yeah, we have a lot of kids....

I just read one of those cute little articles about having a large family. "You know you have a lot of kids when they won't fit on one couch....when you can't do color coded toothbrushes because there aren't enough colors...when you have too many to even get the "family rate"...." I laughed because our kids don't fit on TWO couches.

Anyway, there are days when I wonder why my life is still so busy - my youngest child will be five years old in November! It could be kittens and the puppy, but I think it is because there are still 12 kids living at home. The oldest three here commute to college (Mali is in the dorm). They are pretty self-sufficient. I don't ask anything of them during the school year because they are so busy. They will help out when they can, they are good kids, but they don't do regular daily stuff for me. Samuel, Margaret and Kathryn will be in high school this year. Then Evelyn, Suzanne, and Sonja will be in middle school. So all those kids will be First Trip kids, meaning they get on the bus an hour earlier than the Second Trip Kids, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille. wah, Camille. Anyway....

The day will be quiet, but the work will still be plentiful. I am hoping to use my time wisely. I have ideas about meal planning, and getting more organized. hmm, perhaps. Once those kids get off the bus in the afternoon though, it is very very busy. Afternoon snacks, homework, listening about their days, saying No T.V. now, reminding them where their backpacks go. Then dinner, which will be properly planned, of course...

I just took a Puppy Break. I already took her outside this morning at 7, then again when I got back from my walk at 8:30. She decided she had to pee again, so she squatted in the middle of the living room and started...I told her No, Outside...and took her out immediately...she finished out there, I patted her head and praised her, ran around with her for a few minutes, then came in and cleaned up the puddle. Slap me silly if I ever want another puppy.

One good thing about having a puppy is this: it gets me outside. Several times a day. But it is a good thing, being outside. Going up and down the steps....when we got Rosie, I lost 11 pounds those first few months. That was a few years before I began my New Lifestyle, aka Diet, so I don't count those pounds when I say I lost 60something pounds.

The thing about announcing I was going to lose forty pounds? Well, I do not know exactly what happened, but I am now three pounds OVER my lowest weight. (Lowest since I started this thing, I was of course lighter several years ago...123 in high school...wah). It is Not Fair, this new metabolism I have since losing some weight. I have to count those almonds. If I have popcorn, it has to be just a cup or two, not Having The Bowl On My Lap. The statistics are against us poor people who have struggled so hard to lose our extra pounds. I do not want my pounds back. I am not even ready to be in maintenance mode, I want to lose more, and it is so very difficult. So....this is my life. Forever, or however long I live anyway, this is it. There is no going back, no giving up. It is obviously preferable to the alternative, which is gaining it all back plus probably more, if I went back to my old habits. So I shall fight this fight, make good choices...and when I slip up, I will not give up.

There, I am re-encouraged.

Okay...Afghanistan. What a mess. The Afghan Army soldiers turning on the U.S. and NATO troops...it is ridiculous to think they can be trusted. This year has been much deadlier than last year. I guess NATO has suggested that soldiers carry loaded guns always when on bases....what a nice way to live, so relaxing. I will be glad when my son is back home, back on U.S. soil....but even gladder when the rest of them are back home too. I totally support our guys, but have serious questions about what good it is for them to be over there....

Well, it is a fine Monday morning. I wish I could say we are staying home, but alas I promised Miss Evelyn a trip to the library. She only has a few days to gorge on books...

The kittens are being too cute. They pounce and and bat at each other...prance around and somersault, leap into the air...rabbit kick each other...I could play with them all day.