Looks like Trouble to me

I never could call my kids mellow or laid-back (well, I could but that would be lying) but there is something about the game of Trouble that brings out the rowdiness in them.  It started a few months ago when my extra daughter spent the night.  In the wee hours I woke to hysterical laughing and playful yelling.  Now, every time she comes over the game is pulled out.  


This would be kind of boring if it this were a normal game but we don't roll like that.  Our Trouble game is missing many pieces and the gang is content this way.  The odd pieces lead to twisted rules and weird behaviour, like the boys breaking out in random wrestling.  Well, they do this normally anyway, but it seems to happen more often during Trouble. 


About my extra daughter, this poor girl just appreciates being noticed around here.  Tonight she was lucky.  She walked in and was heading toward our living room when the dog jumped on her so she told him to get down.  That's when Jerome turned around from the desk and saw her.  Another time it took longer.  She walked in the house, past the child on the computer and those watching tv.  She walked into my room where I was doing paperwork and we chatted for about 20 minutes before my ever-present blind Terri-Poo realized she was sitting next to him and started barking at her.  When she told him to be quiet, one of my gang heard her and they came up to see her.  


Observant... 


They aren't know for that.


Another example of how much attention my kids pay to things is the simple spaghetti pot.

I've had my rather large spaghetti pot for about eight years now.  I tend not to use it very often since it takes forever to heat all that water.  But there it sits.  On the bottom shelf of my pantry by the canning pot and the over-sized Dutch oven.  Andrew had decided a few months ago that he wanted to take over all spaghetti cooking... twist my arm (Ow!!!)  He complained about the pot I normally use, so I told him of the spaghetti pot in the pantry.  I never understood why from then on he would use my steamer instead but I have learned not to ask about the oddities around here.  


Tonight Andrew decided to make spaghetti again.  As usual, he asked where the pot was and I told him.  A few minutes later he came into the room carrying the huge spaghetti pot.  He was excited by this marvel of science, raving over the depth of the pot.


And then he walked into the kitchen and broke the spaghetti in half...