ahh, friday, and finally a real post....

Today, I thought I would try to sneak in some time to finish my book. It's the right kind of day for it, overcast and gloomy, my favorite kind of day, although those brilliantly sunny warm ones are nice too. Anyway, I thought maybe I would sneak back to bed and get some reading in. Some relaxing. But Paul is working from home today, and the little girls didn't go to school, and I have been so busy...

Here's what I did yesterday:

Got the kids out to school.

Swept and cleaned off the counters.

Made some coffee, and left with Emily to shop for the food for my niece Ellen's wedding.

We first dropped the minivan off to get the oil changed and an inspection done.

Then off to Aldi. Then to Wegmans. Then to Maines, which is like ten miles farther because the parmesan cheese was too expensive at Wegmans. Then a coffee stop, then out to the church to put unload. Then to the school to pick up Charlotte Claire and Camille, then home. We had just enough time to bring in our own groceries, say goodbye to Emily, then to the small city for Char's dentist appointment. It was only the princesses and me, and they wanted to go to Kohl's because they love looking at the clothes, and knew I wanted to get a birthday present for Sonja. We did, and we got her a skater skirt, a t-shirt, a sweater, and some leggings. (She liked them, yay me!). (her birthday isn't until tomorrow, but I couldn't wait.)) Anyway. Then to Walmart to get batteries for Jon's birthday present, and some stuff for their party, good stuff like streamers and plates and balloons. Then to BJ's for brownie mix for the wedding. The girls had fun in there because they were giving out samples. I did take a piece of Dove chocolate:), but skipped the crackers and grape juice. Camille went to the cracker table three times, poor starving child.

Home to drop off the kids and the stuff, then back to town with Margaret, to pick up the minivan. Yes, it passed New York state inspection, but. It needs new something or others. The poor mechanic was explaining it to me, and said, "You know, the bushers." Um, I said, No, actually I don't. It is only a few hundred to get them all replaced, and we need that van in good shape for our trip to Georgia next week.

Ahh, home. I made dinner (orange ginger chicken breast, zucchini and onions and cauliflower roasted in the oven, and cantaloupe.) Then in the evening, ice cream pie for Jon's birthday, which I had made the night before. I only had a few teaspoons full, phew. It was too good with that butter/crumbled cookie crust, and hot fudge on top.

Anyway, Emily and Abigail were over for a visit, and we had a very relaxing and pleasant evening. I was ready to turn in early-ish, and right as I was getting in the shower, Kathryn texted and wanted a ride home from babysitting for my niece's children. Paul thankfully volunteered to go.

So today, I let the girls stay home because Char's cheeks were like a chipmunk yesterday from the dentist visit, and of course Camille said she just didn't feel great, and they haven't missed a day in a while, so I said they could stay home. Yay! Party time! They had all these plans, and their joy is so contagious.


I have swept and washed bedding and clothes and towels, baked several dozen cupcakes, and packed them up for Sunday. I still have to frost them, but I love that part. I washed the top of the stove, puttered around wiping things down and sorting things and cleaning up. I helped Camille work on her school project, and fill the goody bags for the party, which is on Sunday.

Tomorrow is a wedding!!!! My sister's number six daughter Ellen is getting married. (she has seven). There are 300 guests expected, Paul is helping with the meal. He has to go out tonight to prepare, and go early tomorrow to help again. Some of my kids are also helping to serve. It shall be a very encouraging time, and very nice to see so many friends. My sister's #4 daughter is in town from Australia with her fiance, her family is meeting him for the first time. I don't even know what I am going to wear yet, that's how busy I have been. I will probably wear the same dress I wore last year for Ellen's sister Janet's wedding, and to my other niece Liz's wedding. I would like to have looked in Kohl's and found a fabulous dress that makes me look like fifty pounds lighter, for ten bucks or so, but I didn't even look. We had shopped so much, and I just didn't feel like it.

Anyway. Here I sit, having a little relaxation while the girls clean their ever-messy room. They just had some ice cream pie with Jonny, and I politely declined. Miss Char has a big plan, and amidst all the stuff I did today, she has been driving me batty. She has saved up all her birthday and Christmas money for a long time, and has over a hundred dollars. She wants to buy a tablet, and she wants it before we go to Georgia, which means we can't order it and know it will get here in time. So she has been looking online all day, on and off, looking for one that she can afford and that is in stock. Even though it has been annoying, I get a kick out of my consumer-driven kids, learning how to navigate the internet and find who has what in stock, and compare prices and features. Of course this whole thing is RIGHT up Jon's alley, so they have been chattering to me all day the virtues of this or that tablet.

The verdict is that if those girls get their room cleaned, I will take them to the small city to Walmart and let Char get her tablet. I am so nice I can't stand it. Because seriously, I would rather go to the pool, or just chill, or or or. But. I promised, because it will perhaps get that room cleaned....and perhaps stop the tablet talk.

Oh, and here is something to rejoice about: Mali passed nursing school!!!! She did it! She persevered, she passed her tests, she passed her classes, and she is done, all except for one class she has to take for six weeks. I am very proud of her. If I had a dollar for everytime she was ready to give up....

So next Wednesday, we are outta here! We are heading to Georgia!!!! The ride will be challenging with the little kids, but they were so good on the trip to Florida last year, I'm sure we'll survive. This trip is only 17 hours, with stops probably longer, but really not so long.

So that's what has been going on here. I got back from Seattle on Tuesday, and have been going non-stop ever since. I am so extremely thankful for my family lately. Shopping with Emily, which isn't how I would have chosen to spend my day yesterday, but we agreed to help, and we both know how to make the best of life, and we certainly had our fun. Life is too short to grump about what one has to do. My two little girls have been fighting too much lately. They are 18 months apart, and the best of friends, but when they have their competitive moments or their squabbles, look out. They know how to push each others' buttons, and when they have a mind to fight, they are really good at it. Sometimes I think they just get bored and argue recreationally. I told them today that I am not going to try to figure out who said what or who is at fault, but if they are bound and determined to fight, they can just sit in chairs or go in their room and fight all they want to. I figure if they are doing it for attention from me, they can just cross that off their list. If I were to try to sort out all the little hissy fits, by the time I got to the bottom of things, they would move on to getting along well, and be best friends again. Jon sometimes gets involved, mostly because he likes to argue a bit, but he mostly does it for something to do.

My five-girls-in-a-row-in-five-years, phew, they can disagree! At any given time, there are two of them at each other. I try to get involved as little as possible.

Anyway. I am enjoying my life. I do recognize that I have People Coming Over Anxiety. I never feel the house is clean enough for company. Probably because...it isn't. It just isn't in my realm of capability to keep this place spotless all the time. I do not like clutter, and it isn't dirty, but...it isn't how I would like it to be. So when company is coming, I see a million things that I need done, now! We are having people over on Sunday for a double birthday party for Jon and Charlotte Claire, their friends, and perhaps their friends' parents, and some relatives....it is supposed to rain, so the house will be pretty full. I could do my old trick and make cookies, like I did one time the house was messy and some boys from church came over. They were so distracted by the hot chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven, they didn't care about the house. :)

Oh well, dinner time approaches and yup, no idea what to make yet. And, I need to go on a long walk down the road before it rains again. And, Jonathan is playing with his new remote controlled helicopter and is commenting and talking to me....