Pipe Cleaners, Pasta Trains and Pelting Rain

Thank you Parents magazine for coming in time! I got my magazine chock full of ideas to help me keep the kids occupied while the rain came down and the floods came up. They really had a lot of good ideas this month.

First, we made pasta trains......aren't these adorable? I wanted to make sure I got photos before they were destroyed. That's why there is still glue showing....

Next, I just handed a bunch of pipe cleaners to the kids and let them do with them what they did. Here are the results:

Not quite sure what Lauren was going for, but she made a bunch of them!

Michael made glasses. Genius isn't he?

There were quite a few more great ideas, but this was a "Memo To Mommy" that I thought was some very helpful advice. Credit goes to Parents Magazine for this one (paranthetical input, mine):

Memo To Mommy

You have a lot of lessons to teach your little one, but he/she has a few words of wisdom for you too.

Stop freaking out about the mess! There's always time to clean--but how often do we get to make mud pies? (yeah, but who has to clean the crevices where the mud likes to get? Me that's who....)

Love me, even when I'm naughty. I'll only be this age once. (Oh Emily, they must know you.)

Be patient, I do everything for a reason, but I don't know enough words yet to give you an explanation. (Even when I overload the toilet with toilet paper! There's got to be a logical reason for that!)

Let me do it. I know you can do it faster and better, but sometimes experience is the best teacher. (Okay, here's where I need big help. Cracking eggs is not something I'm ready to allow.)

Don't expect too much of me. I want to do what you ask and make you happy, but I'm still little. (What can I say to this? They give me those eyes and I melt.)

Don't try to reason with me when I'm having a tantrum. Trust me--I can't hear you over my screaming. (Well then, how come when I threaten bodily harm, you quiet down?)

Don't keep asking me if I've been good. I'm not even sure what that means, but if I was bad I'd never admit it! (Bullseye!)

Don't let me think that you're perfect. I feel a lot better knowing I'm not the only one who makes mistakes sometimes. (A perfect mom wouldn't let her kids smack her booty)

Set limits. I can't actually eat a whole box of cookies--I just want to see if I'd get away with it. (Mommy is the only one allowed to eat the whole box. Do as I say, not as I do.....)

Keep your promises. It's all about trust. When I'm a teenager, you'll understand why it's so important. (Even the kind of promises like, "I promise I'll make you lunch in a few minutes." Blog. Blog. Blog....."Mom, you promised. It's been a few minutes." Type. Type. ""Honey, you can't tell time. You don't know how long I meant by a few minutes.")