Good help is . . .

. . . getting EASIER to find! (All the training is paying off :)

My oldest three children finished their cleaning jobs before I did this morning (the youngest was napping), so they decided to get creative in the kitchen. DD12 got started on grilled cheese for lunch (for the third time this week, actually!) while DS11 and DD8 started peeling carrots and potatoes for our "Blessing Meal" tonight (more about that in another post)  -- all without being asked.  How awesome is that?!?!? Even more of a blessing to me was the fact that DS11 and DD8 both commented on how much they were enjoying working together. Sigh. Makes a mother's heart swell with joy! (Maybe they were listening when we read Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends in the fall. It's a great book, BTW, written by three young siblings around the ages of my children.)

Please ignore the messy kitchen (an open cupboard -- oh no! Sorry DH!;) . . .

On another note, during devotions this morning, DS11 got creative with some math manipulatives and asked me to take some pictures of his creations:

There -- now they're saved for posterity -- and can be put away:)