This post brought to you by the letter "p"...

With the exception of Brock and Crew in the pile of leaves, the photos here represent some of what is going on around our house today. Puzzles and painting and playing with pots and pans. Basic kid stuff that involves making a mess, being creative, using hands and minds and all the various activities keep kids busy for at least a little while. Just long enough for me to finish cleaning the previous mess and then I turn around and start cleaning up the next.

We are all officially on Thanksgiving break. But I am starting to wonder why they call it a break. Besides taking a hot shower this morning and now sneaking in a few minutes to update my blog, I've yet to have a break from anything or anyone around here! =)

Chip was gone to Tulsa, Oklahoma last Friday through Sunday and then with the short school week this week I feel like I'm working overtime. That's the major reason I've been absent around here. I feel like there should be at least 3 more of me just so one of me can catch up on sleep, one to stay on top of cleaning and homekeeping, and then one to try to have fun and be more creative- something I haven't found myself doing at all lately. I miss being the one to make the mess. =)

However, there is something very satisfying about seeing the smiles on everyone else's faces around here. So I'm sitting tight and hanging around and trying to find to keep the peace around here. Not an easy task all the time, but a privilege when I stop to think about it nonetheless!