Why, Bryce?

My bathroom toilet has been in and out of service for a few weeks.

Josh would fix the clog; the boys would use too much toilet paper and clog it right back up.

It has been a never ending battle.

Add to that the stomach flu passing through all three men of the house...I have gone through four cans of lysol and three large tubs of wipes.

Today, Josh set out to find out what the true issue was with that toilet.

He augered and plunged and augered and plunged.

After an hour, came downstairs victorious.

Lysol was sprayed on every last living surface up there, so that my bathroom could again be in use.

Our family Christmas party was this afternoon at a local hotel. The boys were thrilled that they were going to get to go swimming, even though it was snowing. Bryce could barely wrap his mind around how that was going to happen.

After a morning of being crabby, we told Bryce that he needed to at least lay down for a half hour in order to have the privilidge of going.

Twenty minutes into his nap, I went up to see if he was sleeping and start packing swimsuits.

I noticed the bathroom floor was flooded with water.

One look into the toilet, and the reason was clear.

An entire roll of toilet paper was wadded up in the bowl.

I asked, okay, shrieked, "Bryce, what have you done?"

"I didn't do it, Mom," he replied. "I think Kayden did."

"Try again," I said. "Kayden has been downstairs playing basketball this entire time."

Bryce: "Well, then it was Baby Tessa."

Me: "How did the floor get all wet?"

Bryce: "I kept flushing til the water overflowed."

While Josh picked up the bathroom (thank you, dear!), I found an entire wall scribbled with pen and my Bible in a heap on my bed with a page ripped.

At the rate we are going, the kid is not going to have any toys left.



As I was feeding Tessa upon our arrival home, Bryce said he was picking up. Proud as punch, I praised him for picking up without my even asking.

He set the pillow back up on the couch, and was tidying up Tessa's diaper bin.

I heard him up in the playroom, and figured some toy had probably distracted his janitorial service.

A few minutes passed, and I realized he was quiet.

Too quiet.

I got up to double check where he was, and he stopped me to tell me not to go in his playroom.

There, in the middle of the room, was my new faiting sofa, freshly recovered from Josh's dad for Christmas.

Smack in the middle was a return address stamp for MiniMe BabyGear.

After being punished and put to bed early, I just went back up to check on him and tell him I still love him, even though I am dissapointed.

I asked him why he was so naughty today.

He replied, "Mom, I just couldn't control myself."