lazy morning

I did not want to get up this morning, out of my nice cozy bed. I rarely do, but this morning I was trying like mad to convince myself that the kids could just stay home today. But Jonathan has his spelling test, and Charlotte Claire likes going to school, I really had to get up. blah. My cold is not going away, and I will spare the details about that, but when I am feeling stuffy and congested, I feel like hunkering down in bed and not facing the world. But, Rosie had to go out, and Mom had to do it. Mind over matter, here I am alive and well...well, sort of well.

Suzanne is home today. She had a really good reason, which was that they didn't do ANYTHING yesterday, and school is a waste of time. I think I need some time with Suze...Sonja also skipped. She has a substitute teacher today, and...well, she is home today. Camille couldn't be happier, two big sisters to play with. Camille decided this morning that she does not want to go to kindergarten next year, when I told her I would not be going with her. Sounds good to me, ha.

I was planning to pick kids up early from school and take them to the dreaded mall this afternoon, but a few of them have tests in the afternoon, so we just decided to drop it. I already promised to pick up Jonny and Char though, so I will do that. Jon wants to go to Walmart to spend his Christmas money, I would rather walk over hot coals. He has a hard time with decisions, yet he will be really bummed if he doesn't get anything. Not fun. But hopefully we can get through it. He will see something and want to get it and then regret it later, wish he didn't. I would like to pick up some more craft things, Suze has been making puppets with the little girls out of lunch bags....they love to paint and make things.

I was thinking this morning how much my life has changed these last months. I feel like I am finally coming up for air. Years of being tired and sluggish, of being sleep deprived and compensating by having yummy afternoon snacks, of having sore knees and an aching back....Now, I am not saying my life was terrible, far from it! I loved my babies and my toddlers and my kids, and I did all sorts of fun things with them, suffering every step of the way, at least in the later years. I wish I had woken up sooner, realized that if I had just eaten less carbs and exercised more, I would have felt so much better. But there were days when a shower, well even just going to the bathroom was hard to fit in, so exercise? It seemed ridiculous! I felt like I never had enough energy just to keep the place livable and take care of the kids, no excess energy for exercising! Little did I know how good it would have been for me.

So that being said, I do not feel like exercising today. But, I will.

Tomorrow I am working at the Carrier Dome again. Syracuse basketball, unbeaten and number ONE in the nation! It is so exciting to be there, even though I don't get to watch the whole game. I can see some plays on my break, and on the television in the stand...even when I cannot see what is going on, I can hear it! Syracuse fans are loud and they are happy! But the best part is that we volunteer there with our church friends, and it is always so good to see them, even if we can't exactly talk much. Joseph and Aaron and Samuel will be going with me, Paul will stay home with Margaret, Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, Jonathan, Charlotte Claire, and Camille.

And it is Friday, which we all know is Date Night day. That is always nice.

And, since I am a Nice Mom, I am bringing Camille's Little Tikes kitchen out to the living room for a few days in the empty Christmas Tree spot, so she can play house. The older kids will be so thrilled, not. But kids are little for such a short time, life should be fun and adventurous. (every year when we take down the tree, we don't move any furniture back into the Spot for a while, kids like an empty space to play)