They were hiding where?

We’re in Seattle now, having fun playing with family. I was raised here, and in many ways, it still feels like home. My parents are here, my sister and her family, my aunt and uncle, cousins, and several friends from high school with whom I still keep in touch. My sister has two kids – a 7 year-old girl, Lauren, and a 5 year-old boy, Mason. Megan and Mason are the best of friends. This week, they’ve particularly enjoyed playing hide-and-seek. Of course, their version of hiding is putting their hands over their eyes, while not really leaving the room, so they’re pretty easy to find, but it’s still cute. We keep finding them in random rooms, crouching on the floor, rear ends in the air, squealing their sweet little kid squeals.

Last night, they were playing hide-and-seek in my parents’ laundry room, which is just off the family room where the rest of us were talking. They got very quiet, so I figured I’d better check on them. I looked in the laundry room, and saw the dryer door open. I looked in the dryer, and there were Megan and Mason, hands over their eyes, giggling. In the dryer! The both of them! I yelled to my sister to come see and grabbed my camera, all the while telling the kids how bad an idea it was to be in the dryer and how they should never, ever go in there again. But really, it was a little funny and cute. Neither of them could have turned it on, but still – not a good place to play. And believe me, my sister and I hammered that into their heads. They won’t be playing in the dryer anymore.

I’m still glad I have a picture of it, though.