Beautiful Chaos (Plus Chocolate!)

After dinner at our house is often a busy time.  Usually, Andy and I are doing what we can to clean up dinner, catch up on laundry, rotate kids through baths, or maybe even have a little bit of conversation.  The kids, on the other hand, are typically running full speed through the house engaged in a host of imaginative activities.  On any given night at our house, you might experience:

-  A real life version of temple run -  kids running, jumping, sliding, anything to "avoid the monkeys and get the treasure out."
- Various versions of "Who Let the Dogs Out", "We Will Rock You" and "What Does the Fox Say?"  (of course, they only know a couple lines of each song, so it's just those lines - over and over and over)
- Ninjas, princesses, monsters, detectives, heroes, cowboys and girls, and almost any animal you can think of (and maybe some you wouldn't think of )

- My kids' version of the Olympics, including "running the course of 1,000 deaths" and "climbing the tower of fire"
- Family games (some favorites are Quarriors, Flashpoint Fire Rescue, Forbidden Island, Hey That's My Fish, and Pokemon)

- Real life version of Pokemon or Skylander battles (complete with never-seen-before powers)

There are days when I think "It's going to be so nice when the kids are older and the house is quiet."  The other day, I was home alone for a bit.  And the house was quiet.  And I really missed the craziness.  I realized that, while a break from the chaos is great now and then, I think I'm really going to miss the loud, busy, never-know-what-to-expect part of my life that my young kids provide.  Where else can I get all of that imagination and energy? 

Don't get me wrong - a quiet evening at home still sounds good some days.  Sometimes I'm downright desperate for one.  But I also don't want to miss out on the enormous blessing I have at this moment - this part of my life that I only get to live once.  Right now, my kids actually LIKE being at home and playing with each other and with mom and dad.  I know that's not going to last forever :) 

So, I'm working on savoring the moments - the noise, the wackiness, the creativity, the mess.  There will be a day when the kids are grown, my house is quiet and clean, and I'll be glad to remember these days when imagination overflowed, when I had all manner of "visitors" grace our home, when I couldn't walk into a room without stepping on a toy.  I will be glad that the walls of my home and heart have known laughter, learned from conflict, and experienced worlds beyond my own imagination.

In the meantime, a girl's just got to have some chocolate to get through some days!!  I found this recipe for Fudge Bombs - and it hits the sweet spot!  

Another bonus - they are a cinch to make.  Except for the part where I was getting out the aluminum foil and the little tabs on the box didn't hold, sending the roll flying out onto the floor......

Oh well - bring on the chaos!

Music of the week:  Simon and Garfunkel  - how can you go wrong with that?

Until next time, my friends...... live well.

Becky