Super Nanny Saves The Day

{Jack}
Today started out okay enough. The boys let me sleep until 7:00, I started some laundry and they were really well behaved. They let Daddy sleep in by being good,quiet boys; they gave me lots of snuggles; and even let me sneak away into their room to {further} baby proof it. (Our nephew recently escaped his crib, and this got me thinking that someday our children may discover that escape is possible. And with our recent Windex incident I don't want to take any risks.)
Then I wanted to take a shower. Mistake #1. I showered, shaved half my legs, and got out, sensing that trouble was brewing. The boys were playing with our printer and jumping on the couch. Then while I was blowdrying, Mistake #2, I heard the front door. I answered to find my sister-in-law returning a plate. I took the plate and headed into the kitchen to find the boys... They had opened a "child proof" drawer, and dumped a box of paper clips & thumb tacks onto the floor. When Josh heard me shout "Oh, nooo!" he came running out of the bedroom where he is still working on that massive project for WSU. I pulled the drawer out of the cupboard and all but threw it on top of the dryer. I JUST WANTED TO BLOWDRY MY HAIR!
Forget it. Threw my hair back and got the boys in their high chairs to do some art, Mistake #3, as they preferred eating the crayons to coloring with them.
Then I called my mom.
Sobbing.
I am so exhausted. (See previous post for where I'm at mentally...) She gave me the pep talk I needed to get through lunch and assured me that if I just came over to her house, she would help out with the boys and be the listening ear I needed.
I cried a little more, fed the boys lunch, put them down for naps, fell asleep myself, woke up when the boys did and headed to her house.
Then the fun began:

{Logan}
As soon as we got there, my headache began to disappear, and the joy on my boys' faces warmed my heart.

We headed straight outside where we stayed until dinner time.

{Jack}

"Please"

"Open"

Logan, hot on Jack's trail...

Logan saying "close".

My {adorable} toddlers...

Soon my parents got back from their garage sale-ing and the boys waited anxiously for them to come play with us!

{Jack & Logan}
After an afternoon of joyful-running, giggly-laughing, baby-chasing, trampoline-jumping, bike-riding, Goldfish-eating, KoolAid-drinking, cousin-loving, girl-talking fun; we had dinner and went for a walk.

After spending the afternoon just enjoying the sunshine, the company of family, and a lack of responsibility, I realized:
These boys make it ALL worth it.
Every dust covered shelf, unmade bed, unwashed towel...
Every unshaved leg, untended toenail & undone hair day...
I just need to remember that "this too shall pass",
one day I will have plenty of time to tend to my house, myself.
And then I will miss their baby selves, their new voices,
their giggles, and their tiny hands pulling at me.

I just have to stop moving long enough to recognize what I have
{two beautiful blessings from God}
instead of what I don't have
{time for me, or my moldy bathroom}.

{Here's to looking at the big picture.
And enjoying the journey.}