Pinterest said to have napkins ready. Frankly, I’d like to express my “dispinterest.”

I saw a “great idea” on Pinterest for practicing letter writing.  It suggested to fill pans with shaving cream and have the kids write their letters with a paintbrush or finger.  Sounded easy enough and I figured we could be a bit messy on the kitchen floor, wash up and check it off of our list.

I’m sure you can see where this is going.

The activity suggested having napkins ready.  It should’ve suggested having towels for sitting on, rags for cleaning cabinets, an outdoor area ready in which to do this dumb craft, a hose, windex, towels, a change of clothes, an outdoor pool, a washing machine, an outdoor time-out spot, and patience. Oh, and something strong to drink.

Quickly, things escalated to this…

I won’t post the next few pics I took, but the McBabies were completely nude with shaving cream fully in their hair and all over our swingset.  I thought to myself – “no worries, I’ll just blow up the pool and let them jump in and rinse off.”

Oh, Shop Vac, how could you stop working on me on a day like this?? Jeff informed me today (after the madness) that the shop vac (which blows up the pool) broke a couple of weeks ago.  Dear Shop Vac, you suck.  Actually, you don’t suck or blow and that’s the problem.  You even look mean.  With your horns and freakish cyclops face.

I have always wanted an outdoor shower – like the kind people that live in Sonoma Valley would have off of their house.  Here’s the hillbilly one below.  No real CA-feeling, but, hey it’s a way to warmly get clean outdoors since it comes from the kichen sink faucet.  Notice this was shower #1.  They still have most of their clothes on here.

Have napkins ready?  Have NAPKINS ready?  I should have had a bit more foresight with my context, but, seriously, have napkins ready?!?  Children who are of learning-letter-writing age are not the same children who can have the phrases “use shaving cream” and “have napkins ready” in the same sentence.  It was a bit disappointing.  Disap-pin-ting?

Shame on you pinners for glorifying your pins.  Yes, it was fun and educational in some ways, but, at best, this is how it should have been explained:

Strip your children down somewhere outside.  Have a hose ready.  Give them a can of shaving cream.  Be pleasantly surprised if at some point, somewhere, someone runs their fingers through the mess and you can say “hey, this looks like an S.”

Let’s just be honest Pinterest people.