Idle Hands & Butts

As you can see from this lovely picture that Skater Girl (6) took of Glamour Girl (10), summer boredom has set in hard in the Smith house. What on earth are you supposed to do with 7 kids for 6 weeks? Indian schools are very different and just a little strange, like everything else here. School started in April, then it ran for 6 weeks, and now they have a 6 week break during the hottest part of the summer. Apparently, between the heat, the power outages that the heat brings, and the travel to escape the heat, absenteeism is a big problem. So.... close the schools, problem solved!!! Well we are dealing with it in a few ways, First we are sending Number One Son (our teenager) to the US for a couple of months. Despite the loss of a babysitter, which is a terrible blow, I think we will all be happier without a bored and mopey 16 year old boy around. I know he'll be happier. Second, starting next Monday we are going to see the sights of Delhi. One each week. I think we will start with something kid friendly like the zoo or the aquarium and then move on to more cultural things like the Lotus Temple. Third, well there is no third, unless you count TV and Disney movies, which of course I don't. I mean, I use them, I just don't count it!


Luckily, we have creative children and marble floors. Just add water and you have yourself one heck of a slip-n-slide! This is how all the kids but our oldest spent Sunday evening and most of Monday afternoon! I have to admit that on Sunday I was oblivious to the water works and probably would have nixed it. This afternoon though, well, I'm not that great of a mom anyway so I said yes. Luckily, because we don't live in the US for now, I won't have to make my kids wear long pants for the next two weeks to cover the bruises left by all the fun! Here, if someone sees one of my kids with a leg full of bruises they'll just think, "Hmm, you'd think he/she would be better behaved!"

Well suitcases need packing and Mr. Smith's boss is coming for dinner so all the kids need a large dose of Benedryl.... Kidding! I would never drug my children! But they do all need baths. Does a slip-n-slide count as a bath? Not even in India? Fine!!!