Kiddling shenanigans

I was scrolling back through my photos and realized that I have lots of evidence of kiddling shenanigans that I have yet to share with you. So, no point in dilly-dallying. Let’s go!

First up, take a gander at these wallets.


They’re made out of duct tape! Yo-Yo learned how to do this at his friend’s house and then he bought himself a roll of duct tape and started smacking together a bunch of wallets.


It kept him busy for a couple days—totally worth the eight dollar roll of tape. (Except, I think he got a generic tape because it smells rank. If you’re going to do this, buy the real deal.)


Here is Miss Beccaboo learning how to type…while sporting a queenly crown fashioned from a Barbie doll dress and a straight pin.


Here is the dish drainer after Yo-Yo finished washing them.

I bought a wig at the thrift store, handed it over to my kids, and crossed my fingers that it wasn’t hopping with lice.


My son loves it.


My daughter loves it.


My husband loves it.

Here we have a rigged light switch, courtesy of Yo-Yo. (Ignore the graffiti.)


He wanted to be able to turn his ceiling light off without climbing down from his loft, so he tied two strings to the switch and then ran them up along his ceiling, using hook-y things to hold them in place.


At the other end up in his loft, he tied a Lego piece to the end of each string.


Pull one and then light goes on. Pull the other and the light goes off.

I’ve been watching an episode from the Cook’s Illustrated DVD almost every day. The three younger kids usually join me.


Yesterday we learned how to make pommes anna and then Miss Beccaboo made a pommes anna out of play dough. She had the technique down pat.

The kids have to bring in wood almost daily.


When they get smart, they turn it into a game and make a chain.


Yo-Yo has been hankering after a bow and arrow so Mr. Handsome told him to make one.


Yo-Yo made two.


I’m not sure how this picture ended up on my camera. I think the kids maybe stole it, the dirty little rascals. Anyway, I’m glad to have that picture now because it means I can tell you about the latest bit of terror they have inflicted upon me. See that bust that a woozy-looking Yo-Yo is shouldering? That’s a bust of a two-year-old Yo-Yo, done by my youngest brother. (I think?) It weighs a ton. It’s pink.

The kids like to stick it places and then wait for all hell to break loose. Actually, they don’t usually see my reaction because they’re sound asleep, but that doesn’t stop them. They set it up some place and then go to sleep and when I come up to check on them I freak out so bad I about pee my pants. Just the other night I walked into Yo-Yo’s room, which was eerily lit by an orange electric candle, and there was the bust atop a blanket-draped stool. It nearly did me in.

This same time, years previous: earthquake cake

13 Comments

  • Jennifer Jo

    Margo, I hooted at how you tormented your poor mother.

    Camille, Nobody dries in our house—we let the air do all the work.

    Mavis,
    Re #3—no, it makes me nervous.
    Re #4—Freakman, of course.
    Re #5—No, and I don't either. At this point it's just not a battle I want to fight.

    All you light switch people? Wow! I had no idea flipping a switch brought on such across-the-board creativity!

  • Eldo

    When I was a kid, a friend of mine did something similar with his bedroom light switch. He was able to pop the top of the switch off, though, and tie the string directly to the switch. I tried doing that with mine but I couldn't get the top to pop off and did something like your kid did (with the tape), but it just came off after a few days.

  • Unknown

    lurve all the kid creations… years ago, my brother rigged up a similar contraption to operate the lightswitch, prob right around the same age!

  • Mavis

    #1 My son received a duct tape wallet for his birthday from his friend… and has used it ever since… Apparently the kid takes orders at school and charges $10 a pop…

    #2 I'm a little creeped out about the photo of Mr. Handsome in the wig… He looks pretty cute in it… not only that… you can tell he really likes wearing it 🙂

    #3 Even though your kids scare me… I can't get over how talented/creative they are… Don't you wish you could push fast forward sometimes and see who they be 10/20 years from now?

    #4 Which brother made the bust of YoYo man? The Freakman or GoodBadI?

    And finally…

    #5 Did your Mother let you write on the walls when you were a kid?

  • teekaroo

    I tried something similar with my light switch, but the string would always slip off of the switch. Love the dish drainer. It's a work of art.

  • Margo

    what a fun post! My favorite is the dish drainer, although that wig is incredible and gives a real luster to everyone's skin.

    Now, that BUST – is it meant to be scary? Their antics with it reminds me of my sis: she will stop by my parents' house when they aren't there and rearrange some things, very subtly. The favorite trick is to turn some pictures upside down or rearrange a grouping of objects. Then a few days later my mom notices and has a fit.

  • Kaytee

    I absolutely love your kids. They are so much fun and the things they come up with are so amusing. I love the light switch apparatus. Very creative!

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