Hostage Situations and a Green Thumb

Joey and I have realized we really need to start some good habits early with Max. We've always been pretty lame about Family Home Evening. We've tried a little harder lately to have a family activity with Max on Mondays. This Monday, Joey decided that Max needed to learn about Jesus. Joey thought we could show him a picture of Christ so in the future Max isn't the kid who stands up on his chair during sharing time and says, "Who's Jesus?" (Ok, he'll still be the kid who stands on his chair and yells, but atleast he'll know who Jesus is!) Joey got out the picture from his primary binder and we all sat on the couch for a nice little lesson. Joey showed Max the picture and immediately Max tried to grab it, and not in a gentle, I-just-wanna-look way. They wrestled and there were cries of panic on all sides as Max tightened his grip on the picture. The more Joey tried to take away the picture, the more Max crumpled and ripped it. It was like watching a hostage situation, only with a picture of Jesus at stake. Eventually Joey won, but at the cost of the picture. I have to say I'm a little disturbed Max had such an instinct to grab the picture and destroy it.
In non-related news, I started some seeds for our vegetable garden. You sort of have to improvise when you live in the sticks and can't just make quick trips to Walmart. I figured if it works for first graders, it can work for me. I filled a bunch of dixie cups with dirt and planted my seeds. I planted a lot because judging from my record, about half should die. If I end up with any sort of vegetable by the end of the summer, I'm going to count it as a success. Of course while I was planting my little seedlings, Max got a hold of the hose and made himself a nice little mud puddle which he quickly drenched himself in. At first he laughed and said, "Is cold," but that quickly turned into a whine of, "inside!" Even Max has his limits, I guess.