afternoon coffee

I did something today that I haven't done in a while: I took a nap. I fell fast asleep, well, after the kids stopped crashing into my door and slamming around in the hall. Mirielle took them outside, and I slept. I woke up and was surprised that only an hour had passed, so I fell back to sleep....after a half an hour, Emily called my cell phone to make sure I sent notes to school, as she is picking some of her sisters up early for some fun. I decided I better get up....it was a very yummy and worthwhile nap.

Mirielle and I gave the kids lunch on the deck, but the sun just wouldn't come out and shine on us. The clouds would move by and let the sun tease us just a bit, then back they came.

I had prepared a hamburger with lettuce and tomato, to eat on the deck. We were streaming out the door when UH-OH, Camille peed a nice big puddle on the bench and onto the floor. Okay, cleaned her up and cleaned up the mess.....and RRR! Rosie-the-bad-dog reached her little face right up on that shelf near the door and stole my burger right off the bun! She KNEW it was bad, she just couldn't help herself. I yelled NO, and she settled down to the floor with her head down, oh-so-sorry.....ha. She would do it again in a minute, sneaky dog.

It has been nice having Jonathan home today. They have been playing one continuous game of "house", they had babies in their tummies, they pretended Charlotte Claire was the maid, they are here yet in another world. I love it when kids do this.

Camille is taking a nap, or at least she is all tucked into her little green bed. Whether she goes to sleep or just comes back out here in a half an hour with all her clothes off is anyone's guess.

I am going to make some homemade macaroni and cheese for dinner.

Suzanne needs sneakers for gym. She has some of those nice shoe/sneakers, that I think are fine, they have traction on the bottom and fit her nicely. Her gym teacher says they are NOT sneakers, and makes her wear sneakers from the gross sneaker box. She has been stuffing her feet into her older floral Converse, but they are too small. So...she has just a few weeks of school left and I am supposed to go buy more sneakers for her even though her shoe/sneakers are fine for around here....actually, she is barefoot or flip-flops around here. Just to make it clear, I am doing it for Suzanne, not the stinkin' school. Everything at school is so "safety"...Samuel is in eighth grade. He has a cousin who is autistic. This cousin doesn't interact with everyone, but has always liked Sam. Sam has been playing tag with him every day on the playground. When this cousin gets excited about something like this, he is just obsessed with it. Sam said he just loved loved loved running and playing tag. Anyway, Sam said running is now banned on the playground. WHAT?? How can that be? Is there not a serious obesity epidemic? How can those children burn calories and get their energy out just walking on the playground? I am stunned. Childhood has it's dangers, but running on the playground is now one of them? rrr.

I hate how the fear of lawsuits has made this world such a safe place.

Anyway...tomorrow I get to go to the school and meet with Samuel's teachers. He does great in one class, then in another, but he cannot seem to get it together and do great in everything at the same time. It is never far from my mind to homeschool this child of mine, but I am still openminded, and hope the teachers can be helpful. The guidance counselor has been lovely. I just hope the teachers aren't on the defensive. I just want what's best for Sam, not to try to place blame or accusations.

Yes, life is interesting. I am like Sam. I cannot keep up with everything all the time. When something is shining, there is surely something piling up somewhere else. But life goes by, and does it really matter?