mud-ducks-boys!

I will always be indebted to Dr. Dobson for writing "Bringing Up Boys." Coming from a family of all girls, and now raising five fiery boys, has forced me to read his chapters over and over again.
However, one chapter was excluded from his book. That was the chapter on MUD.
Mud pies, mud cakes, mud balls, muddy boots, muddy fingers, muddy toes, muddy faces ,muddy hair, muddy doors, muddy clothes, and even muddy carpets at times...

Dr. Dobson did not warn about the frustrations that MUD causes a mother.
He did not write that it is not worth building a bridge, because boys will just walk through the stream anyways.
Dr. Dobson did not give necessary laundry suggestions on how to get mud stains out of white school socks. He failed to give different mop product reviews. (Right now I have three different mops on the go.)


During this particularly wet, cold April, our boys have loved roaming through the back fields and up and down the streams. This has been great for the boys- especially after a long winter. I would be fine with it too IF they would just leave the same muddy clothes on all day. But instead, the boys get wet and chilled and then they take their clothes off; leave their clothes scattered here and there, and find more outdoor play clothes. This happens all day long. By evening, the mountains of muddy clothes and boots are exploding.

 

                                 These are the small piles of muddy clothes!

Who else has washed a caterpillar?

In my rush to get the laundry done, I forgot to check boys' pockets for their "treasures."

And now on to more beautiful things. Like Ducks. I can hardly get the laundry done, because I am busy watching these stunning bufflehead ducks in our pond. The male has especially captured my attention with his dives and graceful swimming patterns. I am not sure how rare bufflehead ducks are, but I hope that they make a nest and stay for the summer.

  I am not sure what this bird is but it keeps busy along the shore eating up bugs.

Caleb is also fond of the outdoors and if his brothers are all playing outside he is desperate to be with them, BUT he is quick on his feet (surprise, surprise) so he has to wait until I can go outside with him to watch him.

      And this picture says it all. Dirt, frogs, lifejacket...his constant companions.