just another morning...

It was an early start this morning at 5:30. After Timmy nursed and went back to sleep, I surfed the internet until Charlie appeared needing a nappie change and bath. I then turned into a whirlwind, tidying in earnest for our cleaning lady's appearance. Around 9:00, while Maggie and Charlie worked on jigsaw puzzles and Timmy crawled around near my feet, Mary and Will got some school work completed.

When Elizabeth arrived we were all in the room over the garage, some playing while Mary and I sewed blocks together. It was difficult with Timmy seemingly trying to cause a mess. He usually goes straight for the cat's water dish, knocking it over 4 times this week. I laid out the quilt squares on the floor to get the right placement and he immediately raised his head to notice, "Vroom, he is off! Timmy, the racing extraordinare, will cross the room in 3.4 seconds. A new speed record!" announced Will.

It took every ounce of patience to simultaneously put socks and shoes on the little ones, nurse the baby, and stuff everyone in sweaters to head out for our Friday errands. Kroger was a disaster, including an argument over carts at the front of the store and 2 preschoolers running in the path of the UPS truck on the way out. (it was 1/2 a block away) Poor Timmy in his stroller somehow ended up hanging upside down when Will hit the curb the wrong way (luckily he was strapped in). I ran to rescue the baby, got everyone in the car, amazingly without losing it.

We soldiered on to the hobby shop at the mall for a birthday gift for Maggie's schoolmate. The store has a train table with the exact same trains we have at home. However, Charlie simply didn't want to leave the store, and had to be carried under my arm screaming and wailing out to the car.

As we got in the car I thought, "Wouldn't it be nice to go to Olive Garden for lunch? Soup, salad?" I have been craving these for 3 months now, but it was not meant to be yet again. The kids wouldn't agree to be pleasant so then I made a decree that I was going to go to a drive-through and let my little monsters starve. On the way I wisely decided to bag the entire outing and head home for lunch. Perhaps I will save my $20 for Saturday and ask Tim to watch them while I take a much needed lunch out.