When you have a house with four young kids, there's usually no telling what will happen on a day to day basis.  You can pretty much count on the continual chaos of running, yelling, screaming, laughing, playing, fighting and messes. 
      Ohhhh the messes.  
      I wrote before about walking through a "Parade of Homes" house once while pulling back the tears as I looked at my husband.  Shooting him a, "We could never live in a house like this" expression, he stopped me before I could even say the words.   
      Shaking his head he said, "Honey, put our kids in this house with four spoons and a gallon of chocolate ice cream and give it ten minutes."
      He was right.  It didn't matter how nice or pretty a house might be.  Our kids could destroy it.  They could destroy almost anything.  In no time flat, a clean car could have unidentifiable splatters on the floor and upholstery that would boggle even NASA.  A house, especially a bathroom, could substitute as a petri dish.
      Some of my personal favorites have been when our home had its very own water slide in the kitchen.  You too can do this by simply holding the water lever in on the refrigerator door until it floods the whole floor.  You'll be good to go in minutes flat...no sunscreen necessary.
      For special occasions, you can include a waterfall for added effect by holding up the spray hose from the kitchen sink.  Oooooooooo, Ahhhhhhhh. 
      Our house has had a snow storm on the inside.  Just one whole bag of flour can go a looooong way.  You'd be surprised at the surface area it can cover.  Especially when making snow angels and having snow ball fights.
      Want a REALLY cool glow in the dark room?  Just find a closet or bathroom...anyplace that's dark will do.  Pull the ends off of a bunch of glow sticks and go to town.  Shake those babies until every square inch is covered. 
      One of my personal favorites has been the abstract art that can be found on any given wall or door.  Ahhhh yes.  Van Gogh himself would marvel at the potential these children have.  They're quite brilliant I must say.  The "Summer of '12 Hallway Collection" rendered me speechless. 
      And then there are the kids themselves.  The things they get into, stains on their clothes, drawings on their arms and legs, mud in their feet...we have found more unbelievable things from head to toe on these four kids.  
      Just the other day, our five year old son walked right up to me with a clump of something in his hair.
     "Preston?"
     "Yes."
     "What is that?"
     "I don't know."
     "Buddy, Let me see it.  What do you have in your hair?"
     "I dunno Mommy.  I think it's gum.  Ethan put it in there."
     "ETHAAAAN!!!"
     "Yes?"
     "COME HERE RIGHT NOW!"
     "Yes?"
     "WHAT is in his hair?"
     "Gum.  I didn't want it anymore."

     Like I said.  There's usually no telling what will happen on a day to day basis.  It's always good to remember to keep your wits about you...but it also doesn't hurt to have a few good tricks up your sleeve. 
     Oh, by the way, peanut butter is really good at getting bubble gum out of hair...and carpet, and couch cushions, blankets, cat fur... 

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