Icky-Sticky, Ooey-Gooey

Who is this poor little orphan child, covered in filth from head to toe? And I do mean toe, because as you can see, the poor kid has no shoes! Where are his parents? Does he have parents???


Wait a minute.....that kid looks vaguely familiar. It's hard to tell with all the dirt and grime, but I'd recognize that grin anywhere. Yep, that's my Lukey!

This is a typical looking Luke after a night of baseball games. This picture does not do justice to the level of filth Luke has achieved. His skin is a bit pale looking, because he is completely coated in dust. The filth is a mixture of icky-sticky candy, and dirt, dirt, dirt. He sits in the dirt, picks it up with his hands (yes, the same hands he uses to shove icky-sticky, ooey-gooey candy into his mouth), throws it around, etc.

Tonight I went to baseball determined to give my children no money for the snack bar, not even a penny. A penny, you may say, is worth nothing. But in baseball land, it will purchase one tootsie roll. And yes, one dollar purchases 100 tootsie rolls. (You should see Luke's face after eating a few of those 100 tootsie rolls!)

I took no money with me. None! So, no matter how much they begged and pleaded and told me they were starving to death, I would have nothing to give them.

But, to my amazement, my kids always manage to buy candy.....even when I bring no money. They make friends with all sorts of people, and somehow come away with money. Some moms train their children to be movie stars or models or athletes to make money. I'm just training mine to be good beggars. Actually, I think they come by it naturally. It must be a Pilling trait. They didn't get it from me!

Here's a close-up. Want a big kiss? That's what Luke likes to give....especially when he's feeling a little sticky!