just another wednesday afternoon....

This morning, after getting the children cheerily onto the school bus, except for Suzanne who did not have one single shirt to wear...and do the two children who went on the second bus because they did not wake in time for the first bus count as "cheerily"? The only excuse the school will take for a legal excuse is that the children are sick, which makes no sense, because why would they go on second bus trip, to school, if they are sick? But I guess it is just plain illegal to oversleep or miss the bus because you left your sneakers at the other door or because your little sister is in the shower in the bathroom where your toothbrush is.

Anyway, this morning I cheerfully left the house at 9:00 am to bring Ashley to take her college placement test. The roads were not great, and I of course had plenty to do here, but life is short, and if we are only happy and kind and nice when we are doing things we really want to do, then people like me would be pretty sorry to be around. After I dropped her off, I went to Rite-Aid. I found a few treats for the kids for 75% off, and some lotions for the girls for 75% off (Nivea is so nice!), and even a few strings of lights for next year. Then I headed up to the college, because we thought it would be about an hour....well, it was another two hours.....I waited there, because the roads are awful, and I thought the whole time she would be out any minute now....so for two hours, I read receipts in my purse, ate the three pieces of candy someone left on my van the other day (I THINK it was my cousin I saw in the store....), looked at the pictures I carry in my purse, listened to Glen Beck, and even some of El-Rushbo. The van was mighty low on gas, so I turned it on and off a few times, it is only about 18 degrees outside, brr.

And finally she texted me and was coming out....we were starving, so we went to McD's for hot coffee and some lunch....then to Walgreen's to print out some wedding pictures...then to Walmart to get some carrots and celery and cucumbers and two boxes of crackers. I can't remember ever spending only $13 in Walmart....then back to Walgreens to pick up the pictures. Ashley bought a Lindt chocolate bar for the ride home.....and it was a good ride home....

Well....home again home again, jiggity gig. I could not back into the driveway because there was too much snow. I tried, and it started getting stuck....so I parked on the side of the road, and Ashley and Mirielle shoveled part of the driveway for almost an hour, now Kathryn and Aaron are having a turn. Then Aaron is going to park the van for me...thankfully the snowplow had just come before we got home...because if it comes when one is parked in the road, it honks and honks 'til the vehicle is moved....and if the vehicle won't go into driveway, what would one do?

So I am thankful today for people who can shovel...if it were me alone, blah....

The girls were very naughty today when I was gone, although Camille Anaya steadfastly maintains that, "I did not do that, Mom." They dumped out three boxes of cereal for Rosie, then somehow got it all over the livingroom. It isn't just the crumbs in the corners, it is the waste of the new SpecialK with Berries, the huge-o bag from the huge-o box from B.J.s....wah. Suzanne was here with them, and Mirielle. Suze gave them a time-out.

The driveway is now clear! Thank you, guys!

The second trip kids will be home soon now....