Our Future C.S.I.

When David is out of town, I secretly move the kids' bedtimes up a tad...trying to savor an ounce of peace in the house before I, myself, go to bed. The girls know not to test my patience at night. Last night I lovingly, albeit wearily, tucked them in, then went over how they would be punished if they got out of bed.

Reese has devised a plan to occasionally get out of bed to tell us something about Drue. She may creep down the stairs to tell us that Drue has ripped a book to shreds, or that Drue needs to use the potty, or something of that nature. And she thinks because she is bringing that to our attention, she has gained immunity from punishment.

I am on to her little scam. So last night, I went over every possible circumstance that might cause either girl to get out of her bed. And I ended with this warning, "If one of you gets out of bed to tattle on the other one...you will B-O-T-H be punished! Night night...love you...kisses..."

In between straightening up the kitchen, folding a load of laundry, and trying to catch the evening news to learn more about the ROBBERY that occurred at the Target we frequent, I thought I heard the faint squeak of their bedroom door. I stopped and listened for the unmistakable sound of little feet padding down the hallway towards impending punishment, but didn't hear anything else.

As I lugged the basket full of clean folded clothes up to my room later, I saw one of their fabric butterflies that hangs on fishing line from their ceiling laying in the hallway. I shook my head, not even wanting to think about the events that had led up to that and went to bed.

I pushed it out of my mind until this morning when I was getting ready to take Reese to school. She bopped into my bathroom where I was getting ready and I casually inquired about the butterfly I had found last night.

Her eyes got big and she dashed out of the room for a second, then returned with a tiny corner piece of paper she had ripped off a bigger sheet. Turns out, it was her "clue" to me about what had happened and I had completely missed it.

She elaborately went on to explain how her sister had been swinging the butterfly and pulled it out of the ceiling. Knowing they would both be punished if Reese came to tell on her, Reese scrounged around in their room until she found a piece of paper that had Drue's name written on it. She ripped it off and placed it neatly beside the butterfly evidence in the hallway for me to find. So I would be sure to know that Drue was the perpetrator when I stumbled across the crime scene.

I have been laughing all day about that...