summery day...

Now that I have cried and cried about my mother, I feel a little better. I have stayed home all day, except for going to pick Aaron up at school. No, he isn't sick, but it is prom-night day, and the high school tends to be quite empty in the afternoon. I had just put my bathing suit top on to sit in the sun when Mirielle informed me that I had to call to pick him up. The school secretary was hesitant about me picking him up when he wasn't going to the prom.....she put me on hold. I decided while I waited to be nice no matter what, but to insist on bringing him home, because it is no fair that the promgoers got legal excuses to leave halfday....but she just said "Okay, just come in and sign him out."....so Mirielle couldn't go in, I had to get dressed again and go....

We spent most of the day on the deck talking and sunning and watching the kids play with the hose, now that it is fixed. Their little pool is cracked, we have had it for at least 10 or 12 years.....so they had just pails of water to fill and dump and play in. And the sprinkler. It is 81 degrees today, and just lovely.

Camille came into the house at one point, and took off her bathing suit and put on a giant pair of undies. Next thing I know, she is back outside playing in the water in the saggy baggy undies. Okay....but then she took them off! No, no little butt cheeks out in the front yard!! It was time for a pull up and some chocolate milk and a nap. She is not sleeping, but she is singing some nice little songs...hopefully while lying nicely in her little green bed, and not while getting into my stuff.

It is a popscicle day, a grassy feet day since the lawn was mowed yesterday, and the neighbor is mowing so it sounds summery, too. The kids are having some downtime with ice cream sandwiches and "Curious George."

Yesterday was an adventure. I went to school to talk to Sam's teachers, and we think he will do okay. He knows his stuff, he just has to do the work. Then I went into the cafeteria and visited Jonathan at his lunch table. He pointed to the girl across from him and said, "This is Christianna, she is always on red light or yellow light!" Nice, Jon. How nice of you to point this lack of good behavior out to me! The girl didn't seem to mind though. Then I ventured into the next cafeteria to visit Miss Suzanne, whom I was stealing from school. I signed her out and off we went on our journey....first to Kohl's to look for sneakers. Nope, too expensive. But I did get Sam some shorts and jeans. Then to Target, where we found some cute ones for the exorbitant price of $12.99. I rarely buy things at regular price, so OUCH. She was so sweet and thankful that I made sure I didn't say anything about the price. I found some cheap sandals for Mali, for Mirielle, and for Kathryn. And swim trunks for Jonathan, a card for the wedding tomorrow, and some off-white socks for the flower girl, Miss Charlotte Claire. She is at rehearsal right now, Emily took her.

Suze and I had too much fun together. I enjoyed her immensly. She didn't eat much of her school lunch, and I had only had Apple Jacks in the morning, so we went to McDonalds for two sundaes, a double cheeseburger and one order of fries. We chatted and shared and wiled away the hours.....then after the grocery store we agreed we needed coffee for the ride home. I got hot with cream, she got iced with cream and sugar. I told her she was going to have to pee, and sure enough, she was dancing by the time we got home. Sorry Suze, if you are reading this. But it was a huge iced coffee.

We had dinner out on the deck last evening, the kids ate quickly and got on with the important things like riding their bikes and swinging. Sonja K. , 8, got stuck in the Little Tikes baby swing, and needed rescuing. Camille shared her Dora fruit snacks, and we stayed outside until the mosquitoes visited.

It seems like summer so it was hard to get them into bed. Life is so short, I hate rushing them into bed when I am still enjoying them. It didn't get remotely quiet in here until at least ten o'clock. Then today was a day off!! Well, not officially. It was a half-day, for the teachers to sort out who goes in what classes next year, Articulation Day. Of course I requested specific teachers even though it isn't allowed. What are they gonna do, shoot me? Ha, probably, one of these days. Anyway, half-days = long long bus rides, not worth it for just a few hours of school.....so that is why it seems like summer.

Steak on the grill for dinner....and maybe a backyard fire and marshmallows.

Mali is going to the prom tonight. Our other girls have never dated, but Miss Mali has a boyfriend. He seems like a nice boy, very respectful. He is in track and band and works as a life guard at the school pool. I don't like this one little bit, but sometimes we have to let go of what we want for our kids and let them make choices....it is quite interesting to find my way through all this, and I don't really understand how to deal....but I do know that God gives wisdom to those who seek it, and I am thankful when I find how little I understand. Because then I am in a good place, where God can work with me.

I wish afternoons were longer......it is so lovely sitting here with the mower going, and drinking the coffee that Kathryn made me without me even asking....