A Colorful Surprise

Jesse is home today with a mancold, so when Lincoln didn't want to come with me to take Savannah to the bus stop this morning I left him home with Jesse, who was awake but still in bed. I came home about twenty minutes later to find Lincoln sitting in the middle of a very colorful living room with three empty bottles of poster paint. Two-and-a half hours, four bottles of carpet cleaner, and a full laundry load of paint-covered towels later I decided that my carpet wasn't getting any cleaner and it was time to move on to the paint hand prints leading from the living room, down the hall, up the stairs, and into the kids bathroom.

Lessons learned:
#1: Whatever Lincoln is going to get into while left home with a sick parent IS in fact worse than taking two grumpy kids to the bus stop.
#2: Paint must always be kept in a locked cabinet. Leaving washable paint on a high shelf is no longer enough precaution.
#3: If the carpet cleaner says wear gloves, they aren't kidding. My hands are now bright red with white blistery spots all over.

Sorry for the lack of pictures. I really need to get a camera. I can always borrow one from a friend for birthdays, first-day-of-school, etc but I can't exactly call and say, "Lincoln just dumped three bottles of poster paint on my carpet. Can I borrow your camera?" without sounding like a freak who has their priorities all wrong.