A Break

My brother and I are heading back home for the weekend with my kids. Husband gets a "hall pass" for the weekend. He will come home to an empty house and it will be all his until Sunday afternoon. Lucky him.

It is too late for this trip, but if you have favorite road trip music let me know for the next one.

Have a great weekend!

Contests!

Once again 5 Minutes for Mom is spreading joy and excitement by hosting a holiday contest. This time it is for the 4th of July. Click on over and see what there is to win (including a trip to a resort!!!!).

Once Again Seeking Help

I come to my faithful readers with another question. It involves fingerpaint and paper, so if you are not interested feel free to stop reading now.

I need to find some cheaper and/or larger quantities of finger paint. I use the Crayola brand because I like the consistency, the variety of pleasing colors and the washability. But, with 3 painters and one close to joining his fellow artists I am hoping to find something that meets the same standards for less money. Or, at the very least, that comes in larger quantities. I buy the 10-pack for about 7 dollars at the craft store, regular price.

Also, I like using card stock to paint on, as I find it holds up well to lots of paint and water (my kids actually use brushes rather than fingers most of the time). Again, though, I need it to be cheaper or available in larger quantities than what I can get at the craft store. Currently I pay about 4 dollars for a package of 50 pages.

So, if you have any tips please let me know. I know I could use cheaper construction paper or something, but it doesn't hold up well enough for us.

Thanks!

Heroes

Of course not the only heroes in this world, but some that are close to my heart.

Copping Out with a Meme

I have nothing to say, at least this moment. I have seen this meme around and decided to do it. Enjoy.


Were you named after anyone? My first name, no, but my middle name yes. Surprisingly, the Marie does not come from the Catholic side of the family. ;)

When was the last time you cried? I don't remember.

Do you like your handwriting? Not really.

What is your favorite lunch meat? Smoked turkey.

Do you have kids? Four of them.

If you were another person, would you be friends with yourself? I think so.

Do you use sarcasm a lot? Too often I'm afraid.

Do you still have your tonsils? Yep.

Would you bungee jump? Nope. Not for a lot of money, not for chocolate for life, not for any reason.

What is your favorite cereal? Kix. How dull can one person be?

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Yes, although the only shoes that require tying are my running shoes and they have been neglected for a while now.

What is your favorite ice cream? Caramel Turtle Fudge from Blue Bell.

What do you notice first about people? Shoes. I'm so shallow.

Red or pink? Pink for sure.

What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My laziness.

What is the last thing you ate? One rectangle of a Hershey bar.

What color pant and shoes are you wearing? Black "yoga" pants, no shoes.

What are you listening to right now? The weather report, for about the fifth time today.

What are your favorite smells? Fresh-cut grass, kids that smell like outside, Polo for Men, Lavendar

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My dad.

What are your favorite sports to watch? college football and baseball

What is your hair color? The natural color is a mousy brown, but I get blonde and blonder highlights.

What is your eye color? brown

Do you wear contacts? No, and no glasses either.

Scary movie or happy ending? Happy endings. Scary movies give me nightmares.

What is your favorite food? chocolate, pizza, french fries (don't tell my kids)

What was the last movie you saw? Ocean's 13

What color shirt are you wearing? A pink tank.

Summer or winter? Summer. I hate the cold.

Hugs or kisses? Kisses with husband, hugs for everyone else. Except Buddy. He likes to ask for one more, one more, lots of kisses. And it is too sweet and I know one day soon he will run away from me when I want kisses.

What is your favorite dessert? Black Tie Mousse Cake from Olive Garden. I don't share.

What are you reading? Just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and am about to begin Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (I don't know how I missed it in high school).

What is on your mouse pad? The Dell support website.

What did you watch on TV last night? Rangers baseball (4 out of 5 wins!!!) and then some of Borat, which was stupid and not funny.

Rolling Stones or The Beatles? The Beatles

What is the farthest you've been from home? Alaska.

Where were you born? Longview, TX


Anyone is welcome to play along.

Tales From the Soggy Side

That title could have so many implications.

We began our fourth (and final, Praise God) week of swimming lessons today. I have been extra tired today, for some unknown reason. I was really hoping lessons would be cancelled. The weather guys I watch so faithfully were confidently predicting rain for this afternoon. I was hoping the rain would arrive early enough that I wouldn't have to get ready for swimming. You see, getting bathing suits on and sunscreen applied and snacks prepared and a bag packed takes time. Time I just was not interested in giving up. However, the sun was more or less shining at 2:00, so I had to start getting ready. Our lessons are across town from where we live, so I have to leave 30 minutes before our first lesson begins. This also means it may or may not look the same outside at the location of the lessons as it does at our house.

