Double Trouble

The older kids get, the harder it is to keep a straight face when they are in trouble.  AmIright????

The other day, we were driving down the road and they were getting on my last nerve.  They had been in one of those playing hysterically moods where their “fun” can quickly become “murder charges” in the blink of an eye.  I had been getting onto them to leave each other alone, to settle down, to keep their hands to themselves…  Blah, blah, blah…

Finally, I reached the last straw and I yelled out, “YOU TWO BETTER STRAIGHTEN UP!”

Without a word, they immediately stopped laughing, looked at each other, and then both went ramrod straight in their seats, before breaking out into massive guffaws.

“Okay, Mom!” Bean yelled up to me.  “We’re straight now!”

I swear, I almost pulled the car over right that second.  Except that it was really funny.  And it was made even funnier by the fact that they continued to sit like that – arms and legs straight, backs up off the seat – for the next five minutes.

And then, tonight, Chris was getting onto Gracie at the dinner table for not eating (SIX YEARS, PEOPLE!  SIX YEARS!) and he lowered his voice into his scariest parenting tone and said, “You eat that dinner RIGHT. THIS. MINUTE!”

And without missing a beat, Gracie furrowed her brows, leaned across the table towards him, puckered up her cheeks with air, and then said in a mocking, low voice that sounded surprisingly close to Chris’s own, “OH. KAY. DAD. DY.”

It’s hard to blame her because having no filter comes straight from my side of the family, and you could instantly see her eyes get really big as she slowly sat back down in her seat.  I’ve had that same look countless times before.  It’s the “did-I-just-say-that-out-loud” look of panic.

Yeah… That didn’t go over well with Chris.

This is what happens when smart asses raise smart asses.

P.S. These pictures are from this weekend. We drove over to Pass-a-Grille Beach near St. Pete for the day. It was absolutely beautiful! If you’re ever in that area, don’t miss it! It’s a super cute, laid back beach town that reminds me of old Florida. And the water… gorgeous, warm, and shallow for a LONG way out. It was a perfect beach day!