oops!

My poor computer. I don't know exactly what happened to it, but I always keep it in the case. Perhaps it was stepped on, I. I can't see the upper left hand side, so if I make typing errors, I will be blissfully unaware. It's a Samsung Chromebook, and I love it. I attempted to email customer service last evening, but it's hard when you can't use some of the functions, so maybe I'll try again on someone else's computer. Never a dull moment, I tell you.

Oh joy, we baby sat for Mali's friend's baby yesterday. She was here for ten hours, and we enjoyed every minute of it. She's a sweet baby. I think Joseph is the only one of the kids here who didn't hold her. Or more specifically, fight over her. They took turns and lined up and I barely got a chance to hold her. She looked at them all in wonder. Babies are so innocent and trusting. Paul kept telling Camille that she would make a good big sister. They were all asking please, for another baby. Paul told them that he wanted one but just couldn't convince Mom, ha. As if. It was pretty cute, I heard him tell one of them that he has been wanting another baby for years now:), but we got too old. Who knows, maybe. Or maybe someone who doesn't want their baby will give it to us. I know, that sounds awful. But am I the only one who reads the stories in the news about someone dumping a newborn in a dumpster somewhere...and thinks, I would have taken that baby!!!?

Anyway, it was very fulfilling to rock and hold and change that baby. She's only a few months old, still to tiny and sweet.

I am tired though. Her mama picked her up at like 1:30, so I didn't get my beauty sleep. blah. I have been scatter-brained lately, I can't wait to see what today brings, being tired too.

The little girls (and Jon) made snickerdoodles yesterday. I baked them, but they did all the measuring and most of the mixing. It was a double batch, so Char couldn't handle the mixer once the flour was added in, but they did all the rest, especially forming the little balls and rolling them in cinnamon and sugar. They came out so amazing, don't ask me how I know that.

Today I am going out and about just a wee little bit. Most of the kids will stay here and do their work, but Camille wants to go with me. She is rather clingy since I got back from Washington. She is an excellent adventuring companion though, so I don't mind.

Christmas is sneaking up on me. Going on vacation for a week in December tends to make it do that. A whole week of no buying or wrapping or baking or decorating. It's quite nice, in a way, but when I get home, it seems overwhelming. I still have a few things to wrap. There is one doll I bought for Camille online before Thanksgiving, and I don't remember receiving it, don't remember wrapping it. I checked, and it was delivered on the day after the girls' car accident, when my brains were pretty scrambled. When I was in Washington, Emily took the kids to get a tree. They put it up and decorated it, and put all the wrapped presents under it. There were some stacked in Evelyn's room, so they just put them under. I guess if the doll is wrapped under there somewhere, Camille will get a doll, if not, she won't.

And here I sit while the day ticks by. The girls are playing. They have been keeping their room really clean and vacuumed, and spending lots of time in there playing house. They dress up all of their dolls, and make couches out of bins. They don't get bored. But then, neither do I.

I mopped the floor and put in some laundry this morning, and washed up the dishes. We had roasted whole chickens for dinner last night, with sweet potatoes, peas, and green beans. Tonight I will make chicken soup from the broth and leftover meat. I love knowing what I am having for dinner, I feel so on top of things. For some of us, it doesn't take much.

And...off I go.