There are so many ways that I try and feel safe in my house. I’ll be the first to admit that I loath being home alone in the dark-out-side  hours of the day. My brain is my own greatest source of a freak out. As if, just for spite, my imagination devises a goodie-bag full of things that it knows I am most afraid of and delivers it in the form of a shadow in the corner of the living room, a squeak down in the basement storage room, or even a barking dog in the yard behind mine-because you know that that dog spotted the boogie man first and is roused by him.

So, my in-home defense is provided by my leaving every last night on, checking the locks on the doors 12 times, peeking at the garage door to confirm it is closed 12 times and turning around to check behind me every time I get up to do anything. All of these antics occur of course after my children are in bed. I would hate to impose my neuroses onto them. And, of course, I am eternally grateful that I can count on one hand the number of times I am in fact home alone during the dark-out-side hours of the day each year.

Last night and then again this morning, a smile was brought to my face when I discovered my sons’ own way of finding protection from being home alone. WAIT! I didn’t leave them home alone last night, they were with their very sweet and very trusted babysitter while my husband and I joined my mother and sister for a dinner out. We weren’t even gone late at all, but late enough that the kids were in bed upon our return home.  As soon as I walked in the door, this is what I saw:

A Lego Storm Trooper standing guard at the back door. My boys had set him up as a deterrent should an intruder enter in through the garage or back door.

Cute, I thought and gave it a real good chuckle. But then, as I entered the kitchen, I spotted this one! Pointed at the front part of the house.

We went to bed last night feeling secure in the two Lego Minifigures that had been placed so strategically in the house. Little did I realize there weren’t just two! This one I noticed this morning before breakfast hiding in the creases of some folded up place mats!

Then this one greeted me as I opened the pantry to retrieve a box of cereal! No bad guy better think he’s getting a snack while invading this space!

Then even later I noticed this guy pointed at the front door!

Looks like we’re pretty well covered in the area of in-home protection and I love it!! I guess the apples don’t fall far from the tree, as it were. Chris and I used to strategically place little green army men out of sight up on some high ledges around the living room, all pointed at the front door! Yeah, that was before kids!