We loaded up the car and were on our way. As we got out of our car we heard a quiet rumble of thunder. The lesson would be delayed 15 minutes if no more thunder was heard. So the girls get in the pool for their already brief lesson. Less than 5 minutes later it is pouring rain. The rain lasts just long enough to call off their class, but we still had to wait for Buddy's class. The sun is shining again, so it looks like a go. But, of course, that is not the way my luck was going. After a too brief ten minutes, more thunder is heard. Class is cancelled. So we get back in the car and make our way to the bank in the driving rain.

So, I got my wish. Class was cancelled, but not until we were already there.

And the sun is shining again.

Trying to Be Content

One of my major struggles in my spiritual life is gratitude. I so often fail to give God glory and thanks for the known and unknown blessings in my life, much less the sufferings that inevitably work in me to further God's grace. I'm working on it.

Where is my ingratitude leading me currently? Nowhere, and that is the problem. I want to go somewhere. I want to take a little family trip. I want to sleep in a hotel and swim in a hotel pool, just for the novelty of it. My kids are not that old and definitely don't know what they are missing, so I can't even rationalize some of this by saying they want it too. Nope, just selfish, ungrateful me. As if to rub salt in the wound, Husband today informed me that he and his dad want to make a weekend fishing trip on the Brazos. I know they need to do this, but I still had to fight some resentment. Seems there is no time and money for a family getaway, but fishing with no kids is definitely managable.

Please exuse my pettiness.

I know that we are blessed and that we will have many years to take family trips. I just wish it was now, not later. At least today.

I promise to find my way to cheerfulness by the end of the week. I'm really not usually given to so much self-pity and whining and I know it is off-putting. Stick around and eventually you will find things much more pleasant around here. Really.

Spring Reading Thing Wrap-up

Here is my list. I will put my comments, reviews, whatever, after each book. And I may add some extra comments at the end.

The Innocent by Harlan Coben

An entertaining mystery. I have not read a mystery in years. This one was predictable in some ways, suprising in others. A great beach read.

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

I have not finished this. I started it a while ago, but have just not wanted to go back to it. It is the story of a young girl determined to find out about her brother's mysterious death, years after it happened. Some of what I have read has been good, but overall the story is just not holding my attention. I'm really glad I didn't pay for this book.

The Kite-Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Excellent! I picked this book up many times at the bookstore, but there was no information about the story on the front or back cover, and I mistakenly believed it a was a political book relating to the current situation in Afghanistan. But, I saw it on so many must-read lists that I tracked down a copy from a friend and gave it a shot. I'm so glad I did. It is the heart-wrenching but hopeful story of a boy born in Afghanistan pre-revolution and follows him through political changes there and in the U.S. I'm so glad I read it and I just bought Hosseini's newest novel.

Harry Potter 1-6 by J.K. Rowling

Loved them all! I was glad to see the reading/writing level get more advanced with each book. I had long resisted the draw of HP and now see I was misguided. Great stories of friendship and loyalty and power and evil and all that. I have also spent time reading articles discussing the dangers of HP to a Christian worldview and am glad I did that as well. It is important to be informed and to be on guard against opportunities for evil to sneak in. I don't think HP is really a conduit for that, but I can see the concerns.

Jewel by Brett Lott

Again, I saw this book on many must-read lists and it was compared to the Memory Keeper's Daughter, which I had already read. I was told this book was better and I think, overall, it is. There are no copout endings, that is for sure. Following a family as they daily adjust to a radically altered life is interesting.

Eldest by Christopher Paolini

I did not get around to reading this one, but I will soon. I just need to buy/borrow a copy. I enjoyed Eragon very much.

Cane River by Lalita Tademy

This is the historical fictional account of a real family in Creole Louisiana. It follows a slave family as they strive to improve their situation in life and refuse to be bowed down by their circumstance. Eye-opening and inspiring, but also depressing and discouraging at times. I was not aware of this part of the history of slavery. I would definitely read it if you can find it.

Second Draft of My Life by Sara Lewis

This book is also a decent beach read. Not a great story, by any stretch, but not terrible either. If you come across it you might want to read it, but I wouldn't say you should spend time finding it.

