growing where you're planted...

I am so easily distracted, and so quickly lured into thoughts that aren't productive. Here I am, almost 52 years old, and there are so many things I find myself wishing for and wanting. Let's be real here, if I live another 30 years, I'll be most fortunate. In fact I may have googled it and found out that I have approximately a 67% chance. So...why would I possibly need more/better stuff?

But then, my tastes aren't so extravagant, the grill in the Aldi ad for $199...new pillows for the deck chairs I got at the thrift store...reasonable things.



Anyway. This morning I walked again, this time with two little girls. I noticed that one of these small girls likes to complain. Oh, a swarm of bugs, oh it stinks (we live on a farm road, and yeah, manure), my feet hurt, my eyes hurt. I tried to ignore it, but by the Eyes Hurt thingy, I was like, "Okay, you're at #4, enough." So then I try to talk to her sister, and she does this stomp stomp stomp thing with her feet, like she can barely take another step. I ignore this, wait until her sister is done talking, then tell them about the Native Americans, how they learned to walk stealthily, so they wouldn't scare away the prey. We talked about how if they didn't hunt, they didn't eat, unless they survived on squash and corn and beans. They needed the furs too. Little Miss started taking quiet steps while we talked about this, so I asked her if her feet felt better walking the quiet way...no, she said, of course it feels better to stomp stomp stomp. Oh well.

I also nicely suggested we all think before we talk, and try not to use our whining voice.

The two of them are so different, but they vie for my attention sometimes, so I have to be careful not to give too much attention to bad behavior, or it reinforces it. I also have to work on this with all the kids: if I suggest an alternate behavior to one child, or rather say, Knock It Off!, I don't need a chorus of agreement from the siblings, nor do I need a litany of past offenses brought up. They aren't allowed to put their two cents in, if they have an issue, they can talk to me about it later. I try to make this clear when things are all sunshiney and peaceful, and they say of course they won't do this, Mom, what are you talking about. But as soon as I say something to someone, it starts. So we are working on it.

Anyway, we walked this fine morning. Yesterday, I took the two little princesses to the library. We found books, and sat around reading...it was lovely. A quick stop at the thrift store on the way home yielded two sweet pairs of sandals for Miss Char, and a huge set of outdoor fun for $3, rackets and paddles and horseshoes.

Home...ah, sunshine...then, time to clean up the house. I had warned all the kids we were going to pitch in and clean up, but it was still like pulling teeth. Most of them help, but put that iPod down, and give it your all for just ten minutes, please! I put chicken and pork chops in the oven, made some sweet potatoes and russet potatoes, some mixed veggies, and some french fries...and we had company! Five small children came to visit for the evening! My sister's daughter is getting married this Saturday...she has seven daughters, one lives in Australia. So they all are happy to be together, and went out to dinner with my sister...I watched Susan's three and two of Janet's three. Will, Sebastian, Linnea, Vivienne, and Nadine were here. It was great fun, they are all really good children, and our house was happy and loud and it was just sweetness. The little ones are two and three, and don't care for doggies, but they did fine. Our dogs don't really care much about kids, they wag and try to lick faces, but they aren't really concerned about their presence. They just greet, then lie down and say HARRUMPH, head on paws.

So it was a nice evening...then this morning at 3:30, I was getting up out of warm cozy bed to drive Mirielle and Evelyn to the airport...they are flying to Florida, staying a few days at the beach, then driving Grandma's car home for her, as she is flying home. Yes, I went back to bed as the sun was coming up.

Today...gymnastics...we need dog food and coffee filters and milk (the bottom part of the 'fridge is still working, the top part is too warm)...we need some fresh fruit and veggies, and today is Joseph's birthday...he is 26! So I should get him something...I have a few little things...so many birthdays. I guess if you have 16 kids, that's a birthday every 22.8 days, and we have three in May and one in April...

Ah well....Sam is making bacon and eggs.