a few of my favorite things....

1. I can hardly type this post because our mentally challenged kitty is on my lap, making it difficult to reach the keyboard. He purrs and cuddles and just plain loves me.

2. Margaret just took Camille's bedding out of the dryer, put the clean sheet on her bed, and gave Camille the warm comforter to enjoy. Camille covered my cold feet with it.

3. I went for my walk this morning....it was chilly but so refreshing. My knee is so painful sometimes, but instead of focusing on worrying about how long I will be able to keep up my walking, I try to focus on the fact that Today Is Today, and Today I Can Walk.


4. Coffee. I actually have two cups sitting here on my table, one regular, and one blueberry cobbler flavored.

5. My eleven daughters. This morning I said they were all beautiful inside and out. This morning, Margaret and Kathryn and Evelyn were all in the kitchen at the same time, talking and laughing and not fighting.

6. Dinner is in the crockpot! A nice roast of beef with onions and carrots and potatoes.

7. Charlotte Claire and Camille Anaya. They are playing office in the living room. Char's desk is the coffee table. They are wearing their big sisters' high heels.

Yesterday, the kids had no school, so some of us ended up going out and about. Samuel stayed here with Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille, who still wasn't feeling well. (I would have brought the big van and brought them all:)) Anyway, off in the minivan I went with Margaret 16, Kathryn 15, Evelyn 13, and Suzanne 12. (Sonja K. was at her friend's house). We went to Kohl's and got some $3 sunglasses, some sandals for the little girls for $3.60 a pair, and a few shirts from the clearance racks. Then to Target for a few important things like marked down clothes for the girls. I was looking for a birthday gift for my daughter-in-law, but I won't say what I ended up getting her, just in case she reads this. Then to the grocery store, where I got a cheaty dinner of a few of their $5 pizzas and some chicken tenders. (Evelyn made a huge salad, I had salad with chicken, just a bite of pizza to make sure pizza still tastes really good.) We stopped at the Redbox and got a few movies (Paul and I watched, "World War Z", it wasn't bad.) Then....to the post office! I finally sent the box to Anya! And yes, it was like a party!

Tomorrow, Paul and I are working at the dome for the marching band competition. Bright and early, we leave here at 6:30 am. Lots of our other kids will be working later in the day, too, as it's an all day event. Taking a break will be fun, the bands are amazing to watch. My knee does not like to work at the dome, as the floors are cement and being on my feet all day just kills it. But the rest of me doesn't mind, I love being with my friends from church. There is just no age barrier, some of my best friends are my own kids' ages.

Evelyn is all dressed up to go out and about, her cousin Becky is coming to pick her up. They are going to a bookstore to hang out and read the books and drink coffee, I think.

Did I ever mention what messers my little girls are? They aren't playing office anymore, they just got some coats on and went out the front door. Their offices are still all set up, of course. Last night when I went in my room to go to bed, there were backpacks stuffed with clothes, as they were playing Going On A Trip, and my room must have been the destination. There were dolls and bags and books, and a pumpkin, in my bed.

I am not nearly as busy as I used to be, but believe me, my house still has that Lived In look.

Oh well. Paul and Jonathan just took the old pool fence to the dump, and I don't really want to still be sitting here in my comfy chair when they get back, lest Paul thinks it's all I do all day:) Plus, I do have things to do.