There's No Place Like Home

When we last visited our life story I believe we had just arrived home from a successful trip to California. So I will try and pick up from there.

It's been a nice week all around. The weather was cool and comfortable. I really like that, especially since it's supposed to be in the 100's for 3 days and maybe 5 days in a row this week. YIKES!

This week the kids had play dates. We went swimming. Actually when I say "we" I pretty much mean Bob and the kids. I went once. Being a stay at home mom is a privilege and honor but it is also exhausting. The only problem with our trip was that we got home on a Monday night. The kids missed their daddy. This meant that every day they wondered where their daddy was when they got up and it was 4 days before he could be home for the day. That was a bummer. They haven't been in a routine all summer (and that is my fault) but it makes for frustrating days when they're supposed to be in "routine" mode. You know like on a Tuesday when we don't have to be anywhere or do anything. Say, one could sleep in, read or just play quietly. And last year they would have gotten up and figured out what to do. NOPE. Sophia has been in my room every day at 7:00.

"Mom, where's daddy?"
"Mom, can I watch TV?"
"Mom, I'm bored."
"Mom...."

Now me, "Daddy is at work. It's early. Go back to bed."
"NO TV. Go back to bed. It's early"
"Sophia, you are too young to be bored. Figure it out. Read, play fairies, play with your playmobile, go to sleep. I don't care."

I like to sleep. I REALLY like to sleep. Sophia used to be a WORLD class sleeper. She no longer is. Now the boys..... They climb into bed with me each morning at about 6 and they'll sleep until the cows come home. Our room is cold and dark, like a bat cave, less the guano. Each time Sophia came into our room she woke up not only me but the boys. This sucks. The kids have been up fairly late. The sun doesn't go down until 9 around here and we have either had dinner with or had friends over a lot. This means late nights. AND I can't seem to get it through Sophia's head that she CAN'T come in my room unless something is on fire, someone is injured or if there is some sort of danger. I guarantee, if she continues this pattern SHE will be in DANGER.

So that has been the mornings....

Once everyone is up and moving we've been playing close to home. The boys have been playing really nicely together which is great. Sophia has had friends over or has been at a friend's house. Being in the location that we are, people stop over all the time as well. We are not bored for sure. We've also gone to the park. I still love the park. There's the wading pool, the arts and crafts and sporting equipment all available for the kids to play. Iva loves it because she gets to go and sometimes she gets to play ball. I have really been trying to be relaxed about our days and let them develop in an organic fashion. It's been a nice way to be. Laundry and cleaning gets done between taking care of kids.

Friday we got up and I left it up to the kids as to what we were going to do. This started because the housekeepers (who usually come around 10:30) came at 8:15. They have a key to the house so they can let themselves in. I awoke to the sound of a vacuum downstairs. I quick got dressed, woke up the boys, got them dressed and said, "Where do you want to go to breakfast?" I didn't want to mess up the kitchen, the housekeepers "Base of Operations." They wanted to go to Burger King. The Burger King has a huge play structure. Hummm... not my idea of good but that is fine. "Let's go!"

They played for a couple hours and then it was off to OMSI. We picked out an Omnimax movie to watch and then went to play. We went to get a bite to eat. This is something that I never do because I usually pack a lunch. Why go for a free day (with membership) and then buy stuff? But we go and buy stuff. And do you know what? It only cost $8.35 for what we wanted. Now it seems silly to work so hard to pack my own lunch. Actually we just had a snack so a "real" lunch would have been more. But I still veered from my regular routine and that was something for me. Then we went to the movie and it was fun and then home to BBQ with the neighbors.

We had a nice time with the neighbors. It is the first time we have cooked out with them all summer because we have been gone. We enjoyed each other's company, had good food and later sat out on the deck and chatted while the kids watched a movie. A great summer night in my book.

Then yesterday (Saturday) we had a free form day. Bob gave blood, took Sophia to the pool to watch a friend swim in a meet and I took the boys out. We hit a few yard sales but couldn't find any kid stuff. Bummer. We went to brunch and they had pancakes. Then it was off to the farmer's market for some tomatoes. Yum! Lastly, we went to the Dollar Store. They each got a dollar and got "Black Men" stuff. They announced this all over the store. "MOM, WE'RE GETTING BLACK MEN STUFF." Me LOUDLY, "AHHH, THAT IS MEN IN BLACK. NOT BLACK MEN. MEEEEENNN IN BLLLAAAACK." Lordy. They really need to clear that up in their little heads especially if they are going to announce it all over the store.

The kids played in the afternoon. Bob took them to the pool and then we went to a friends for dinner. The kids all had fun and Sophia got a sleep over out of the deal. The dinner was delicious. Later I worked on menus for a dinner later in the week and for our up coming Decatur trip. So much to do.

So it's been a good week....fairly low key. I love our home and what we do here. I am a little sad that we've been gone so much but we really have been having fun. We'll be gone in a week for a week but then we're home for the rest of the summer. We'll have to look at how this summer has gone, talk to the kids, evaluate their behavior (too much to do makes for crazy kids), expenses and such. There are so many factors to take into consideration, and when we do look at all these aspects we have to decide if this is what we want to do with our time. Summers are precious time. I have enjoyed everything we have done but I have missed the local aspect of our summer this year. Maybe August will give us enough of that. We'll see. I love that for the most part we have all been together. That is obviously really important especially since being away from daddy for a week was really hard.

So all in all we're still having fun. This week will be full of new adventures and fun. Sophia is going to overnight camp, Coulter has T-ball and Kees and I will have coffee or something. And it will be 100+ for most of the week. Good times.