what do kids and elves have in common?

Just this morning I was thinking about how lovely it is that my kids generally keep their drawing on paper (and maybe their bodies) as opposed to marring my freshly painted walls or lovely furniture. I should have known that just thinking this was asking for disaster. After all, Murphy's is the one law that governs my life.

Only hours later I was sitting on the couch with Medium while Small was set up at the kitchen table with some crayons and paper when it occurred to me that he had been at it for quite a while. Anybody with toddlers knows that an extended period of silence is the first sign that the kids are up to something but I dismissed the thought as I heard the crayon tapping the paper as he drew with his little fists. Unfortunately it took me another 5 minutes or so to realize that I cannot normally hear him coloring so loudly and that it may not just be furious art-making but mischief. As you may have guessed, I entered the kitchen to find that Picasso himself had graced me with some of his largest and blackest work. All over my wood floors and stainless refrigerator.

Six has also been up to some mischief in the kitchen. First, we awoke to find that she had helped herself to some breakfast. After which we found her hanging out in one of the cups in the kitchen cabinet. Having satisfied her thirst, she was apparently overcome by her sweet tooth and we were witness to Elf (near)Death-By-Chocolate. Then, fully sated, she was found perched atop the soy milk which had magically turned green. This morning we found her making snow angels on the kitchen table.