Cool beans!

There's nothing like a game of Hide and Seek.

I loved playing it when I was a kid and my kids love to play it, too. Finding the perfect hiding spot was always such a thrill, and it was a huge bonus when you could actually see and hear the person who was 'it', searching you out.

It was also a bonus to actually be able to breathe in your perfect hiding spot. Laundry hampers are terrible places to hide. Trust me.

Davis loves to jump out from his hiding spot when you least expect it, screaming, 'BOO!' Admittedly, not really in the spirit of the technical rules of hide and seek... which probably explains why the girls always appoint him to be "It". Because really... whose nerves can take that?

Mine certainly can't, and I'm not even in the game. But when I'm minding my own business, going into the pantry to get some flour to make that cake from scratch (well, okay, the box of cake mix), and some kid jumps out at me, yelling, 'BOO!'... well, I forget all about the flour (okay, cake mix). And I may have been known to scream. I may also have been known to get on the telephone to the perpetrator's father to ask him, 'When are you getting home?!! These kids are driving me crazy!'

I've also been known to forgo making the cake, in favor of making myself an early afternoon drink. Don't judge, people.

This last weekend, Libby had herself an A plus plus hiding spot, and the other two searched for her for almost 20 minutes with no success. In desperation, they started resorting to trickery, trying to lure her from her hiding place.

Josie: Liiiibbbbbby? Where are you?

Davis: We have CANDY!!

Josie: Come out for your candy!!

Then they start to whisper to each other...

Davis: Where is she?

Josie: I dunno.

Davis: Tell her we have some... um... beans!

Josie: Good idea... she loves beans.

(*sidenote: She does. That kid LOVES beans. Especially black beans.)

Josie (in a singsong voice): Come out! We have some BEANS for you! They're special beans!

Davis: They're MAGIC beans!

Josie: Yeah... they're delicious and they make you... fart unicorns!


Um... whaaaaat?!


But still, nothing. Libby knew she had them right where she wanted them. All their focus was on finding her. Finally, she had one over on them... the perfect hiding spot.

And my baby girl discovered the cardinal rule in hide and seek... never give up your hiding spot.



Not for candy.

Not for beans.



Not even for unicorns.




No fartin' way.