aah, sunday

Camille likes Abigail to play airplane with her... Jon feels sorry for poor Camille....

Who snapped this child's jacket? She can go backwards on this bike...

Sundays are nice. The little kids get up readily enough, surprisingly, seeing how hard it is to rouse them on school days....the older kids are another story, however. They have to be shouted out of bed, sort of....and then to get everyone fed, dressed, brushed, shoed (is that a word?), coated, armed with snacks, bottles, toys, bibles, songbooks......out the door by 10:30.....today, for various reasons a few of the older ones had other things to do, and two friends were here, so we couldn't fit in the 15 passenger van....anyway, services were extremely encouraging today....it is so good to see our friends.

Then some of us went to the grocery store: Molly and I, with Suzanne, Sonja, Jon, Charlotte Claire, and Camille. Why did we do this on a Sunday afternoon? I am not sure. Molly wanted to do something fun with the kids, and we needed some things...so the fun thing was we stopped at the Burger King drive-through.....and got them some simple stuff, and ice waters....and they ate it on the way to the grocery store.....then when we were getting out of the van, we decided to change a few diapers....Camille was leaking.....what a mess....then, into the store....Jon headed for the car cart, so of course Charlotte Claire wanted in, too. Then, bathroom visit! Molly took a few of them in, and left me standing there with Camille in one cart, and Charlotte Claire in the other one.....which was fine, until Charlotte Claire escaped the car cart, headed for the apples, grabbed one and threw it....I reached her before she threw another....and strapped her into the front part of the cart....she fussed and complained, but eventually she calmed down. A two year old loose in the grocery store is not my idea of fun.....

Then we went to the bulk foods, and I let the kids pick out a few pieces of candy.....

At this particular store, there is a nice toy display in the front of the store, with lots of cars and trucks for sale....which is pretty challenging for Jon, who just begs for just one new matchbox car. They only cost a buck, but sorry bud, we can't get one everytime we go somewhere.....He said I never buy him anything!!! He fussed a little, but he got over it....

Then home with the groceries, tired kids who had no naps, and time for making dinner....I got the chicken on to boil, measured out the rice, put some broccoli in the microwave.....gave Camille to daddy and Abigail to watch, and put on my sneakers.....I walked for 30 minutes....came back, feeling like taking a nap, but put the chicken on the grill.....and on and on and on, then they had showers and went to bed.....and here I am......how exciting, eh?

Sometimes by the time I get them all in bed, I am just so tired I can barely get back up and get their school clothes out for the next day......

Oh, my sweet little Camille is being a terrible sleeper lately. Last night, I left her home when we went visiting. She went to bed for Molly just fine. Then she woke up a few hours later, and would not go back to bed. Every time Molly put her in her little pink bed, she screamed...and screamed, and screamed.....so, I came home and put her back to bed.....BUT THEN: she woke up around 4 o'clock, and everytime I lay her down, she screamed.....so, I went back on one of my few remaining principles, which is do not take babies or children into bed with me.....but I did just that. At 7:30 in the morning. When I should have been getting up. I slept until 9:00....then I had to get up to go to church......uuugggh....not easy, especially since Miss Camille was spoiledly sleeping like a snuggly little angel, all warm under the covers with me.....so, now I should be getting my rear out of this chair, and heading in to bed....because I do not know what kind of tricks she will pull tonight! And tomorrow, I have to get up for school.....