Level 5 in the Game of Life

I had another one of those epiphanniac aneurysms last week. I was putting together a 'big wheel' while giving a piggy pack ride to a child as I was mediating an argument between two others, and I realized that simple tasks are still simple, but new barriers are thrown up to make them more challenging. I sometimes feel like I'm Mario and God's got me up to level 5 and seeing if I can handle the extra Koopa Troopers. The game is still the same, it's just that there a so many fun new obstacles in the way.

Economies of scale last week that I had to put together 3 Big Wheels (two for the girls, one for their school). Fly by night internet company seemed to combine three different genres of Big Wheel styles, so the last one I put together wound up with West Coast Chopper graphics and a pink seat. Luckily, I don't think Livie minds being a biker chick. Anyway, all this assembly is occurring with kids fighting and the girls running around, looking to have fun. Livie is now wholly obsessed with getting piggy back rides from me. I created a sign for 'ride', grasping two hands together and pushing them down. She will climb behind me on the couch and put her arms out in front of my chest and do the sign; this no matter what I am doing (this morning at 4:45 am, since she was wide awake, she decided that a ride should be the first thing I should do in the morning). So in between bolting things together, I am taking breaks by riding her around the house. Gracie also likes to get rides, but Livie turns into the Green-eyed Monster and tries to stop Grace from making the attempt.

Yesterday, I was ambitious enough to tackle the 'sock basket from hell', our laundry basket which we put all our mismatched socks. It hasn't been fully attempted in about 4-6 months, and lately everyone has taken to trying to find a match ad-hoc when they were desperate. The basket was beginning to spill over and it was probably pushed down several times so this thing was packed with probably 2-3 bushels of every sock imaginable. God had fun playing the 'sock room' with me: throwing arguments, bathroom emergencies, dinner and miscellaneous challenges in my path. I did complete the task though after about 5 hours. I am quite proud of the final tally:

Total pairs matched - 209 (PAIRS not socks)

Total unmatched socks leftover- 127

Total permanently orphaned, holy or two small socks thrown out- 25

Miscellaneous winter hats gloves and doll clothes- 17

Do you suppose I can get an additional 'life' for all the 'points' I collected in that world? Of course, my theory of spontaneously generating/mating of household objects held true. After finishing the job and having just socks leftover in the basket, not 10 minutes later, I looked in the basket to find a completely bizarre winter glove on top, black with purple fuzz; those frisky little socks!