Monday Musings

After 5 straight days of David being home (he had some extra vacation time he had to use)a long rainy Monday loomed ahead of me and the kiddos. I heard Tate talking to his crib bars entirely too early this morning and there was no male next to me to nudge out of bed to get him. (Yes ladies, I'm spoiled). Before I could get the stairs gated, Drue appeared at the top of them crying because she wanted someone to carry her down them. But I couldn't yet put Tate down to accomplish this task so...you guessed it...we were graced with the first fit of the day. Why oh why had I asked God for patience this morning? Here came my first test.

I enjoyed having David home for a mulitude of reasons. Another adult in the house. The ability to dash out and run a kid free errand at any given moment. He usually got hungry before me for lunch so he would make all the kids lunch also. Overlooking the fact that he gives them cheetos before 9am, koolaid whenever they're thirsty, and picks them all up at the slightest wail, I sorta miss the lil' fella when he has to go back to work.

My plan of attack was to leave the scene with the little ones. Get out of the house before the walls caved in right on top of me. After breakfast, outfits, potty trips, and located shoes, we were on our way. First to the library. With no library card in sight. Too late now, I would have to bat my eyelashes in innocence and procure a new one. I even called ahead to be sure the library was open. Apparently, I called the wrong branch (I thought all libraries would have standard hours) and we found ourselves sitting in a very empty parking lot with 55 minutes to spare. Another test?

I passed that one with flying colors as we headed off to play at the Mall near our house. I have been putting it off for some time, I must admit. No matter how much I sanitize their little hands after playing there, they always get the sniffles! But since they are just getting over colds, I figured they still had some built up immunity. Either that, or my kids would be the ones making all the others sick this time.

Here are some pics of that blessed hour of running themselves ragged.

Not much hope this boat will stay afloat

 

Hangin' out in the tree house

 

Attacking the ladybug

 

She looks so much like me it's scary (well, not really...she's too adorable to scare anyone)

 

On our way back to the car we passed a costume shop. The buy one get one free sign caught my eye. The girls and I are going to see an outdoor play of The Wizard of Oz in July, and naturally, they want to dress the part. (Just to sit in the audience, they aren't actually in the play. Although they might be recruited when the directors see how cute they look.) Drue wants to be Dorothy. Reese wants to be Glenda. (No, I will not be the scarecrow just in case you were wondering).

We finally made it to our intended destination of the library and discovered every other Mother in the midwest had the same idea. "3 books each", I informed the girls. They pulled random books off the shelves, and somehow managed to break a shelf the first 5 minutes we were there. I braced myself for checkout because I remembered last year sometime, we had kept a movie way past the due date and I was just sure the fine had surpassed $20. It ended up being just a little over $5. Thank goodness.

The girls bickered all the way home because they didn't want each other looking at the other one's books. I informed them no less than 16 times that we were sharing all the books with each other and I would read them after lunch. They then proceeded to look at their books quietly as I got lunch ready. I feared they had been swallowed by the couch cushions.

Drue and Tate woke up from their naps a smidge earlier than I expected and the clock only read 2:20. 3 hours left til' the opening of the garage door signalled reinforcements. We played outside a bit then headed to Target and the toy store, where they could be contained in a shopping cart whilst I breezed leisurely through the aisles daydreaming about all the fun things I could buy if we won the lottery.

After a yummy meal of tacos, which David came home in the middle of (sorry dear, I just couldn't wait) I snuck down here to the basement to blog a bit. The sounds of squealing children, a rather rambunctious bath, and barking beagles shake the floor above me. What do I care? They're on David's watch now....

I really didn't intend for this post to go on and on. Look at it this way, you were able to endure my entire day with me almost in real time. Let me close by saying I do love my little darlings, I know these times will go by way too fast, I'm very blessed to only have to work parttime and get to spend most of my days at home.

But a rainy, husbandless Monday can really kick me in the seat of my pants sometimes....