staying home, ha....

I was planning to stay home today. I really was. Sam is sick with a cold, Joe is sick with a cold, and Sonja convinced me she just didn't feel well and had to stay home from school. So, I started my day...got kids washed up and dressed and brushed, made lunches, and sent them out the door. Washed some dishes, cleaned up a bit...then Paul called. He forgot his lunch. I was just about to settled down with coffee and some oatmeal with peanutbutter. Well, he said, his breakfast was in there too. Dang. I said I would be there soon. Sonja came along, and Suri too. And then...

we were all dressed, and Sonja loves going shopping...

so we went to Target. We got backpacks for 70% off for next year.

We got a few Christmas presents.

We got some almonds for Joseph, plain roasted, not smoked.

There is a Starbucks in Target. The smell, oh yummy...and they have pumpkin spice lattes. $3.45 for a small. ouch. I told Sonja that Aaron said the ones we make at home are better than Starbucks. So we went to the grocery store instead. If we had just bought a can of pumpkin, I would say we saved money. But we bought some burger and some chicken and some more Christmas presents, AND some of the wokery chicken for lunch.

I haven't made the lattes yet, I will soon for the older kids when they get home from school. I put pumpkin in the blender with some half and half and milk, and pumpkin pie spices. I add just a little bit of sugar, and a few packets of stevia, or none at all if it's just for me. After it's blended, I pour it into a pan and heat it a bit, then pour it into a half a cup of coffee.

Anyway, Paul would've been better off just buying his lunch from the cafeteria at work, for all the money he didn't save by me bringing it in.

I worked out when we got home, and put some laundry in. I put some chicken to marinade, then put it in the freezer. I plan to make meatloaf and potatoes and carrots for dinner.

Oh, when I was in Target, I was texting with Benjamin. It is surreal to walk around in Target and communicate with someone who is half the world away, in Afghanistan. He was promoted today to Specialist, he is no longer a Private First Class.

I was in B.J's talking to him the other day about a rough day he had, getting shot at, ect., While he was telling me about having to call in a 'copter for help, I was wandering down the Christmas aisle, wondering why on earth anyone would pay $14.99 for a Hershey Kiss shaped candy dish...the contrast between the Real Life War Story I was hearing, and the frivolous-ness of that candy dish...wow.

Anyhoo...not much of anything exciting going on here. Just regular days, just how we like 'em. It is cloudy and sprinkly here today, just a bit chilly. So very cozy and comfy in the house. The dog is snoring, the kittens are snoozing, and I would love to take a nap too....