deep thoughts, and the beach...

One thing about having lots and lots of kids, is that I never have a chance to think thoughts. I get teased about how they have to say MOM like five times sometimes, but I have had to develop the ability to drown things out in order to mentally survive. One thing good about this blog is that I sit here and sort out my thoughts. What doesn't show on here is how many times I sort out troubles and answer questions, then have to read back what I have written and find that elusive thought train again. Right now, for example, Charlotte Claire is asking me to smell the inside of a small black change purse.

I try to think about things when I am lying in bed, but alas, I fall asleep or, Ha, I will not say anything else.

Anyway, I have been thinking lately about the (wait, Char has ANOTHER change purse, she says this one smells like THE MALL!!)(she says, "Isn't it cool how it smells like the mall, so we always have that mall smell?")Anyway...our favorite game is sitting around as a family and discussing important things, and going Off On A Tangent! Emily is particularly good at it. Anyway, I have been thinking about the brevity of life, and how we have things mixed up in their importance. I mean, the kids are more important than keeping the house clean. We know this. Yet...So, I am trying to be awake and aware of how I am to the kids, to think about them individually, to really connect with each of them, to listen to them and, and to LET THEM KNOW how much I really love them. (right now Suze and Sonja are talking about the new stuff I got them yesterday....)Anyway, one should never assume that others already know how much they are cared about. I really appreciate it when Paul tells me he loves me. And the little girls are always telling me they love me.

The thing is, I am appreciating the kids more than ever this summer. Yesterday when I brought Aaron to the airport, I brought (wait, Camille just brought me a lovely picture she drew of Rapunzel, "She has two clips in her hair, Mommy!")Anyway, I brought Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, and Sonja with me. Four/fifths of my five-girls-in-a-row-in-five-years. (Jon is showing me his Nerf Shield....)Anyway, we had FUN. K-mart, where I tried on some jeans, and surprisingly the two sizes I tried on were too big...(yay)...but I bought two new tops. Then, we cruised the toy department and found lots of good things that were clearanced, then 50% off. Ebay at Christmastime! Then Maines, where I stocked up on fruits and veggies, and bought them a six pack of ice cream cones, telling them that how they split the last two was up to them. They worked it out, but it was funny to watch. I was ready to die in that store though, they learned the terms "white trash" and "trailer trash", and couldn't understand why I was telling them Absolutely Not about saying them. They are neither quiet nor invisible, but they don't seem to realize that. After that we went to the dreaded mall. I needed a new skirt, I only seem to have a few that fit me, and they are getting loose. There is one store there that carries jean skirts, so I spent $17 on a new one, ouch. Then to Aeropostale, where I let the girls each pick out a $3.99 shirt. That alone took more patience than I possibly possess, but I tried to think of it from their point of view, and I just chilled. Then to Old Navy, where we spent too much on stuff that was 75% off...but it was so much fun looking at things with them and deciding on things. Then, home. Or so we thought. I remembered I didn't get any milk, so I went into Wegmans. They said, "Just get milk, Mom." ha.

Anyway anyway anyway, this morning we are going to the beach. I seriously need to get moving. I got up and took a shower, brushed my tangly hair, took Rosie for a walk, made a pot of coffee and my oatmeal, some raisin toast for Camille, washed some bowls, bagged up the rest of the blueberries they picked yesterday (yeah, I had to resist blueberry pancakes when I was SO hungry. I made a huge salad with chicken, and some yellow and green squash instead.)

Char is waking up the big kids, and we are picking up Emily soon...so...off I go.