goin' shoppin'

And I let Jonathan stay home today. He is just too little to go to school everyday, getting home after 4pm each day. All day kindergarten. Ridiculous. Anyway, he has a cough and he started crying about something silly this morning, so I gave him a big hug and said he could stay home today. Sonja took it hard. She really wanted to stay home too, and so did Suze. They have already missed a fair amount, so I explained to them that Jon is still so little, he needs to be home a bit more. Suzanne was okay with it, but Sonja.....she couldn't find her shoes, she dragged those feet, she just made it to the bus with a sad face. Oh, if she only knew how close I as to being suckered into letting her stay home too.

Today we are going to Price-Chopper. I stayed home for two days! I was going to wait until tomorrow to go, but tomorrow night I am supposed to go to the enchanted pumpkin walk and I want the girls to get their naps. And we are almost out of milk. I am going to Target, too, because I have two pairs of jeans return, and a pair of sneakers. They only total about $15, because they were all 75% off, but still. They do not fit the intended recipients, nor their siblings. So back they go. Hopefully I won't find anything too wonderful and cheap that is more than the $15, because I am trying not to spend money.

Mirielle isn't here, so I am going to attempt to cut the coupons myself. And try a little harder on the meal planning. Last night Abigail made spaghetti and some mixed veggies. I don't know how much she made but every bit got eaten. I left the table right after dinner to help Evelyn finish cleaning her room. We took everything out of the closet, and oh, the little things that were on the bottom! Hair things and Barbie shoes and so many crayons and pencils and beads! Game pieces and Hotwheels and puzzle pieces. When Paul came home from work, I heard him ask, "Where's Mom?", and the kids told him I was in the closet, because I had literally moved all stuff aside and was sitting in the closet sorting through it. One thing I love to do is sort. Jon came dancing into the room and said, "Dad doesn't think it's weird that you're in the closet, Mommy!"

Their closet was a mess because a certain daddy cleaned up the hall a few months back by taking all the stuff and putting it in the closet. Now it is spotless, with a basket of play clothes, a basket of dress-up clothes, and just an empty space. Just a small empty space, but I wasn't the only one who was excited about it. Jon loves playing in closets, so I know what he is going to be doing. As long as those two crazy little sisters of his don't pull down all the hanging clothes...

Now all this room cleaning and closet cleaning does have a huge side affect: laundry. Lots of laundry. Ugh. I went from actually being caught up to being at least 8 loads behind. Oh well, it feels nicer than it should to have that closet clean. I am thinking of the closet in Charlotte Claire's room now, filled to the brim with baby things. Paul said last night that getting rid of it all would be the surest way of having a new baby. hmm. Sounds win-win, I could have a new baby AND get all new stuff......

Last night I assembled my lavender Emmaljunga Viking stroller. Charlotte Claire and Camille were taking turns being the baby. Oh MY Goodness - I don't think I have ever watched anything so hilarious as Camille, fresh from a little splash in the hot tub with Kathryn, dressed in just her diaper, in all her chubbiness, being the mommy. Charlotte Claire was the baby, and she was crying like a newborn, and throwing all the baby toys that Camille had gotten out for her, over the side of the stroller, then fussing for them. Camille would pick them back up, and say, "Here, baby. Are you okay baby?"....oh, it was funny, and so adorable. I need to get some pictures of them today.

Well, Miss Charlotte Claire is up now. Her sister is still sleeping, which is nice, but I should be getting things done while she sleeps. Like putting in another load of laundry, washing the pans they somehow didn't see last night, and washing my long tangly hair. I have had trouble washing it in my nightly shower because going to bed with wet hair when it is chilly doesn't sound fun. I know, I know, there is such a thing as a hair dryer. I really haven't used one since I was a teenager though.

Well, I can tell when I start to blah-blah blah.....Oh, this is funny....Charlotte Claire is in the stroller, and Jon is the dad.....the mom died, Jon says....no, he says, he never met the mom and he adpopted Charlotte Claire. And he bought the stroller when he knew he was going to adopt her. Okay. He says it pushes very nice.