monday, monday....

and I can't decide how to use this small block of free time. Very small. The first trip bus will be here any minute. Camille and Charlotte Claire are napping. Jon is playing with his Halloween candy. I want a nap. Sweet little Camille, who is turning one year old in 4 days, turns into a monster in the night. I am sometimes actually surprised how sweet she looks come morning. Last night, she was up 3 different times. So, a nap sounds absolutely delicious. Sweet and wonderful. But also a waste of precious quiet afternoon time. When the kids get off the bus, and I can ask about their days.....that slow time, before the rush of getting dinner starts....that coffee time....



And: I need a few things at the store. The store, which isn't my favorite, is 14 miles away. My favorite one is almost twice that. We are having company for dinner tomorrow night. There is some cleaning up to do here. If I use my time at the store, I will be extra tired, and the house will be getting messier, not cleaner. If I use it for a nap, I will still need stuff at the store, and the house will be getting messier. Sometimes I wish afternoon lasted all day long.



I have just decided to do a chore list this afternoon. Some things above and beyond the call of duty. They are already protesting.....



Mom, mom, mom. It takes me a minute to come to the surface. I like when I put the baby in bed, then go into the bathroom...Mom, mom, mom. If I yell WHAT, the baby will wake up.....they seem to think I should always be right here in the living room or kitchen. Charlotte Claire takes personal offense if I don't let her in the bathroom with me. And I have to have Camille in her seat or high chair, or in bed before I attempt to take a quick bathroom break.

I just decided to save the store trip for tonight, after dinner. Put it off a little, so I can sit here longer. There is no easy way. Even if the store was 5 minutes away, I would be gone an hour, because I dawdle. Is that even a word?

Here is the chore list for this afternoon: (M., are you glad you are in Canada?)

Joseph: Clean foyer, vacuum stairs, clean and vacuum downstairs hall

Aaron: pick up and vacuum

Molly: help me put away the PILE of CLOTHES on the couch. The pile I said would never return. It's back. It doesn't have a life of it's own yet, so it won't take too long.

Samuel: Unload dishwasher, load it up after dinner

Margaret: Clean downstairs bathroom

Kathryn: Set the table, clean the windows

Evelyn: Clean upstairs bathroom

Suzanne: Play with Charlotte Claire

Sonja: pick up the shoes near the door by the pair, put them on the shelf, hang up the jackets....make it neat over there....

Jonathan: pick up your cars in the living room.....


There, I feel better already. I do hate to leave tonight, though. The macaroni and cheese pan from last night is still soaking in the sink.

My day today: Woke up at 7:10.....couldn't believe how tired I was....

Made sure all the first trip kids were up, and getting ready for school (Joseph wasn't up). Aaron was up, and Molly, Samuel, Margaret, and Kathryn. Woke Joe up. First trip kids got on the bus. Went quietly into the little kids' room and woke up Evelyn, Suzanne, and Sonja. Made several bagels, and a cup of coffee. Encouraged them to get dressed, sat down and started to do their hair, while I ate my bagel and had coffee. Camille woke up. The girls took turns keeping her away from my coffee while I did their hair. Woke Joseph up again. The girls got their teeth brushed, and went on the second trip bus. Woke Joseph up again.....Emily had classes today, so she drove him to school.

I changed and nursed Camille. Then changed Charlotte Claire's diaper.

I swept the floor. Picked up the living room, threw in a load of towels. Sat with Evelyn (who somehow got to stay home today), Jonathan, Charlotte Claire and Camille and had some cereal. Loaded and ran the dishwasher. Bleached out the sink. Wiped down the appliances. Cleaned the counters. Picked up general stuff. Changed diapers. Sang songs to Charlotte Claire for a while, comforting her after she fell out of a chair and banged her head on the table....

I sat on the living room floor and re-arranged the books on the bookshelf, with Charlotte Claire helping me. She found Goodnight Moon, and carried it around begging for it.....Evelyn made them a half of sandwich, and ate with them while I nursed and changed Camille....

Naptime!! I made Charlotte Claire a bottle, Evelyn read Goodnight Moon, and put her in her crib. I changed Camille's clothes, as she had spit up, and nursed her and put her into bed. I made some soup, and sat and ate while Evelyn was on the computer.

Sat down here. I am recharging my batteries before I go throw some more clothes in the wash, start dinner. Two more kids will be coming home from school, and the nap kids will be up. I need to take my walk, too. I should get moving. That is one thing I don't like about having such a big family, that I-always-have-something-to-do feeling. Even when I am taking a break, I feel that prodding to get moving, there is so much to do. Oh yeah, I have to take care of that pile of clothes too.

I also have to write my store list. Oh, I forgot about the time change. That means it will be dark out when I leave for the store. How depressing. Cold and dark......maybe I will go now, instead. Walking in the store is almost like walking down the road.....hmmm.