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

I have not finished this one either. Again, the pacing is just not holding my attention. The book is on bestseller lists everywhere and is widely regarded as a snapshot of the culture in Iran, but I just have not been interested. I will keep it on my shelf and revisit it, though, as I know I can learn from it.

Not on my list, but also read was Charlotte's Web. I read this aloud to my kids and we all loved it, of course. I'm also about to finish A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. A memoir told in short story form, it is very entertaining.


Favorite? The Kite-Runner with the HP books a close second.

Worst? The Little Friend (although that is not entirely fair since I have not finished it).

What did I learn? I still struggle with non-fiction, although I love a well-written memoir. I read a lot of other things that take away from book reading. I try to read the paper daily, and I get several magazines, and I read way too many blogs. :)

Will I participate in the fall? Sure--it makes my habit of neglecting almost everything for the sake of reading seem legitimate.

Head over to Katrina's place for more wrapups and reading lists.

Recovered

Okay, knowing that I am not the only wife who gets a little irritated at sick husbands has brought me great comfort. I think Husband was mostly unaware of my frustration. He realized I was a little on edge, but chalked that up to the kids. He woke this morning feeling well enough to go to work, so I would say he is on the way to recovery. He is supposed to pitch in a baseball game tomorrow, and I know he won't let anything get in the way of that. So I expect a full recovery in the next twelve hours.

After putting the kids to bed last night I headed out the door for a little fix. I went straight to the bookstore. Y'all--without even really browsing the shelves I saw at least 10 books I wanted to buy. I have an addiction and it is fed by bookstores, libraries, and paperbackswap.com. I bought two books for myself and one for the kids. I bought A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel. I have started the second book and it is fun. I love memoirs, especially those written in the form of lots of short stories. A good, quick read is what I am after sometimes. For the kids I bought the first book in the Little House series. We just finished reading Charlotte's Web (watching the movie tonight) and I wanted to have something ready to read. My girls might be a little young to really get it all, but I am looking forward to reading with them. The good thing is, they don't mind if we skip a few nights here and there.

So, Husband is recovering and so am I. Despite appearances I try not to be a selfish creature most of the time. Thanks for letting me know I was not alone.

In Which I Forfeit My Claim as Best Wife Ever

I'd like to think I do pretty well in the wife department. Not only do I tolerate sports, I enjoy them. I even subscribe to Sports Illustrated and wow Husband's male friends with sports knowledge. I like music and have similar taste to Husband. I try to be loving and understanding and patient and all those things. I have chosen to attend college basketball games on our anniversary. I think Husband would agree that, generally speaking, he got lucky in the wife selection process.

But.

Husband is sick. Not just not feeling well, but legitimately sick. He has a fever. He has chills and then hot flashes. His throat hurts. I have given him Tylenol. I have tried to keep the kids away and quiet. I bought what he wanted for lunch. All reasonable things that any caring person would do.

The problem is my attitude. I'm being a bit, well, grumpy. I'm not mad at Husband--he obviously didn't try to get sick. I'm just frustrated. We had plans tonight to see a baseball game. There is a collegiate league in our area (college players getting extra playing time in after their season) and we were finally going to go to a game. And it is $2 Tuesday, so it was going to be relatively cheap. I just wanted to get out of the house and do something different. Again, not his fault at all, but I have to admit to a little bit of resentment. What is wrong with me?

Start sending in your applications, because the title of Best Wife Ever is up for grabs.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

I may take the plunge and start going to Jazzercise. I can't believe I just typed that. Group workouts are so not my thing, but I'm ridiculously bored with running. The classes here are a reasonable price and the childcare is a steal. Have any of my readers done this? If so, what did you think? I'm hoping to rope at least one friend into joining me (hi Queen of My Domain).

Thank You . . . And I May be Cut Off

Thanks for all of the music suggestions. I have added many, many songs to my Ipod today. Which is why I may be cut off from internet access. ;-) O.H. is going to think a stranger started ordering music on my account if he sees the songs I chose. I have definitely embraced diversity. One of my chief targets was finding clean, upbeat music for exercise (because my lack of music choices is to blame for my recent sluggishness, of course). I even bought some hip-hop! Clean versions, of course. Keep the suggestions coming.

