Getting dirty

Any mother spends a lot of time trying to keep the house clean. Probably more keeping the kids clean. I have the pleasure of listening to my own grandmother chuckle on the phone when I tell her who threw what on the wall or how the older one gave himself tattoos all over his stomach and legs with marker.

This year we decided we wanted to try out having a garden. I have never done one before, and am just doing whatever my husband suggests we should. Now when my grandma calls I can tell her about things going on outside instead. She has not given me an actual gardening advice yet so she must think we know what we are doing.

The day the spot where we wanted to put our garden got plowed the kids we’re right out there. I had to hold Little Brother back so he wouldn’t run in front of the tractor. As soon as the tractor left the boys were running around in the dirt. Big Brother was jumping from one side to the other like a kangaroo. Little Brother was quick to grab a truck bigger than him to push around. That was the playground for the rest of the afternoon. When I gave the boys a bath later, I had to wash all the mud out of the tub.

This week we started to plant. The friend who plowed for us, also gave us some seeds so we started with those. Big Brother wanted the job of putting the seeds in the ground. However, he only lasted about five holes before he said, “This takes long, can I go play?” He took off and I followed my husband around covering seeds and watering them. We looked behind us a few minutes later to see Big Brother laying in the garden making a dirt angel. We told him to go jump on the trampoline before he got Little Brother doing it too. So off he went mad at the fun stoppers.

We managed to get three rows done with Little Brother behind us trying to dig the seeds out. Every time I covered some seeds with dirt and watered them, Little Brother’s hands were on top of mine trying to undo my job. He would sit and cry when we would tell him no. That poor baby, cries just about every time he hears the word no. We finished up our last row as Little Brother sat in the middle of the garden crying with big lips.

When we all came in the house afterwards we were so dirty! Everyone took showers and baths before bed. I’m surprised we didn’t run out of hot water. The boys slept really good after that. I had a hard time waking them up at their normal times the next morning, they just kept going back to sleep. Well now I know a good way to wear these busy boys down. Instead of wearing myself out keeping them clean, I’ll just let them loose in the garden because nothing makes them sleep so good as getting dirty.