. 23/365 .

you know, there's just those things that only grandparents would teach their grandchildren to do.  and that one thing varies from family to family, i'm sure.  in our family, the grandparents teach them how to get dirty.  'cause mama don't like dirt!  you know when you come to my house and my girls are in the backyard making mud pies that their mimi has been here.

now, i may be a bad mom for not wanting my girls to get dirty.  but look at those nails?!  and ... i said "not wanting" ... that doesn't mean i don't allow it.  i do.  sometimes.  but there are days when it's just not the best idea to make mud pies.  like today.  when it's 1:30 and you are leaving in a little while to go to daddy's basketball game, babies are inside sleeping, mama hasn't eaten lunch, and you have gymnastics tonight too. 

but how could i resist that face?!  or this one ...

and even though their dinnerware of choice is my perfectly good, clean snack bowls and brand new, white cups, we carry on.  making mud pies.  and getting nastiness under our nails.  just so mama has to bathe us before we can continue our evening activities.  because she needs just one more thing to do today.  but these days are all about having fun for us.  the other kids fall fast asleep, and i get intentional time with my two very own littles.  and we're loving it just like that.

side note: the very reason for these days is #1 b/c this winter weather ain't so winter-like.  it's been beautiful outside, so we turn the TV off after lunch and head outside.  #2 this curly-top girl in the picture above heads off to kinder in 7 short months.  i want to spend all of my time with her.  and i think she's feeling the same.  she's been pretty clingy to the mama lately.