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Love in the asylum is a beautiful thing.

I left the house yesterday at 7:00 for an early morning appointment.
As soon as I backed down the driveway, my family kicked off Project Valentine Video.
Ninety minutes later, I was given a hard copy of the following, and if you can ignore the fact that my house is a disaster, I think you'll agree that the video is enjoyable.
I think you'll agree.
By embedding this video, I join the ranks of Those Who Force You to Watch Goofy Footage of Their Kids.
Then again, I'm not really forcing you to watch it, am I? Am I?!



Okay. Quit shaking your head at my messy house. It's laundry time, you know.

It's always laundry time.

Posted by: fluidpudding on 2/15/2008 8:07:02 AM , 38 comments
Submitted by You can call me, 'Sir' at 2/15/2008 8:11:00 AM
    I've never seen children so happy to be holding vegetables. They're dancing and doing gymnastics while holding tomatoes. Professional dancers and gymnasts can't do that.
Submitted by Jaynee at 2/15/2008 8:22:07 AM
    Very cute! And I LOVE the fact that your house is messy. It makes you seem just like us when most of the time you seem just a tad bit better. ;)
Submitted by Alli at 2/15/2008 8:34:00 AM
    OMG you're human! Your children are so beautiful!
Submitted by blackbird at 2/15/2008 9:00:12 AM
    Can Harper come live with me?

    I'm getting my camera and running around with it.
    I'm gonna start in my basement. You'll feel much better.
Submitted by dr. dave at 2/15/2008 9:02:13 AM

    I'm so glad that your house REALLY WAS kind of messy. If you had made all those protests about forgiving your messy house, and then in the video there was just a pair of socks in the middle of a spotless room, I would have to hate you and stop reading your blog. But a house with random wads of crumpled paper on the piano... THAT is something I can get behind.
Submitted by mamadaisy at 2/15/2008 9:10:15 AM
    props to you for running backwards and video taping at the same time without breaking your neck! those pudding pops are gorgeous, and your house looks exactly like mine. we even have the same kitchen linoleum.
Submitted by MammaLoves at 2/15/2008 9:38:04 AM
    It's like my house. The patients have taken over the asylum.

    I bet your heart melted.
Submitted by S t a c i at 2/15/2008 10:03:38 AM
    that is awesome.
Submitted by kat at 2/15/2008 10:23:09 AM
    you have alot of laundry baskets. i am impressed.
Submitted by Amanda at 2/15/2008 10:25:55 AM
    Your kids are awesome!

    My favorite thing was the potty chair in the living room. I have one there too!
Submitted by Sara at 2/15/2008 10:37:24 AM
    I'm also feeling a little shamed by the number of laundry baskets in your home. Should I have more? SHOULD I?
Submitted by Velma at 2/15/2008 10:42:12 AM
    Who knew it was a style thing? The potty in the living room, I mean? Ours is usually right there, too.

    Now I'm dizzy from running laps around the first floor and need to go lie down in the hall and giggle. Oh, wait - that was Harper, not me. Still, I may try it - it looked like fun.

    :)
Submitted by Nominimom at 2/15/2008 10:55:23 AM
    I think Jeff has a future as a backwards running Olympian.

    And your girls are just doll babies! So cute!
Submitted by lb at 2/15/2008 11:43:55 AM
    Beautiful! Your kids look like they had a blast doing that! Oh, and I too have a similar mess in my house, with laundry baskets and a potty and toys. To me, it just looks like a house where kids matter.
Submitted by DesireeK at 2/15/2008 11:47:03 AM
    Was your house messy? I didn't notice. I was too busy being blinded by the sheer cuteness of your gorgeous children.
Submitted by Summer at 2/15/2008 11:56:45 AM
    Good grief, the cuteness! The victorious somersaulting! The frenzied sofa-jumping!

    Awesome, all.
Submitted by Amy at 2/15/2008 12:21:00 PM
    What? What's wrong with the house? Doesn't everyone's house look like that?! Mine does. Except the laundry is draped all over the furniture instead of in baskets...except for the clothes that fell on the floor when the girls jumped off the chairs 400 times and knocked it all down.
Submitted by Amy in StL at 2/15/2008 12:51:21 PM
    I think it's awesome that you posted the video even though your house wasn't perfect. I'm always afraid to let friends or co-workers come over because my house isn't showroom perfect. This reminded me that other people have houses that are lived in too - because they spend time living not cleaning!
Submitted by Amy in KC at 2/15/2008 2:24:58 PM
    Your girls are gorgeous, and your home is lovely. Does the potty in the living room thing work? Because ours in the bathroom and the boys are not terribly interested...

