monumental mayhem....

And it isn't the kids! This is the little sweetie I have watched a few times this week and last...


This is her five year old brother...he keeps himself so busy, loves to play with the waffle blocks. It makes me happy that I have kept so many toys, when these kids come over.

Anyhoo...it isn't the kids coming over that makes the crazy around here: it's Aaron's dog! Oh Aaron, I send you a slap through the internet! He took a little vacation, and we said Sure, We'll Watch Lily...and yeah, we knew Lil was a crazy dog, but oh dear. She's a handful! It's a good thing she's cute, and I'm nice. She is a destroyer of slippers and flip-flops. She left a surprise on the kitchen floor yesterday, then another one this morning. She's kind of magic: she can be here and there and everywhere all at once! She gets all up in Duke's grill, and he has that Cone Of Shame, so he just does a little growl and she backs off, she's at least got some common sense. She's friends with Suri now, so that's fun. Having two huge doggies chase each other around the house...they knocked down the floor lamp this morning.

And she didn't sleep through the night last night. I had to take three dogs out at 4:00 a.m. Seriously.

It is getting better as we adjust, and she adjusts, but oh dear. She is kind though, no malice or meanness. Just excitement and happiness, and when we ask her questions, she cocks her head to the side so far it looks sideways, and it is adorable. The cat is joining in the fun now, attacking and trying to play. Oh joy.

Yesterday I had the two sweet children visit me for a few hours...while they were still here I had to bring Duke to the vet for a check, leaving Evelyn and Kathryn in charge. Sonja K. went with me...

I think we look like twins.:) My kids all look so different, but they all look a little bit like me.

Anyhow...our little friend Davian wanted to come over...

Can you see why it was a unanimous YES? He's a doll. We took a swim in the pool after I returned from the vet. (Duke's healing up well. He has to keep that cone on so he can't bet at his ear, which is like a funny movie, as my mother-in-law would say. He crashes into everything, and has no inkling that he should perhaps lift his head a little more to get up the steps instead of the cone crashing into every.single.step.)

Anyway...after a while, it was time to bring Jonathan over to his friend's party....and Char and Cam over to their friend's house...and Davian didn't want to go home yet, he suggested that we get a Coolata...so he came along for the ride, and we went to DunkinDonuts...


Davian can read, so when he chose his donut, he asked for, "Strawberry, please." Strawberry was what it said on the little placard on the shelf for the pink with sprinkles. He is so funny and sweet. He ordered a mango Coolata. When we were leaving, he was holding my hand, and looked up at me and said, "Thank you, Della." So sweet, he is.

Five of my daughters left to go spend the night at Grandma's house. She took them out for pizza and for a movie. Paul and I ended up eating dinner all by ourselves! I grilled pork chops, steamed some broccoli, and made salads, while he picked zucchini from the garden, and fried it up with seasonings...mmm.

Okay...Pool Story. Our pool isn't anything gorgeous. It's not landscaped or inground, but I love it. It makes the summer heat bearable and enjoyable, and it provides a place for all sorts of interesting interactions with the kids, there are all different combinations of kids I swim with each day. It is refreshing, and makes getting some exercise quite fun. Anyhow. With all this sunshine, the water evaporates. So we put the hose in for a while the other night. oops, forgot to take it out! I heard a noise that evening, the sound of water dripping and spilling...and yup, the hose was still on. Long story short, the next morning, I went out to turn on the pool filter, and what!!!? All that water was....drained! The pool wasn't empty of course, but the water level had gone down to under the skimmer, so we couldn't turn on the filter! There was a leak! I searched for it, couldn't find it...and I felt despair. I love that pool, and it was finally so clear one could see one's toes perfectly at the bottom. ugh. blah. I was not happy about it.

Then I had a thought. It was this: be thankful. rrr. No, be thankful. Fight for it, for thankfulness. I mean, when IS the testing of one's faith? I thought about the Glad Game (Pollyanna!).

Then Paul came home from work, all happy and thrilled to have another thing to work on...and ha, someone had left the filter on "backwash", hence the water drained out. It was probably...um, probably me. ha. oops. All that anxiety and worry and it was such a simple fix. oops.

I was totally jumping for joy, despite Paul shaking his head at my stupidity.

The doggies are all settled down quietly right now. Duke sprawled in the middle of the floor, Lily on my feet...I mean RIGHT on my feet...and Suri on the couch she's not supposed to be on, with Camille...I am overlooking it because if I tell her to Get Down, she'll get up and jump down, and it might stir them all up again. phew. I actually told the little girls to turn on the television this morning because I wanted to write, and have a little bit of quiet, Bad Mom Award. Jon isn't home from his friend's yet, the girls are all still with Grandma, Joe is working on art...

The minivan is fixed, and it was no charge, because the part was just replaced a few onths ago and it was under warranty, which was good because the vet bill....ouchy.

Mali is due to have her baby in four weeks, but has had just about enough of being pregnant. She is working five 12 hour shifts in a row at the hospital, and is just tired out. I told her: one day at a time, one moment at a time. Tell Satan with his whispers and worries to go back to hell where he belongs!

Worry and stress...I hate them. I hate when I let things pile on me and weigh me down. I realize that I do not have to live that way, and am thankful, so thankful that God is good, and sends all things for my very best.

Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden was light.