museum day

What a day we had yesterday! My friend A. and I have been trying forever to get together on a museum trip, then yesterday I found out she was going, sort of spur of the moment. So, with half the kids still in bed and the other half in their jammies starting a game of Monoply, I decided to go for it. It is like 60 miles away, but the sun was shining, and thanks to internet weather at my fingertips, a good forecast for a day trip.

So, Molly made PBJs, Kathryn baggied (I love verbing nouns, it drives my smarter-than-me teenagers crazy) up some chips, while I got out clothes, made bottles, took a shower, nursed Camille, and gave orders for everything else. One thing I hate: arriving somewhere to discover someone has a raggy coat on, or two left boots in different sizes. And: if 4 little girls have matching suede boots, (cheap, of course:$4.24 at Target) shouldn't they wear them? But no, two of them want shoes, and one sneakers....

Anyway, we got on the road: Molly, Sam, Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, Camille, and I. Also, a friend, P., and my nieces, E. , A., and sweet little G. So the 15 passenger van was full. Em was at work, Ab had class, Ben had homework, Joe had to play guitar, Mariel and Aaron just opted to stay home....

I think every mom thinks she has the cutest, funniest kids. My Charlotte Claire is just so adorable, so sweet. She will turn 2 in May. She generally doesn't talk. She knows words, but she likes to scream and point, and gesture to get her point across. She understands what we say, but that doesn't mean she listens....anyway, it was more fun than I can put into words, seeing my kids enjoy themselves at the museum. Charlotte Claire liked seeing the other kids. She liked the train table, too. And the little grocery store. But her favorite was the troll bridge. Just going up five little stairs, walking across the bridge, and going back down. The stairs here are off limits to her, because she is hard enough to keep track of on one floor....the fact that she was hobbling around with one leg in a pink cast up to her thigh only added to her adorable-ness.

This museum is a toy museum, a play place. I haven't grown up yet, so I love it. It's one of the few places that offers a family membership, so it's a bargain for us: $80 for a year, and we've gone 4 times in the past year....

Is this boring? I'll tell you what I have to do today: grocery shop. Today is Mariel's 18th birthday, and she is my coupon cutter and bargain shopper buddy. Tomorrow is Suzanne's 7th birthday, and we are having a Hawaiian party! 6 little girls are coming over, and we're having fajitas, Suzanne's favorite. It is cold and snowy here in the great Northeast, and kids have been indoors alot. These kids will be excited and full of energy, so I better start praying for extra patience any time now... Anyway, we need some supplies. but it is snowing like crazy and a 15 passenger van is wonderful for fitting all the kids, but not so wonderful in the snow....maybe I'll wait til dear daddy gets home, and take the truck....we go through food at amazing speeds here....we are always out of something because: just because I have alot of kids doesn't mean: I am organized. I am not. I am in little segments: I always have lots of clean spit up blankets, and I know where they are. But to plan meals ahead, and keep track of how much toilet paper or bunny food we have, forget it. No specific shopping day, just where it fits in.......

Camille Anaya is awake now, and looking pretty cuddly. In her pink fleecy jammies. And she's hungry. And Jon just got up, in his nice new camo-jammies, soaking wet, no doubt. So, my time to write must end. I do enjoy this. My little living-for-myself thing, I guess.