all is quiet, except camille

She is still up. She is like the energizer bunny. Here and there and everywhere. My camera died on Halloween night, and I have been borrowing Mali's and Abigail's. Today, I had Abigail's in my purse, and she has a small memory card, which was full....so I didn't get any pictures....we had a relatively nice day. Aaron is now a real person. I told him that happens when people get their driver's permits. He took the test, and got a 95% without even knowing there was a booklet to read. He got his picture taken, his eye test, which he had to borrow Sam's glasses for, sinces he forgot his, and paid my $75, and voila! He can drive with a licensed driver who is 21 or over. Yay. Mirielle has her license now, so we have to add her to the insurance. But we're taking Emily off. Anyways, taking 8 kids to the Department of Motor Vehicles is a joy.

Then, on to the grocery store. Aaron and Sam got a cart, filled it with 25 bottles of soda and 10 bottles of Cran-Rasberry, for the New Year's celebration at church. I got a cart, and got some milk and bread and chicken.

Then, I really wanted to go home. I was tired and hungry. What a coincidence. So were the kids. I had mentioned going to McDonalds for lunch, mostly so they could run around. By the time we got the groceries and kids in the van, I was waffling. Home: get the groceries in and get them to the table....hmmm. Mcdonalds, get them all out, eat junky food for too much money (who am I kidding, $1 menu), then back to the van....drive through? Nah, same amount of money, just no playing, rip-off. And messy in the van. So, I decided I may as well have some fun with them. Charlotte Claire with her two little pony tails, skipping around, going down the slides....she said there was a monster up the slide. A big one or a little one, I asked? A big one.....but it must not have been too scairy of a monster, because she skipped right back up there....

Then, not home. B.J's. I just got a few things in there. Then home. And, hurry hurry, the older kids had to be out the door. So, we had a break: Joseph made peanutbutter and fluff sandwiches for the little ones, and some of the older ones had leftover spaghetti. I was busy making dipped pretzels for Paul to take to work tomorrow. I used a Ghiardelli white chocolate bar for some of them, then added a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips to it, and made some more. Mirielle made some fudge quick, and I took the fudge and dipped pretzels and made up a tray for him to bring in tomorrow.

Mirielle, Aaron, and Mali went late night ice-skating on a rink in the city. Yeah, she got her license just last week. She has been driving since she was 16, but still. A mother worries. Her daddy is so much more okay with things than I. So I have to just let them go and pray.

Abigail went skating today with Margaret and a few friends. She got knocked down by some guy, and is feeling it now. I told her to take some ibuprofen. So, they are all into ice-skating. We should make our own rink and buy our own skates......

Our beautiful Christmas tree is a victim of too many presents under it and not enough water. It still looks nice, but I am getting afraid to plug the lights in.

Tomorrow is going to be cold cold cold. High 25 degrees. Cold. It is always cold for New Year's. Oh, I went in the hot tub with Kathryn last night. It was wonderful. It was turned up to 101.....and it started snowing a bit while we were in....lovely. It isn't unbearably cold when you get out, because the water is so warm and it warms you up deep inside, which lasts a while.

Well, Camille the monster is still up, getting into the diapers now. I have to get her to bed...