I'm Thinking of Joining the Circus (and other observations from the week)

• Ordinarily I think it is sad that the neighborhood children so rarely play outside, but I think it is extraordinarily odd to see a pair of boys (about 7 or 8 years old) running through the snow wearing nothing but swim trunks today. Watching them dunk their heads into a puddle of icy water just made me wonder if their mothers knew what they were up to.
• Lanolin works wonderfully at clearing up stubborn eczema on Logan's bum, and from everything I have read it is safe to use with cloth diapers.
• After seeing the overflowing trash can sitting at the curb at a house down the street for the past few days I have determined that: 1) They shouldn't put their trash out and then leave town. It just seems like an invitation to burglars and 2) They should really consider paying their trash bill if they want the garbage to be collected! 
• Having the kids play outside today without wearing snow pants turned out to be a wet, muddy mistake.
• I wonder if the kids who perform for the circus get paid or if it's just expected that they will participate in the family business? Don't get me wrong. They were incredible. Still, it seems like a very unconventional upbringing. The teacher in me hopes that they are getting an appropriate education and the mom in me hopes that they are not being exploited.
• Watching the circus made me fully appreciate the comparison that people use to describe a hectic day/event/life by calling it a "three ring circus." There really is so much to see and it's all happening at once (and literally, there are three rings). You just try to focus on what seems most pressing at the time and do the best you can to get it all done to the best of your ability, the epitome of motherhood.



{I wonder how old this girl is?}



{Yep, that's a Persian cat riding Afghan Hound.}



{I think there's a metaphor for motherhood here...}

• The circus really is the greatest show on earth! Where else can you see a baby elephant do a headstand, a woman twirling around by her hair, and a Persian cat riding an Afghan Hound?