Here is Princess, pre-recital. She and her class did a great job. One year of dance is now over. Next year, Princess and Nutball will be dancers. I never danced as a child, but I love watching my girls dance. Even though the costumes are expensive and the stuff is multiplying, it is so fun being a dance mom.

I read a lot of posts this weekend celebrating Father's Day. We did our own celebrating here. I have a great dad and so do my kids. Both are men who have not failed to jump in and embrace fatherhood. I must say, though, they got the short end of the celebration stick this weekend. While Mom and I were at the store buying groceries for a Father's Day lunch, they got hit with a double whammy. Buddy pooped in his underwear and then proceeded to sit down on the carpet. So Husband already had a cleaning challenge. Well, he goes into the boys' room to find some clean underwear and wakes up Monster, who has been sick. Gets Monster out of the crib, just in time for him to throw up everything in him. So, the two dads were the ones left to clean the kids and the messes. Happy Father's Day!

Looking for Some Music

Okay, readers. I want to add to my songs on my Ipod. I don't have a ton of room left, but I need more variety. I have a LOT of Praise and Worship music. I would prefer not to have anything with vulgar lyrics. Otherwise, I'm open to suggestions. Flood the comment box with what you think I can't live without. Thanks!

What Have I Done?

I may have started something I will soon regret. I had the unexpected opportunity of a babysitter being available for more time than I planned, so I decided I would give Princess a treat. She had her dress rehearsal for the big recital today (thus the sitter), but prior to the rehearsal I had some errands to run. I knew she would not be thrilled by all of them, so I thought I would start the day off with some fun.

I treated her to her first pedicure.

What was I thinking? Before the polish was even dry she was asking if we could come again tomorrow. I gently explained that this experience was a special one, to be reserved for special times. So she is already plotting to go back for her birthday. I should note that my first pedicure occurred sometime after high school, if I remember correctly. Why I thought a 5 year old would need one is beyond me, but she loved it and so did I. In fact, I want to go back tomorrow too. Too bad we would be bankrupt in about two weeks if we went as often as we would like.

Priceless mother-daughter bonding while inhaling nail salon fumes. What more could two girls want?

P.S. Sorry for the poor photo quality--I only had my phone with me.

Bits and Pieces

Funny that my advice in the carnival mentioned posting regularly, isn't it? No? You don't see it as subtle sarcasm? Okay, then, I'll admit it. I really meant it, but I apparently don't think that it holds true for me. That's the beauty of having your own blog, right?

In the interest of posting regularly, here are some bits and pieces for your reading pleasure (or torture, as the case may be).

1) Swimming lessons are going well. Buddy didn't get in the big pool at all the first five days. Now he is willing to sit on the steps and put his face in the water. He still has a long way to go, but we have made major progress.

2) Speaking of progress, Buddy is also making strides in the potty department. He is fairly consistent, with prodding, at getting the wet business done on the potty. Not so much on the other part. We're still working on it.

3) My list of blogs I read is not altogether accurate right now. I read far more blogs than I have listed. I have just been too lazy to update. Perhaps I will work on that. Just like I am working on a new plan for peace in the Middle East. Because I have all the answers.

4) After a two-year hiatus, I think I am being called back into High School youth ministry at our parish. I know that I want to be doing more than I am doing now. This feels like the best place.

5) End-of-year dance recital coming up. We will be the proud owners of the most expensive dress-up clothes ever come Saturday evening when the recital is over. Pictures will follow.

That's it. Not a lot to offer, but I'm trying to live up to my own advice. Isn't there some quote or something about that?

Why I Blog Carnival

Chilihead is hosting a fun little carnival that invites us to share a little about our blogging experience. Since I can't pull any original thoughts together at this time, I'm going to join in.

How did you start blogging?

I had read about blogs, and started by reading other blogs. I began blogging last fall and originally started out sharing my efforts to exercise and eat better. More on that in a bit. :)

Did you intend to have a blog with a big following? If so, how did you go about getting it?

Um, no. Of course I wanted people to read it, but I had no inner writing genius hoping to be validated. I read other blogs and comment there and that seems to have helped me find a few new readers here and there and that is great.

What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?

Honestly, I don't think I have any goals with my blog. I hope that those who read regularly enjoy what I write, or at least, don't leave my blog thinking they just wasted their time. Beyond that, no goals here. Can't you tell a lot of thought went into starting this thing called blogging?

Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?

