It Takes Three

The other day at lunch, Aaron and I were visiting after the kids had finished eating and run off to play. After a bit, I thought I'd better check on them, because, you know they're kids. And they were being suspiciously quiet.

I found them behind the couch in the living room and assumed they were looking at books together, since they'd been doing that for a while out in the open.

Foolish, optimistic mommy.

A few minutes later they both ran into the kitchen to "surprise" us with yells and mouthfuls of...

- WHAT are you eating?....Trail Mix!

I raced into the living room where I remembered seeing the bag the day before. Then checked behind the couch.

And there it was - the entire Sam's Club bag, poured out on the carpet, where the two little goblins had been picking out the M&M's, I'm sure, from the tell-tale blue in Ben's mouth.

Leah got one disciplinary action, even though she said, "Ben dumped it out without me knowing!". I briefly described 'passive disobedience' - wherein she got punished for not telling me right away what Ben had done. Yes, I am aware that this may sound like I'm encouraging her to tattle. However, there is a clear difference in the motivation, am I right?

Ben got two disciplinary actions, and had to help Daddy and I scoop up the mix and put it back in the bag. By the way, guess who left the bag there in the first place?

Last night, while again eating trail mix, he threatened to leave it there again. I said that was fine, as long as he wanted to increase the amount of carpet fuzz in the bag.

Somehow, that bag made its way into the cupboard before bedtime.