Terrorizing the Neighborhood

We generally keep the doors barred. It is the only way to protect unsuspecting people from the terrors. But once in a while we unleash them. Like this weekend. We let them out under the auspice of playing with their cars in the culdesac. And technically they did have their cars, and they didn't actually leave the culdesac. They just drove the cars up on the curb into the grass. Beware pedestrians.


When they thought we weren't looking they picked up a handful of dirt. They weren't struck by lightening so they picked up another. Getting braver still they let it run through their hands. As still no thunderous "NO!!" boomed through the air they began to grab fistfulls and toss it willy nilly into the air laughing and egging one another on.


When we finally did say something they smiled, and acted as innocent as they possibly could while covered in and busily wiping off the evidence.

Later in the afternoon while Kevin was on a conference call we hit the backyard. Ryan loves to swing in my hammock. Or just sit there and watch the clouds, and planes, and birds.

Connor however couldn't possibly sit still for even a minute. He first decided to play in the stagnant water pooled on top of the sandbox cover. As I dumped the last of the water off into the grass and chased him a way for the umpteenth time he decided to try to drink out of the dog waterer. Once again thwarted he decided to to try the wind chimes out as a gong. Ryan decided to give him a hand as they banged the chimes together miraculously managing not to smash any fingers in the process.

After being once again chased away Ryan decided to play on the slide. Though he wouldn't set foot on it until it was cleaned off. "It's dirty, mommy!" Yes, dear - that is what happens when it is outside. Really a little bit of dirt won't kill you no matter what your father says. But he wasn't to be swayed.

Once we got it cleaned off Ryan proceeded to demonstrate his head first sliding technique. I can only guess that he learned it from one of his friends at school.

He certainly thought it was fun and had it do it that way every time thereafter.

While Ryan checked out the slide Connor relocated rocks out of the flower bed onto the patio and banged them on a stone frog faucet. He also crawled behind the rose bushes and buford hollies and hid behind the bushes in the flower bed. Meanwhile Ryan who had been sliding down the slide starting screaming bloody murder. Ryan practically collided with me as I came around the corner to see what was the matter. "HOLD YOU, MOMMY!!!!" As we walked back towards the slide to see what had scared him I saw two lizzards crawling up the side of the slide. He was terrified of them. I shoed them off, and went to chase Connor out of the bushes, but he was too scared to stay there by himself. So he joined Connor in the bushes. While I was helping Ryan Connor got caught by either the rose bushes or the hollies and had gotten quite a scratch across his forehead. I finally caught both of the boys and drug them out of the flower beds lest we have more cuts and scratches to go with the one Connor already had.

Looking for more trouble to get into Connor decided to check out the patio furniture. First by sitting in it, then by standing and hanging over the back...

After being kicked out of the chair before he had the chance to land head first on the concrete he decided to check out the opposite flower bed where he proceeded to trample the gladiolas and try to pull the raccoon statue down on his head.



As Ryan heard Connor getting in trouble again he had to come check it out himself, too. He had to play in the bird waterer and touch the raccoon.

I finally convinced Connor to quit trampling the plants and have a seat on the bench.

He lasted almost a minute before he tried to stand on it then began pulling the leaves and flowers off the vine.

It is truly amazing just how many things two little boys can find to get into.