It was an ambitious day. I had my 3 boys and our daycare girl Olivia and a list of things to do.
It was one of those days where everything worked out perfectly. The kind you want to remember and pat yourself on the back for accomplishing.
I loaded everyone in the van at 9 am to set off to the sanitary landfill in Janesville. Nothing spells fun like a trip to the dump. Yes, a trip to the dump. I am a pitcher by nature. My husband is a keeper. Together we try to not irritate each other too much. I am sure I will annoy some of you by saying this but I really do believe everything should be disposable. Diapers, wipes, kids clothes, etc.
My boys love the dump. Big trucks, stinky smell, huge piles of junk. What is not to love? To me it is freeing. Open the hatch, pitch, ditch, drive away. My kind of entertainment. Sort of like molting. Can you tell I live in a world of boys?
Next stop, Good Will. See comment above about being a pitcher by nature.
Next,Target to retrieve the portraits that have been waiting for a month. Here is where it gets exciting. You know everywhere I go at least one person says: "Boy you sure have your hands full".
I have all I can do to restrain the old nature Jenny when this happens. What I would really like to say is "Yes, want to help? GREAT! Here is one of them and half my list, meet me out front in 15 minutes" The new me just thinks it and smiles. Yup, hands are full. (mind getting out of my way?)
While in Target all the school supplies are out and we roll past the kids lunch boxes. There it is, the object that today will be the source of the fight. An Optimus Prime Transformers lunch cooler. Caleb eye spies this from across the store. I sigh knowing right now this will not end well.
Of course we go look at it and he shows me how perfectly it fits in his hand. "Look it has a nice handle. Can we buy it?" It is times like this I use the line: "I am not sure, we will have to check with daddy." When in doubt, pass the buck to dad. After all he isn't here to be the bad guy. By the time he gets home, the thought has long sense left.
One day, just one day, I would like to be the one who gets to walk in the door and have them all run to me with arms wide open. To not have told them "no" or "stop that" 17 times already today. Ahhhhh to be the fun parent whose kids jump up and down just when the car pulls up.
But, that is ok. I am not in it to win the popularity contest.
After a bit of coaxing Caleb agrees that today we will not buy Optimus Prime. We have the money for the $10 lunch box (and the $3 fish crackers and the Gatorade requests that followed)but I am more interested in molding their character than giving in to their whims. Kids today are more than spoiled and nothing is a treat. Too many kids (and adults) going around with an entitlement attitude. How can something be special when you get it all the time? Doesn't anyone have to EARN it anymore? Well my kids do.
We leave Target to proceed to Woodmans. The grocery store. A necessary evil. I really dislike the grocery store.
God was merciful to me today. David pushed Nathan in the stroller. Both of them thoroughly enjoyed this. David felt like a big man and Nathan loved the Mach 2 ride. Caleb and Olivia rode in one of those "kid carts" You know the ones that you need a CDL (Commercial Drivers License) to steer. After 70 minutes of loading up the cart, we proceeded to check out.
We drive thru to get the groceries and drive the 25 minutes home. We get home at 12:45 and no one ruins their nap by falling asleep in the van! It really is a stellar day! Everyone goes inside and plays nicely. Is it a full moon? No fights, no baby crying, no constant cries of "I am HUNGRY".
Then tonight, to remind me that God surely has a sense of humor, David prays" ....... and God please keep Caleb safe while I am playing at Aedons house tomorrow and let us earn enough money to buy the AA batteries and the gallon sized Gatorade.....Amen"
A small giggle escapes my mouth listening to David pray about the things I said no to today. To which Caleb says: "Mom! Shhh it is sleep time!"
A good day indeed!
