Good Ole' Regular Life

Nothing near as exciting as running to Boston has happened in the last week. I must say that the race really did wipe me out. The week before with all the getting ready and the week after trying to recover from not sleeping and just getting back to the routine of life seemed to take it out of me.

Not to mention the school library volunteer trainings, class coffees, open houses, enrichment, soccer practices, activity days, soccer games, homework, and a major decision about Trent's job looming over me.

And on top of that the kids still expect 3 meals a day and clean clothes plus lots of story time and laying with them at night.

And of course the occasional tantrum by the pre-pubescent teenage wannabe.

I was tired. I even for the first time in my whole life hired a housekeeper.

I liked it. Probably a little too much.

There were some funny moments. Like this one.

Adam was watching me get ready to go somewhere and I had just finished "beautifying" myself. I quickly picked him up to race down the stairs and he put both hands on the sides of my cheeks and looked at me and said, "Mom, you have dirt on your eyes."

Wow, if that doesn't make me feel good about the make-up I am wearing I don't know what will.

Then later that day at dinner. I had made cilantro chicken pot stickers from Trader Joe's and an asian noodle side dish (which was very yummy too, I might add). I was encouraging all the kids to try the wontons and Catherine after eating one said, "Mom-- you can have all the rest of my tampons -- I just don't like them that much."

Let's just say they didn't seem so appetizing after her mis-labeling. I politely corrected her trying not to laugh since she doesn't even know what a tampon is, but she proceeded to use the wrong word about 3 more times during dinner. Thank goodness we did not have any company.

Another great moment happened with Madelyn today. Today was the first day that Kindergartners could by lunch. I told her this morning that I would be packing bagels with cream cheese, fruit roll ups, a drink, chips, and apples or she could buy chicken fingers, salad, and fruit from school. She opted for the chicken fingers. I figured it would be good to buy on the first day when they were sure to have lots of helpers to help the kids figure it out. We don't buy lunch at school too often as it is kind of pricey ($3.50 a day). But since I don't ever send chicken fingers in their lunch boxes I figured it would be fun for her.

As soon as she got off the bus she said the best part of her day was buying her lunch. I asked her how the chicken was and she replied, "Oh, when I got up there I saw that if you don't like what they are having that day you can just get a bagel with cream cheese and since I love bagels i just got one of those instead!"

I started cracking up. She chose to pay $3.50 for something she could have had in her lunch for maybe $0.25. I let her know that in the future we would not be over paying for bagels. If she wanted a bagel she could take one from home.

For all the good laughs, there have been a few not so great moments too. Like Julianne chipping a tooth, the nurse calling with Catherine sick at school, 6 days of a healthy Catherine followed by her throwing up today all morning, Adam spilling lots of water (not that that is so terrible but today he spilled 4 large glasses of water in under 2 hours), and (as always) Trent's long hours in the city.

But we are surviving. Sometimes I'm not sure which is more exhausting -- regular life or running through the night with 11 other girls to boston. Sometimes it's a virtual tie.