Pouring over past pictures on the ‘puter, I happened on this gem. It’s a collection of quality paraphernalia from the drawer in my 11 year old son’s desk. I remember taking the picture because I was trying to capture the ordinary things in life that get overlooked in scrapbooks and photo albums, but are the essence of raising boys. Call me weird, but I get such a kick out of boys’ stuff. They’re such BOYS!
The customary desky type items are accounted for: ruler, heavy duty black paper “clip” (what are those things called?) and rubberbands. But upon closer inspection you see it is not single rubberbands… 27 of them have been fastened together, I’m assuming, as a weapon of mass destruction, possibly used in combination with the cork and the ruler. A CORK? What in the world? Is he moonshining under his bed again???
Onto the thank you cards. I can see three different ones in here including the whole pack of yellow ones on the left side with blood dripped on them. These are given to our children every Christmas in their stockings from Santa because Santa knows that boys need to be taught how to be thankful, given the tools and step-by-step instructions. Seems I dropped the ball with the step-by-step part. <Sigh>
The disposable camera made me chuckle because the boys only use these at summer camp. I took the picture at the end of October. Was he going to ask to have them developed in December or January when he was missing camp the most???
The out-of-its-case CD would make my husband’s heart pound…. every CD has a home and that’s where they should be. How many times do we have to say it before it clicks in his little head?
My personal favorites in the picture:
#1 The coiled metal scrubbie in the bottom right corner…. why, oh why? Was there dried macaroni stuck to his bed that required a ScrubBud?? Or was it being pulled apart piece by piece and wrapped around his teeth as self imposed braces? Or possibly used with batteries and a high-voltage shocker?
#2 The carefully ripped out piece of the Peaches and Cream instant oatmeal box. Our younger son sometimes does this if he is needing to spell a word. But PEACHES AND CREAM? Boys don’t write things about peaches and cream.
Don’t miss the ordinary in your house. Go get the camera and take some defining pictures that capture the here and now. I hear it will be gone in the blink of an eye.
My Sister's Jar 
