and the stay-at-home-mom is home again...

after being gone for half the day. But you know how it is, when you know you're going somewhere, you can't really start anything. I did clean up and do some dishes, a few loads of laundry. I started working out then realized, duh, I had to leave in less than 20 minutes and had to get clothes out for the little girls.

It was just a dentist appointment for a few of them. Then a stop at the grocery store for bananas and yogurt and chickn and carrots and green beans and lettuce and a big bag of Kibbles for the two bad puppies. No, they're not REALLY bad, but one or both of them has been peeing during the night. I know if Suri pees, Duke has to pee on top of it, because that's what he does. He rolled in something again today, so had his third bath, we've only had him less than a week.

I can't complain though, he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. He is just nice.

In the grocery store today: Jon, Char, and Camille played Spy, or Hide On Mom, or whatever you want to call it when you know your kids are following you but every time you turn around, you see the top of a head disapearing behind a display. Scurrying back around corners of aisles, laughing and admonishing each other to be more quiet. I WAS going to put stop to it. After all, most people just go to the store to buy some stuff, and are in a hurry. But then I thought about it. They aren't really hurting anything, and it is so much fun for them, especially when I play along and pretend I think they are indeed very stealthy.

On the way home, I stopped at Dunkin'Donuts for the last day of 99 cent Pumpkin Spiced Lattes. The iced ones are super yum. I thought the special was already over with, so I ordered myself a regular coffee, and let them each choose a donut. When I found out the special was still on, I let them each get an iced one, and they were pretttttty happppppy. This is the Best Day Ever, shouted Camille.

Home. Mali visited a bit, we put away the groceries, the princesses are playing in my room. They like to close the blinds and turn on the lamps and the battery candles and play with their stuffed animals and dolls. They have their iced lattes in there, and their donuts still in the bags. They are being save-y. They are probably playing Dunkin'Donuts.

I am thankful that I can spend my days like I do.

Two things: just because I stay home doesn't mean I have tons of free time

And: Even if I don't seem to be extremely busy, I always have things to help with and straighten out for the kids. Even the older ones.

As Evelyn was taking off her socks the other day and asking me what I thought was on the bottom of here foot, and I was saying I had no idea, I had this unbidden thought: What are they going to do without me? Now, I am not planning on checking out anytime soon, and I don't consider myself a superstitious person (just a little stitious, as Aaron would say), but this thought did freak me out just a teeny tiny bit. It's funny how being a mom puts things in perspective though: I can't die, who will act like they care about invisible things on the bottom of their feet?

Seriously though, who will? Not Paul, he will just say, "Uh-huh."

So I hope I live long, not just because I enjoy my days, but because I have lots of kids who need lots of questions answered, they need me to tell them they are beautiful and to encourage them to fight their fights of faith.

Anyway.....enough nonsense for today, there is soccer tonight and I am supposed to be making dinner, which I partly am, there is chicken and a pizza in the oven....