Ragamuffins in ze Backyard

Feeling crumby for an unknown reason kind of sucks. I'm not sick, just have some sort of infection... somewhere. And until the doctors figure out where, I will continue to feel crumby. Ugh! Just dose me up with the strongest antibiotics you got already! It's Christmastime! During this time I have been exhausting my kid-entertaining-ideas. I want to lay on the couch, preferably watching some Storage Wars, (love that show!) while all three children play quietly on their own. <-- this being the operative part of that sentence.

Oh, the dream of having kids play with each other in harmony, not destroying property... or each other... or whining for me! Going potty on their own would also be a big plus. (what's with all the poop in the panties, girls?! Seriously! This is a real step back- wrong direction, girls!) What a lovely and completely unobtainable fairytale!

Anyway, I am tapping out my reserves of quiet time activities. The last trick up my sleeve? I try and keep it in my sleeves because it gets everyone and everything messy. (shudder) Sidewalk chalk. (another shudder for good measure) 

It is at this point I love my back patio door- the majority of which is window. From the relative comfort of my couch, I can supervise most of the backyard. It is quite possibly the most perfect scenario for a sick mommy. And the only situation in which having a backyard the size of a half bath is worth it. (well, besides the five minute lawn mowing job) 

The girls' creativity really bounded out of the box this time, deviating from the minuscule canvas of the back stoop and branching out onto all the walls. (some of which included the stucco on the house- naughty!) 

Doesn't it just give the pathetic little half-landscaped yard of sad and dying plants the punch of color it so desperately needs? 100% improvement, I say! 

I'm even tempted to give the girls free reign to decorate the rest of the house. I think doodles of a couple preschoolers who I happen to love and adore like crazy all over the walls would really make our house a home! (better be careful what I wish for- no sharpies on the walls, please!) 

I honestly can't get enough of the little faces, whales, and giraffes the girls draw. I want to take every doodle and give it a hug, then store it away in a big chest to look at when I'm feeling down.