As I mentioned before, I originally started blogging as a way of accountability regarding fitness and diet. My regular readers will realize that I rarely mention these things anymore. Just as un update, the exercise is still not where it was, but I'm getting back into the habit. The eating is still not good. I think my focus, if you can call it that, has expanded to include all of the aspects of my life that need accountability. Also, I have started using my blog as a place to try to express some of my thoughts and struggles with my daily life.

What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started?

I wish I had known how many blogs I would end up addicted to reading!

Do you make money with your blog?

No. I definitely do not have enough readers for anyone to want to put ads here. And that is okay with me too, because I would probably want to have control over what ads were there.

Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?

My family does know about it. I think some of them read it some of the time, but they don't comment. They just don't have a lot of time for reading stuff online. If they want to know stuff, they ask me.

What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?

1. Post regularly, especially if you want to increase your readership.

2. Comment on other blogs if you want comments on yours.

Really, I don't feel in any way qualified to give advice on blogging when there are such excellent blogs out there.

Okay, I answered all the questions. Now your life will never be the same. And for a bonus, here is a picture of Monster. Whose cuteness makes me want to have one million babies.

Not a real post, but a teaser for a post

That's not really fair, is it? I have some ideas for real posts in my head, but right now I don't have the energy or desire to really flesh them out into something that makes any sense. I think I want to participate in Chilihead's carnival, but again the laziness is getting in the way. This week is just swimming lessons and dress rehearsal for the dance recital. Thank God! I am happy to spend time at home. I promise to return with something real at some point.

We Survived

The week is over. Praise God! Honestly, it was a good week, but it had more challenges than I would have liked. We had VBS every morning, and I help lead the opening and closing portion of each day. Two kids participate in the program and two are in the nursery. We also had swimming lessons every afternoon. On top of that, O.H. was in CA the first three days of the week. And apparently God wanted to make sure I knew who to rely on. On Monday night sometime Monster threw up in his bed. I didn't discover it until Tuesday morning. Thankfully I had someone who could come over and watch him so I could still help with VBS. Then, Wednesday night, Buddy threw up! Thankfully, O.H. was home by then, barely. Welcome Home, Daddy! Princess took her turn throwing up Thursday night but didn't wake us up to tell us so I didn't know until Friday morning. Finally, my flip-flop broke Friday morning! I had to drive to the mall during a break at VBS and buy new ones (which was A-okay with me!). It truly was a comedy of errors in many ways. Oh yeah, we had dance on Thursday afternoon and a VBS program for the parents on Thursday night.

Anyway, we all made it through the week. The kids had fun. I had fun. We are all well now. It felt great to stay in bed this morning and not even shower until after lunch.

O.H. and I went to a wedding this afternoon, kid free. The girls were supposed to go but decided to stay home with the babysitter. So, after a beautiful wedding and fun reception we snuck out to see a movie. We saw Ocean's 13 and I definitely recommend it. We had a fun day.

Next week is more normal, thank goodness. I don't know what else I can take.

Raffle for a Good Cause

Danielle Bean is hosting a great raffle at her website. All of the money raised will go to St. Gianna's Maternity Home, a crisis pregnancy center. There are 45 prizes! Things like books, aprons, and gift cards. Even if you don't win, you can feel good knowing you helped a woman in crisis. Go to daniellebean.com and enter.

More Random Things

I have been tagged again. I don't really know if I can come up with 8 random things about me that you would want to know. But, since I was tagged twice (thanks Matilda and E-l-e-e), I feel I have no choice.

1. I went to debate camp in high school. Yes, I am that nerdy.

2. When I get in the car, I buckle my seat belt first and adjust my seat and mirrors, all before I turn on the car (and I usually adjust the mirrors every time, even if I was the last one to drive the car). It makes Husband crazy. Especially when the temperature is in the triple digits.

3. I use men's shaving cream. I do this because I can buy a can for less than a dollar. I refuse to pay several dollars for the same thing in a purple can with some girly scent.

4. I have an obession with cheap stationery. I buy packages of blank note cards all the time. I have a whole box full opened packages of cards with various designs on the fronts. I don't write notes that often.

5. I don't wear my wedding ring when I'm at home. I got this habit from Husband. We both take all of our jewelry off (ring and watch for him) as soon as we get home. I worry about my ring slipping off when washing my hands and stuff, since it is a little big. I won't get it sized down either, because then I'll be paranoid that it will get stuck.

