"They do look awful! And I'm being honest, Momma!"

After all of this canning/preserving fruits, painting furniture, and all-out Fall house-cleaning, my hands really do look like they need a manicure. And of course, I don't really dwell on it until we're headed out somewhere! (Shocking...I know...but I do consider myself pretty low-maintenance!)

So as we headed out and traveled down the mountain, I glanced at my stained fingernails (next to the black specks of spray paint), and I said, "Whew...my hands really look awful!"

Of course, Angel Wings (like a typical, firstborn people-pleaser!) declares, "No, Mama! They don't look bad at all! I can't even seen what you're talking about!"

[Insert: a little, brief conversation on etiquette regarding speaking truthfully vs. fearing saying anything unkind.]

And of course, Cricket (like a typical second-child...happy-go-lucky), sitting in the back of the van and just enjoying the scenery, is completely oblivious to any conversation going on at all!

Then Lovey (typical "pat-me-on-the-back-please" personality) pipes up and exclaims, "Oh, Mama! You're right! They do look awful! And I'm being honest!"