The children have not been on their best behavior over the past week or so. OK, that’s putting it too kindly. They’ve been maniacs.

For example – we went apple picking the other evening. The boys were told to bring all the apples into the house so we could sort them and store them. After 45 minutes and no apples, Jim goes outside to investigate and finds the boys having an apple war and pelting each other with our apples.

The resulting disciplinary time was not a pretty sight, and I’m sure the boys won’t be repeating that one.

Brett, of course, does not involve herself and merely laments that the boys always have to ruin everything.

But my maniac boys did the sweetest thing today. I came down from working upstairs and went into my bedroom to discover this:

They left me flowers with really sweet notes on my bed.

See, just when I’m about to ship them off to a foreign country, they redeem themselves.

Aaahhhh, the trials, tribulations, and joys of motherhood.