off to school they go....

and here I sit, with Charlotte Claire sleeping on the arm of my chair, all cuddled up to me. I thought she was pretending at first, but no almost 3 year old can pretend that well...

It is a wonderful morning, rainy and gloomy but so green and springy. I actually love cloudy rainy days. Days that practically scream : don't even think about going out, just stay home and clean the house....or cuddle up with a good book, ha. Right about now, that would be pretty nice. I haven't been to the library in a while, but I do love a good book.

I put a little want ad for a puppy on craigslist the other day, and I recieved a very promising response this morning. People on a farm have a purebred border collie and a shepard/collie mix, around 50 lb. dogs, that had 8 puppies. They are only two weeks old. They obviously aren't ready to leave yet, but to get a puppy only 6 or 8 weeks old...that would be sweet. And it would be right when the kids are home for summer vacation. So if the people don't want to give us Jack, we will work something else out.

Today, I am going to do lots of cleaning and de-cluttering. Things pile on my counters so fast. I hate it. The couch is a clothes couch again. Mostly the little girls clothes...they take them off after school and if they don't know if they are clean or dirty, on the couch they go. It isn't a very large pile, but nonetheless, I hate it. It is okay to hate inanimate things, right? Because I hate the way the shoes pile up, too. Come on, kids! If you have 6 pair of shoes, take a few to your room or something. And, I have a small bookcase with only three framed pictures on top of it. But they insist on putting library books there, and there is a basket of Cinderella matching game cards, mixed with some various other trinkets like hair ponies and barrettes, and an empty ba-ba, and a sippy cup. And, on the floor is the big huge comfy dune/comforter that Margaret used at a recent sleepover and someone brought in from the van. And a stack of folded towels, (which we go through so fast, we could leave them there and they would be used up by tonight), the tv remote, and like 5 of Charlotte Claire's baby dolls, plus two huge stuffed bears. And a few pajamas, strewn in just to make it look more interesting. Oh, can't forget the books. Camille is the take-books-off-shelf robot. But she is not the put-books-back-on-shelf robot.

Anyway, I have my work cut out for me today. I told the kids for Mother's day I wanted the all to pitch in and make this place shine. It is my favorite thing, a nice shiny clean house. All the rooms at once would be wonderful, so that no matter who stopped in, I wouldn't have to send someone to close a few doors quick. Of course the kids say they would rather buy me something....

Now Camille is awake, rats. I cannot complain, she went to bed at 10 last night, and it is almost 9 now. But I will anyway. Rats. Charlotte Claire is sleeping on me, and I am downright enjoying myself on this rainy gloomy morning. I have a cup of coffee, and I haven't eaten my Reese's Puffs yet.....I wish there was someone else home who could get Camille, change her, give her a bottle, and cuddle her.....but.....