    Are those Skittle hearts they are holding? I get those for my hubby.
Submitted by Surcie at 2/15/2008 3:41:30 PM
    Who cares about the mess when so much fun is being had!

    I just love their little bobbed hairdos.
Submitted by Karen T-H at 2/15/2008 8:15:24 PM
    I wouldn't have seen the lived-in look if you hadn't noted it.
    I've long had a good physical sense of what MC is like, but now I "GET" Harper, too! Watching how they sneak peeks at each other, informing their next moves -- that's the catz pj's! They are just wonderful, together and separately. How good of Jeff to take a turn for YOU!
Submitted by Alison at 2/15/2008 10:39:48 PM
    That was so brilliant!! Thanks for sharing. I love that snapshot of a happy, crazy, real family!! Your girls are beautiful.
Submitted by Karin at 2/15/2008 11:07:26 PM
    Awesome. I'm sitting here going "I WAAAAAANT ONE!!!" Hee. :) So cute and what a great idea.
Submitted by Suebob at 2/16/2008 12:02:03 AM
    Your messy house cheers me immeasurably. As do your little sweet girls.
Submitted by Carroll at 2/16/2008 1:40:34 PM
    Way to go Jeff!!! Best Love Day video ever! My favorite part was all the sibling copy-catting going on. Having had two sons, I always assumed it was a younger brother thing, but Harper's behaving *exactly* the way our younger one did when the older one led the wild rumpus. Also, I'd worry (a lot!) if your house had been any more orderly. Two well-loved kids, and two loving spouses had darn well better have better things to do than keep a place tidy all the time. "Lived in" is definitely the way to go!

    Hugs from here (all the way from Maui, to be specific!)
Submitted by pharmgirl at 2/16/2008 1:49:39 PM
    Ditto to all
    AND
    Love the special kitty cat cameo!
Submitted by tut-tut at 2/16/2008 6:30:17 PM
    Messy house?! revel in this very moment; you'll be so glad you did.
Submitted by TwistedNoodle at 2/17/2008 8:27:57 AM
    What an awesome Valentine's gift. Your hubby rocks and your kids are dolls.

    I thought they were running around with red peppers at first. Someone else commented they looked like tomatoes. Then I realized maybe they were hearts being Valentine's Day and all. Hearts or veggies?

    And your house looks lived in, comfortable and real.
Submitted by Busymomma66 at 2/17/2008 3:08:23 PM
    What a great video. (Plus I love messy houses!! That's why I live in one!!)
Submitted by Tara at 2/17/2008 6:23:40 PM
    SO, who sings it and where can I get it?
Submitted by krista at 2/18/2008 2:19:33 AM
    Loved it. You make me feel better since I can see realistically with two kids a house is messy. Now I don't feel so bad about mine. Fun song and perfect dancing to it!
Submitted by Jessica at 2/18/2008 7:56:48 PM
    Wait... is my house supposed to be clean? Even though I don't have kids and only have one husband and a small dog? DAMMIT.

    Great video. Your girls are awesome.
Submitted by jozet at Halushki at 2/18/2008 8:14:07 PM
    Well, I think your messy house is grand, and your kids are a blast.

    I feel right at home, lol!
Submitted by FP at 2/19/2008 10:20:20 AM
    For all who wondered: they're holding plastic hearts that were filled with Skittles. Not tomatoes. BUT, I DO love the idea of them running around and dancing with vegetables... Amy in KC wins the award for guessing Skittle hearts!

    Tara--The song is "My Valentine" by Rhett Miller. It's on his "The Believer" album.

    A special thank you for everyone who made me feel good about the messy house. I may never clean again!
Submitted by smojo at 2/19/2008 10:57:28 AM
    Enjoyed the video enough that I'm actually commenting. Then I come to the comments section and everyone is happy that you have a messy place. I love it! My apartment is trashed and I've been to embarrassed to shoot a video inside of it. After seeing your messy place you have given me the motivation to shoot video in my messy apartment. Thank you!

    Loved the kids and it was a real fun video.
Submitted by Gail at 2/19/2008 3:17:15 PM
    I stumbled upon your blog....and just had to say I loved it, laughed out loud several time,

    I am from St Louis but haven't been there since college...loved the photo of the arch...

    Take care,
    Gail
Submitted by SarahO at 2/19/2008 4:01:15 PM
    The Pudding Girls and cat are adorable!

    Also, I watched the whole thing. They're that cute.
Submitted by k8 at 2/22/2008 3:56:38 PM
    I love the cozy potty-by-the-fireplace atmosphere. I'm going to request that at my next fancy hotel.
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