more fun than

Youngest got A Barrel of Monkeys for christmas.
We are having a lot of fun with it.

But.
Do you know the rules?
Because I did not.

You shake them up.


You spill them out.
Really SPILL them. There is no cheating allowed.
Cheating would be kind of pouring them out so they stay in a big pile...

allowing the cheater to pick them up in a large clump.
That is just no good.


This is the right way.
When spilled in this manner, the monkeys are to be picked up, one at a time.
The winner is the person who is able to lift the highest number of monkeys without dropping any.



Of course, after Youngest and I spent quite a while perfecting our spill and hook techniques and successfully managing to lift 8 or nine monkeys, Middle saunters through the room, assesses the situation and calmly lifts 12 monkeys as if they are magnetized.

In other child-related news, yesterday was a very big dental-day for us. Middle had his braces removed and Youngest's palate expander was taken out. They spent the evening experimenting with the way food felt and moved in their mouths -- Youngest was alarmed to find the husk of a popcorn kernel under his expander (he has not had popcorn for over a month) and Middle notified me of all brace-less activities:
Mom, this is the first time I've been to the bathroom without braces.
Look, I'm drinking a glass of milk without braces.
I'm going to IM with my friends now, without braces.

Yes, between monkeys and teeth, things are very exciting here.