Monday Madness & Created Chaos

Yesterday was Monday. The kids had Monday madness.

Which meant that I had Monday madness.

The first part of the day did not go well...

There was much, much more screaming than usual. More fighting, more crying, more of everything.

I hate Perler beads today. They're still everywhere. Usually, if we're having a bad day, the beads do the trick... quiet, calm sitting and counting... but - not yesterday. It was a lot of just screaming.

Desperate times called for desperate measures!

When the going gets tough, the tough go outside...

And, who should show up just when we're going out?

Andrew and Katie!

Yippee!!

Forget school - forget the dishes - forget the mess! Let's go jumping...

This boy needs a new attitude.
Some jumping is exactly what he needs!

No cowboy boots on the trampolines, please.

In the country, the winds blow strong and blow tons of little (and big) sticks out of the trees. We burn them in our fire pit or in the garden, if it just happens to be springtime. This was our 5th burn this year. Good thing we have 2 trampolines because the wind switched 3 times while we were out jumping. Back and forth... back and forth... to avoid the smoke.

Sadie keeps a good watch on the fire.
Let's call her "Sadie the Fire Dog"!

Lots and lots of jumping tires the poor college boy out!

Hey - where's Sadie the Fire Dog going?
She's sneaking off while Andrew jumps.

Andrew shows off...
Doesn't notice the sly dog...

Lots of flips and somersaults!

Crazy kid!

Even while resting, there's cell phone action...

Katie thinks that maybe Andrew needs to be tickled?

Or maybe we need to jump some more to get him up!

Uh oh... where's Sadie?
She's headed towards Grandma and Grandpa's house!
No, Sadie - come back! You're supposed to watch the fire!

No fire dog present...

Nick brings her back to her rightful guard dog duties..
through the freshly tilled garden.

Olivia, why are you so upset?

What do you need to show me?

See - white dare... white dare (right there) it is!

Andwew bounced my shoe away!!

Katie and Olivia do some "girl jumps".

I think Katie was glad when Livi needed a rest...
It was good to hear so much giggling!

Where's Firedog Sadie!?!
Andrew notices that Sadie is (again) missing from her post.

SADIE! Come home!

Look at Katie's ponytail and Andrew's feet!

The kids invented a new game: one person jumps and tries to make everyone else turn into popcorn. The person who pops up first is "it".

Jump - Katie, jump!

Andrew's turn!
The kids "get their seat belts on" - have a grown up hold onto them...

Nick tries to jump high!

(No wonder Olivia loses her shoes...)

Livia tries - no one pops... but it's fun!

C'mon Hubs - get my gardens tilled!

Sadie is once again the loyal fire-watching dog.
Keep an eye on the fire - Sadie!

Where's that darn dog?
SADIE?

Ah-ha!
Trying to sneak off into the fields is forbidden!

All in all, it was a great way to end the screaming and fighting. For now...