blustery and cold with snow showers moving in...

blah. I have to go out and about this afternoon, and it is going to be snowy. And cold and windy. At least I finally got my warm furry boots from the minivan, they had been there since the trip. It just ain't sandal weather here in central New York these days.

The kids' glasses are in at the Sears Optical department in the mall in the suburbs, 40 minutes away. They want their glasses, I don't blame them. So I am being a nice mommy and bringing them down there after school. Mirielle and Joseph already got theirs, now Aaron and Mali and Sam and Margaret need theirs...although I think Aaron is only getting contact lenses...his glasses are still good. Mali got both because her glasses are taped together, and because I am a nice mommy. Only either glasses or contacts is covered by insurance.....

So, since I am driving all the way down there in the big gas-hog-of-a-van, I shall also go into the Price-Chopper to get a few things they have on sale. The kids won't protest too much, since they know I am nice to take them to get their glasses...see, I told them I wasn't going until Friday....then I found out there is a Dome event, and Paul and all the older ones will be there....then another Dome event on Saturday....then on Sunday Paul leaves for Boston for a few weeks for work....which admittedly has nothing to do with picking up glasses....oh, and Joseph and Aaron and Samuel will be at a young brothers' conference all for the weekend, too.

Yesterday I had to fill out excuses for some of the unexcused absences the school had on file for the elementary kids. The state requires a note, and if the absences is unexcusable, like missing the bus or oversleeping, the state will not excuse it and it is ILLEGAL. Well...imagine my joy and surprise when I saw it listed that when Mr. Jonathan's jacket zipper broke as he was going out the door one freezing morning in December, when I told him to stay home because his other coat's sleeves were shrinking and the cuffs were inching toward his elbows...I couldn't send him in a girl's coat....so he got a day off. Well, apparently it was ILLEGAL. I sent in a note, AND talked to the nurse on the phone. But it is ILLEGAL to keep your child home for that reason. America....is she really free?

New York state is full of laws and red tape. In Oklahoma, people carry guns. Their cars have tinted windows, they talk on their cell phones while driving, they sport no helmets while motorcycling. I am not saying this is all safe behavior, especially the lady who pulled in front of Joseph, then slowed down and was weaving all around the road...she was texting. Going over 70 miles per hour, and texting. I guess laws are for people who cannot think for themselves. (that was another thing, we crossed into Oklahoma, and 75 miles per hour on the highway...wow. )

It is snowing now, and the wind is blowing....winter, winter, winter....so long and exhausting! My girls want to go outside to play!

Yesterday the girls "helped" me make pumpking muffins with cinnamon streusel topping....super yummy. Then we had "tea" and hot muffins. The first thing Charlotte Claire said to me this morning was, "Can we have a tea party today?" See, I do these things instead of the things I should be doing....always have, always will. Until the day comes when I have no little ones to have tea with. Then perhaps I shall do what Martha does, tend to a "garden"....

What will I do if I wake up one fine morning and have absolutely nothing to blog about?

I think today I shall clean my house so clean the kids won't recognize it when they come home today.

What will I do with everything?

Is the top of the dog cage really the best place for the library books?

blah....it is snowing so hard I can barely see the trees out back....