Many people ask me how I manage with four kids ages four and under. It's surprisingly not as difficult as one would think. Especially if you don't clean your house regularly.

I was afraid adding a fourth might stretch me to my limits, but it hasn't. I think I understand now how people can have 18 children. Okay, not really.

Yesterday we received a package in the mail...a ridiculously huge box filled with 2 million packing peanuts, 2 tiny books, and a picture frame. Whoever packed this box was either having a really good chuckle at the absurdity of their act (sounds like something I would do to entertain myself), or they hated postal workers.

The point of the story is that packing peanuts fell out everywhere when I was stupid enough to open the box on an angle. I guess I thought the "holding in place" fairies would do a better job of holding everything in place, but clearly they were incompetent and maybe imaginary after all. It's been a while since I've received something in the mail. Packing peanuts weren't the first thing on my mind. "What in the heck did I order that was this big???" was what was going through my mind.

The children hovering over me immediately started throwing peanuts into the air squealing, "It's snowing!!! It's snowing!!!"

Times like this are when the baby starts crying and wants her bottle ASAP. I catered to her partly because I had no choice and partly because she is the most precious baby that has ever touched foot on this planet! But I digress....I was saying something...

Oh, there was a need to feed her and make sure no more snow was thrown. I ordered the big kids to stop shredding the packing peanuts and put them all back in the box--a concept my 3 year old son chose not to grasp because he put them in and then took them right back out. The magnitude of the box was also enticing because they all knew they could fit inside (one at a time, but still...). Boxes are so VERY tempting to small people.

I fed the baby while they cleaned. I eventually told them to stop and that I'd vacuum up the rest later. They insisted on doing the vacuuming which was a surprise considering they run screaming from it every time it's turned on. It doesn't help that I chase them with it.

I wish I had gotten their initial reaction to the vacuum coming to life on video because it was a hilarious combination of fear, jubilation, and chaos as they all tried to run in separate directions---away from the vacuum--and into each other. There was also shrieking and laughing taking place. Not all of it was me.

By the time I got the camera, much had taken place. Here's what's left. It's really long because I have no idea how to edit these things. Also, it's Ironman's fault all the furniture is draped with his gigantic shirts. He doesn't like them to be put in the dryer. Had I known I was about to catch a memorable moment on video that I would post on my blog, I would have cleaned the house first.

This is called, "I Want to Suck Up Everything I Can Find With a Vacuum Wand." So far, the kids and I are the only ones who laugh when we see this. Ironman wasn't so sure it was funny. I think having a weird sense of humor is why I love having children all around me...they are weird and it makes me laugh. This whole thing cracks me up.