6. We only sleep with a comforter. No top sheet. Again, it is Husband's thing and I just go along with it.

7. I change clothes several times a day some days. I wake up and put on yoga pants (sleep in shorts). If we are going somewhere, I put on regular clothes. As soon as we get home I change back into lazy clothes. For example, this morning I woke up and put on my lazy pants while getting us all ready for VBS. I then put on my VBS clothes. Came home, took that all off and put on lazy clothes again. We have swim lessons this afternoon, so I'll put regular clothes on again. Then I will change again when I get home. I have a lot of yoga pants, sports bras, and tanks--that is what I usually wear at home (and sleep in, except shorts, not pants).

8. I drink unsweet iced tea. This is practically a sin in the South.

There you go. I'm not tagging anyone, but if you want to play along, tell us in the comments.

Shoes

I have decided to enlighten any male readers who happen by this blog. What I have to say regarding shoes is not true for every woman, and is not all original thought (see In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner for a more eloquent piece on shoes and women), but I decided I needed to share it anyway. Perhaps some man is out there trying to grasp what shoes mean to his woman. Hopefully this helps.

Shoes are not just protection for our feet. They are not just to keep our feet clean and uncut. At least, not for a lot of women. You see, the right shoes can make a housewife feel like a princess. They can take a woman from feeling dowdy and plain to hip and confident in no time. Shoes dress up an outfit or make it more casual. One of the best things about shoes is that, by and large, they are not limited to certain size women. Clothes sometimes don't look good on all body shapes. Most shoes, however, look good on anyone. I know that is not always the case, but shoes are generally more versatile. A woman might feel like all of her clothes are boring and predictable, but adding a new shoe can make everything seem new again. I have a pair of heels that I just know are hot, and when I put them on, I walk a little taller and feel a lot better about how I look. Most women will find at least one pair of shoes that does it for them.

So the next time you hear a woman gushing over some shoes, don't laugh and tease. Let her have her fun and indulge her fancy (within reason anyway). You'll see a new woman, at least while those shoes are on her feet.

And So it Begins

Today marks the beginning of a crazy week. I don't know what I was thinking, but I scheduled swim lessons to begin the same week we have Vacation Bible School. So we are spending our mornings at church and our afternoons at the pool. We are doing swim lessons all month. Buddy is just starting, so we'll see how he does. He is somewhat potty trained, so I feel good about that. We're only home for two hours between activities, so I might not be very good at posting (not that what I post is terribly interesting) this week.

I did get up and run this morning. It felt good to do it in the morning--I haven't done that in a long time. I have to every day this week, though, or I won't get it in. The 5K is not a definite plan at this point, but I'm acting as though it is.

That's all I have to offer. Weak, I know. Have a great week!

Progress Report **Updated**

If this was a progress report for school I would be in study hall every day. We have had virtually no success in the potty training sector. One incident of poop in the potty and that is it. I'm thinking Buddy is just not ready, and we will have to fake it at swim lessons or something. I already paid my non-refundable deposit and he needs those lessons. Things on the running front are not much better. I did get on the treadmill and managed to run a mile on Wednesday. Since then, nothing. I lack motivation, desire, drive, and all things related. It doesn't help that I have to carefully plan my running time to coincide with a diaper session for Buddy (i.e. naptime). Things are just chipper around here, can you tell?

Yesterday I and my children endured waiting in line at the tax office to renew my vehicle registration (yes I waited until the last day). Thankfully, we had friends about four people behind us, and the girls all colored quietly at a bench. After the tax office, we moved on to the inspection/oil change place. Again, I waited until the last day and had to get an inspection. Again, we were blessed. No one else was there and the whole thing took less than 40 minutes I think. My kids were great, eating snacks and playing blocks. For their efforts they were rewarded with a trip to Target. Buddy needed to choose a toy for potty motivation (New Look Mater) and I let them get a couple of rubber balls for the backyard and watering cans to play with in the splash pool. The toy motivation strategy is not working, so Mater may be adorning my mantel for sometime.

Now I need to clean my house and give serious consideration to running. Next week is completely crazy. We have VBS every morning and swim lessons every afternoon, plus dance on Thursday. If I feel overwhelmed now, I'm going to be a basket case by next Friday.

Have a great weekend!

**Update** We have had two successful trips to the potty! Of course, we have also had two accidents. But I'm trying to be positive here.