As a result, I usually say soil. Bob would frown at me, but this is definately a dirt hill.) Sorry for the random tangent:)
Anyhow, I couldn't believe my eyes. Alyson was mostly clean and was concerned about having gotten dirt in her shoes, but Taylor and Brooklyn were scooting down the hill (Taylor is, of course, in a skirt), rolling in the dirt, and Taylor was pouring dirt on her own head. It completely caught me off guard. I took pictures of her because I couldn't believe it, and it was pretty funny, but since I still haven't bought a new camera I have resorted to a disposable one. (Again, I know it's pathetic and my goal for the week is to go buy a new camera, I'm just having a tough time deciding which one to buy.) Sooo, I can't share these funny, crazy pictures with you. You'll just have to imagine a filthy little girl in a skirt with so much dirt in her hair you can't even see her scalp. I had to shake her down and strip her down outside, put her straight in the bath and bag up her clothes, shoes, and hairband. I ask, Whose child is this? This isn't the Taylor I know. However, I think I'm probably in for more suprises than just getting filthy dirty. I hope I'm up for it.
