The End of the Chute

We've lived in our house for 8 years and every morning as we shower and dress for the day, every evening as we slip into our PJs, and every time a kid needs a new shirt to complete their "look," we've discarded our dirty and unwanted clothes down the laundry chute. And for 8 years, the clothes have magically been washed, folded and returned to our drawers.

I've always assumed that we had laundry fairies living at the end of our chute. What else could explain my family's good fortune? It's been a symbiotic relationship between us and the fairies - one I'm not eager to disrupt. But when the clothes started disappearing from our drawers and weren't being refreshed with clean ones, I decided to investigate.

I followed that chute all the way to the basement and here is what I found:

That, folks, is a 7-foot ceiling. And THAT is a pile of dirty laundry so tall that it reaches the ceiling.

Apparently, the laundry fairies went on strike.

Linguistic Tribute

Time passes. Things change. What was once called a "watermelon" eventually becomes a "watering can." And though you were once called "ah-mmy," you're now called mommy or mama. Every time you hear your child's creative linguistics, you're certain it's so cute you'll never forget it. And then you do.

So, today, in tribute to the creativity of my son and the eternal hope for a mind that doesn't fail me, I give you this:
Intendo DS = Nintendo DS
Indian-Anna Jones = Indiana Jones
Prince of Version = Prince of Persia
Tuck-thumping = Tubthumping (the song)
Millenien Falcon = Millenium Falcon

A Series of Unfortunate Haircuts

First there was Betsy's cut.

Then there was my Carol Brady wannabe (but, oh, how I didn't want it to be!).

And, now, there's Ed's new do:

Apparently, when Joe told the groomer to give him a "short cut for summer" she heard "shear him like a freakin' sheep!" Poor doggie was so embarrassed by his naked physique that he moped around the house for a few days.

On Earning Money By Doing Chores

ELLIOT: So, Mama, do I have to clean up even the stuff that isn't on the floor?
ME: I don't know what you mean, honey.
ELLIOT: Well, like the stuff on my train table. Do I have to clean that up too?
ME: Yes, honey, you need to clean up everything in your room. That's what cleaning up your room is. And it's how you make money for doing chores.
ELLIOT: (rolling eyes) Oh brother! Maybe I should do chores for Daddy!