always know where she is!

I did not notice this child's absence into the kitchen, it seems I lost track for only a matter of minutes.....and she found herself a packet of cocoa mix.

It was so yummy...and then she got a bath....how could it get any better?
Charlotte Claire saw the mess on the floor, and before I could say "NO!", she jumped down for a few licks.....she has the powder of it all over her nose.

We are having a "quiet" Saturday at home. ha. Paul is at the band weekend with Abigail, Mirielle, Joseph, Aaron, Mali, Samuel, and Margaret. Ben is sleeping, he worked late last night. Kathryn and Evelyn are playing in Kathryn's room. The other kids are playing waffletown, and on the other computer.....and Camille is getting into things. I wish I could gate off the whole kitchen. It isn't that she's hungry, it's just that food is "funner" than toys right now...I mean, what toy could beat a packet of cocoa?

I had a terrible headache yesterday....it got progressively worse as the day wore on....I took ibuprofen....again and again, until I had maxed out, 10 tablets in 12 hours. My head still pounded.....I was a bit worried.....when I woke up this morning, it was still around, but more subtle...so now I feel a mixture of headachy, and that day-after-a horrible headache feeling, wrung out. I was supposed to have a friend over today, as some of her kids were at the band weekend too, but I just couldn't make myself get busy and clean up for company. I told her my mind and heart wanted to have her over, but my body didn't want to move.

Now, however, it is nice and sunny out and I am feeling more optimistic about the day.......should I pack them up and go bye-bye in the mini-van? We could squish 8 in a seven passenger, easy. One of the things I like to do when Paul is gone with the older ones is take them to McDonalds, drop 20 bucks, and let them play for like two hours while I sit there and vegetate. I would prefer it if one of my friends came along, so we could talk....or sometimes I like to strike up a conversation with another mom there.

I could stay home, save twenty bucks, try for a nap, use any energy to do some laundry....ha. I just like going places, though. It is fun to get them all dressed and go on adventures, especially when we have no time limits. Of course the practical side of me, which is not obviously a whole side, just a little sliver, is screaming, no, don't do it, STAY HOME, give the children naps, rest up......catch up on the house.....I just ignore it.

Queen Camille is wandering, no not wandering, that would be more of a random happening, this is definately more purposeful.....she is BEE-LINING for the kitchen, she is wanting something yummy....Sonja is checking for me....she has nothing, she is stuck between the toy bin I put in front of the cupboard, and the cupboard..and yes, I do know about child latches....but when the cupboard door is broken.......and it isn't even on the nagging list, aka the "To-do" list........Rats, she found a Reese's whips bar.....I fed it to her, bite by bite...that's the way to teach her, eh? (can you tell I've been in Canada?)

Well, I am thinking of a contest. Who can come up with a better title for the new show that might happen someday starring the family who had octuplets in addition to 6 young children? Better than my entry, "Ha ha Jon And Kate, We Have Six Plus Eight".....? Sort of kidding, I admire Jon and Kate. We don't get the channel their show is on, but I have watched it other places....what fun. And I also sort of hate them because she is so pretty and sure of herself and they have a nice house....and on and on.....but I don't really. Just sort of.

It's like the Duggar family. Their house makes me actually drool. Two kitchens.....FOUR washers and FOUR dryers. But when I think about it a little bit, I feel ashamed to feel that way. It's like saying that God hasn't blessed us enough, and that is so far from true, I feel sick. He is so good to us. I wouldn't trade my husband or my kids for anything. Did I ever mention how much I love my husband? Not to embarrass him or anything, but.....he is still "mmmmm"....

Yes, a good marriage is worth fighting for. Fighting against all that is in me that would hold things against him, or be resentful, or mad at him for stupid reasons. Okay, and good reasons. Seriously though, God has drawn us together, and He has been the reason we have it so good together.....I read a blog recently, where the young woman had a headache, and plenty to complain about....then she decided to bless her husband, and get up from the couch and make him dinner....she battled her laziness, and that feeling-sorry-for-myself spirit, and she blessed him. Her headache went away, and she got the victory. Win-win situation, and very encouraging....

The kids somehow have gotten to the table and are having cocoa...they have a whole bag of mini marshmallows, which I can probably just kiss goodbye....and where is the mother? That is one of my favorite lines, "Where was the mom?".....she usually was right there.....physically, anyway.