parades and sunshine and happy kids

and puppies! Sounds too good to be true! I am tired out, that's for sure. We went to two parades today, the first one in town, with Margaret and Sam marching in the band. The second one was much larger and Paul stayed home with Camille, who was in her nap, and Joseph, Sam, and Mirielle. And Ben. Mali and Aaron went on a twenty mile bike ride. They map it out with Google maps, take a cell phone, and go. So, I went to the parade with Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan, and Charlotte Claire. Abigail met me there with Margaret and some of their friends. There was a lot of candy thrown to the children, and the usual scrambling to grab it. When we got in the van Sonja told me that the big tall girl (who acted like a little child, and was around 15) was reaching for a lollipop, so Sonja got it and gave it to her. Warmed my heart. When they practice what I preach, ooh, it is nice. Then we went and got icecream, which was great fun and so easy without Camille, and without the older kids who don't seem to like dawdling the day away with me as much anymore, and they complain and want to leave.....anyway, when it was time to go home, they started to run ahead. I very calmly asked them to stop and wait for me. Jon was the leader of the group, and he stopped right in his tracks. The other kids did too. I must admit I was totally proud of them. Especially because there was a youngish couple there with two very spoiled kids, the parents told them NO to things, then gave in, and seemed exasperated with them, yet acted like they were the most important kids on earth....you know the type, they talk very loudly like everyone is dying to know the kids' names (Logan and Madelyn)....(I wanted to say, "Look lady, if you said he cannot have any Goldfish crackers like 12 times, why in the wicked heck are you letting him have Goldfish crackers? Are you TRYING to ruin him? And you wonder why he is running around the grass, not even looking when you are calling him over...." But I didn't say that. Because I am nice. Or am I? hmmm....) Anyway, I try very hard not to brag too much about my kids, but I am officially bragging. Not that I am so proud, but just happy that some of my hard work is sinking in.....I told Jon that I had a huge smiley face right on my heart when he listened so quickly....

But alas, they are not perfect. When I stopped for gas, before ice cream, there was a big fight in one of the way back seats. Evelyn and Sonja. Something about a lollipop that was already licked, and on someone's arm.....slapping was heard, and horrible murderous screaming. I simply muttered to Kathryn, who had the honor of sitting shotgun, Well, I WAS going to do something special today, but.. and then I got out and pumped the gas. I knew she would tell them to be good or mommy wouldn't take us, and she must have because when I got back in, they were all smiles and promises....

Well, Holly from www.largefamilyofmany.blogspot.com asked me to mention that she is having a raffle. It is for a very important cause. She has eight beautiful children, and the youngest, who is two years old, has microcephaly. She describes a bit what that is on her blog. She wants to take her family to a microcephaly conference to learn more about it, and for her children to meet other siblings who are going through the same thing. She just made her blog public, and doesn't get much traffic. She seems like a very nice lady, so stop by there and buy a few raffle tickets!

Time to put the pup in her cage, I mean crate, for the night and hit the hay...I have been doing some eighteen hour days here, day after day, and I am spent....(and hey, does anyone have any good ideas to get a playful pup to know you mean it when you want her to come to you, and you don't mean you want her to run around faster than you?)