Mud

On Sunday it was finally hot.

It went from a full week of rainy and cold and windy and cold and rainy and cold and drizzly and cold to sunny and hot...in the evening.

Yup, really.

My parents had just returned from a trip along Route 66 and come bearing really cool t-shirts earlier in the week and the boys had worn them to church on Sunday. When the rain had finally stopped, they literally fell out of the house to get outside and play. I hollered that they should take their shirts off.

That's all I said. "Take your good shirts off!"

After they flung their newest favorite shirts to the floor, they sprinted outside and silence settled upon the house.

And the yard.

My husband, being six foot three inches (so much much taller than me) sipped his coffee and as he looked out the window and said, "You should see your boys right now."

When he claims them fully mine, I know to brace myself.

He informed me they were in the mud. How "take your shirts off" turned into "and then go roll in mud" means the same thing, I'm not sure, but I figured it would be worth it to grab my cameras and head out to see them.

Do you see the shoes? There are two in the picture. This was my first indication that they cared for nothing but the mud they had somehow been drawn too.....

As I came to the end of the trail, S3 greeted me. His teeth were a bit chattery and he was headed back in but I persuaded him to show me his brothers because it would make a great picture.

I am always bribing them for good pictures.

I was so happy to see that S3 was wearing his good shoes in the mud. I'm thankful to see he was thinking of safety first.

And I am super glad to have persuaded S3 to tag along because as he ran ahead to alert his brothers of my arrival, I was able to get this picture.....

And this one.

This was a part of the field that my husband had just plowed but hadn't gotten any further on because, well, it's been raining all week. But rain all week mean this mud.

And sheer joy for my four boys.

As they headed back to the house (S3 was so en-caked in mud that his shorts wouldn't even stay on), they stopped at a "clean puddle" to wash up.

In case you are wondering, you can't get very clean in mud puddle. Even if it is a "clean" puddle.

And I am, in fact, still working on cleaning up after the boys on this muddy mess. They came into the house for warm showers, and then had to take another later because they were still finding mud on themselves, but the laundry? Oh my. And the floors? Oh me oh my. And the tub? Oh me oh my my my.

But it was a great beginning to summer, I do believe. And it will all clean up (eventually). The video I shot of them is definitely a new favorite. And the pictures? Gonna frame them for sure!

Happy summer everyone!