Spawns of Satan

Somedays I have no idea how we all get through. I have these great kids who although they do drive me crazy at times, I know they are pretty dang good. I've felt like my Heavenly Father has compensated me with well behaved children so that I could manage these years in the Philippines. I know that's how it works, I give a little and He gives a lot back. With that being said some days I can't understand where my sweet angels are and why they've been replaced with spawns of Satan!? Today has just been one of those days and sadly it's only 9:07am.

I think it all started with yesterday. Chinese New Year. We bought the kids balloons. As Ryan dashed out of the car to buy these fancy balloons right before going home I thought of a blog I've read. This pretty cool lady who is apart of the Focus Family wrote about this post on how balloons always end in tears. It's true, I known it to be so but we still had to buy them for that limited time where they cause smiles and giggles. This morning they woke up excited to play with their new balloons. Brayden had an eagle, Sydney a Hello Kitty and Madison had a Dora balloon. Off they play and I repeatedly remind them to play in the area's of the house without the raised the ceiling. Of course they don't listen and they got more exercise in 30 minutes running up and down the stairs with a broom trying to nurse their balloons to the balcony to reach them then I get all day including my hour of cardio. I can feel my stress levels rising with my frustration due to their lack of listening and the increasing whining when the balloon is unreachable by the broom handle.

First balloon that caused tears: Sydney's. I cannot reach her Hello Kitty. Her daddy cannot reach her Hello Kitty. Now Hello Kitty is just safely out of the reach of sticky kiddie hands hanging out with our chandelier.

Sydney pulls herself together and goes to play outside. She tries to take Madison's Dora balloon outside with her and I can feel my voice raising at the obvious stupidity of this scenario. I can see in my mind the balloon drifting off into the sky and lost to us forever. Outside the two girls go together, without a balloon. I start cleaning up a bit around the house when Sydney comes inside frantic.
"Brayden let go of Maddy's balloon OUTSIDE." Wide eyed and clearly upset Sydney is trying to get my attention. I'm only half listening because when it's that whiney tone in her voice I kind of shut my ears off.
"Oh, ok .... wait, WHAT!? BRAYDEN!!!"

Second and Third balloons cause tears: No more Dora. Brayden had to go to time out AND since he was responsible for the untimely loss of Dora, his eagle (the only remaining playable balloon) now belongs to Madison.

I think I'm trying to teach him a lesson. He brakes her toy, he gives her his. The only problem is that Maddy wants nothing to do with his Eagle so he's running around playing with it now as if nothing happened. She just keeps giving it back to him. *sigh*