Emily + A Sharpie Marker = TROUBLE

Yesterday, I was totally sick of looking at the girls room - it was beyond filthy. As much as I try to let it go or to let them pick up after themselves, somedays I just can't handle it anymore and I just have to get in there and really clean it. I was cleaning along and came across this lovely image inscribed ON THE BUNKBEDS.....WITH A SHARPIE MARKER. No, she couldn't have used the Crayola Washable Markers that we have all over the house, but a SHARPIE! Kim happened to be working at home yesterday, so I called him into the bedroom to view our 6 year olds latest masterpiece. He looked at me, I looked at him, and we both agreed that really, if she was going to LABEL the beds, she really could have at least spelled Natalie's name right! Yes, it's supposed to say "Natalie Michelle Brooksby"...and really it does say that, just in the "spell-it-like-it-sounds" way of a 6 year old. After school, I picked up the kids. Emily immediately asks if she can play. I explain to her that we have something to discuss when we get home - here's a piece of what our conversation went like:

Me: "Emily, go up to your room at look around and then come tell me what you think."

Emily goes upstairs and returns a few minutes later.
Em: "Okay, mom, I'll say thank you to you for cleaning my room...(with a big sigh, because frankly, saying "thank you for cleaning my room" was a BIG CHORE.)

Me: "No, Emily, I think you missed it."

Emily and I go up the stairs, to her room, and stand right over the Sharpie marker inscription.

Me: "What is THAT, Emily?"

Em: "What? I was writing where we sleep" (with that innocent look on her face)

Me: "Are we supposed to write on the furniture? With a marker? Or any writing utensil?"

Em: "No....I'll clean it off...."

She runs to the kitchen for a rag and begins to scrub away at it. She gives up after literally 30 seconds, realizing it isn't going to come off.

Em: "Mom, it won't come off. Can I play now?"

Me (I'm fuming at this point but decide to let Kim handle it, so that the child can remain alive): "Go talk to your dad".

Em: "Dad, I can't get the marker off."

Kim: "Well, I guess you're grounded until you figure out a way to get it off."

Em: (yelling, for emphasis): "Well, I guess I will be grounded for MY WHOLE LIFE! It will NEVER come off!"

Well, after awhile of scrubbing, crying, yelling and repeated apologies, we decide that the only way that it's coming off is to sand it off. So, off she goes to the garage, retrieves the sand paper and begins to sand it off. So, at least it's not labeled anymore. Now, it just needs to be REFINISHED! Ugh! It's a good thing that these particular bunkbeds are older than Kim (they were his as a child) and after the girls grow out of them, they will end up at the DUMP!

Emily has always been our "spunky" child and was labeled "the tornado" by my dad several years ago. We have clashing personalities most days, and she keeps us on our toes. There is never a dull moment with Emily in the house!