the bedtime routine

When Mike is your daddy, part of "the going to bed routine" always includes physical activity: tickling until your sides ache, wrestling until you are sweating (or someone is crying), and many other of these sorts of activities (Mike is very creative).

One common game that is played during this winding down (yeah right!) time is "thumb sheaths." You don't know what that is? Let me fill you in on this wonderful and regular family game.

For this game to work you need to be in your "pajamas" which to my boys simply means shorts and no shirt.

Step 1. Get ready, get your mind in the game, prepare your manly fortitude.

Step 2. Daddy prepares his weapons: the thumbs.

Step 3. Sheath the thumbs. {A boy's armpit is the perfect sheath for a daddy's thumb. And it tickles a lot.}

Pull ups (or attempting them) is also almost always a part of this time in our day.

We are not near our pull-up bar so Ethan is making do with daddy's forearm. Two very strong men!

Push-ups are a must.

Aidan has mastered good push-up form.

Luke is demonstrating a bridge.

He is awesome at it, very flexible.

Our kids sleep really well. Maybe it is due to these crazy activities that Mike has instituted as part of the bedtime routine in our family. At least that is what I tell myself when after I call out "time for bed" all I hear is uproarious laughter and all kinds of energy!