Shovels and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

While much of the country has been digging out from beneath Nemo, the frigid sub-70 degree freeze over Northern California finally lifted.

So we headed outdoors to get our hands dirty. (Because you need to give toddlers an excuse for that…)

You know what sounds like a good idea? (Because how could anything following this thought be anything but awesome?) We decided to take advantage of the warm weather to rip out all of the foliage in our front yard and plant something prettier.

We headed out armed with shoes and shovels. The boys were eager to help.

Within five minutes dirt was flying.

“Look! A worm…that just got cut in half…” Jon exclaimed. “Want to touch it?”

“I need to talk to the bug,” reported Destroy. “Find another one.”

While we de-rooted and raked, Search and Destroy did their best at getting in the way. Actually breaking things, prompting Jon to sigh, “Thanks Destroy,” actually calling the toddling whirling dervish “Destroy.”

“Move Mommy. I need to sleep!” Search demanded. Why yes. Yes you do need to take more naps…

He then attempted to shove me from my perch on the porch step with the broom approximately three times the tiny man’s size. “I clean!” (Oh… sweep. I would have preferred the sleeping.)

At this point Jon suggested that I should take a picture as the newly planted geraniums (which I picked precisely because of their difficulty to kill) because we don’t really have a good history of keeping things alive. Other than the ever adorable Search and Destroy of course.

(At this point Destroy was trying to toss a leaf into the yard waste bin – his little legs scrambling against the bin he was trying to scale. Search was methodically sweeping the driveway.)

Although Jon has a very valid point. I didn’t even do so hot starting those two muppets off in life.

WHAT?! OMG – Have we reached the point where I’m joking about prematurity? Oh wait. I’ve always done that.

Suddenly Search decided he *needed* the shovel. The driveway was apparently acceptably clean so Destroy picked up the rake to re-litter the space for a re-sweeping. (Brotherly love.)

“I neeeeeed the shubble!” wailed Search. “Are you using it? My turn. I need the big shubble.”

He of course was referring to the large shovel being used in the transformation of our landscaping. But due to 2-year-old language development, the “v” sound metamorphosed into a “b” sound.

“SHUBBLE! SHUBBLE SHUBBLE!” he proclaimed, making his point clearer.

So for your ear-worming pleasure, please sing along to the tune of Taylor Swift’s latest over-played single, “Trouble.” (I know you know it, all radio stations are legally required to play it 17 times an hour.)

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Once upon a time
A few tantrums ago
The dirt was in their sites
They dove right in
They found a worm
They found a bug
They found a snail

I guess you didn’t cry
And I guess I liked that
And when I started work
They took a step right up
On top of me
On top of me
On top of me

And brother’s long gone
When the other’s next to me
And I realize the blame is on me

Cause I knew you were trouble when you were born
So shame on me now
Dug into places I’d never seen
So I put one down

Oh I knew you were trouble when you were born
So shame on me now
Finding dirt in places I’d never known

Now it’s lying on the cold hard ground
Oh, oh, shubble, shubble, shubble
Oh, oh, shubble, shubble, shubble

No apologies.

**********

You’re welcome for that.