Day 1 of 365 days of Reality

Today started earlier than normal. For the kids. Julia had a orthodontist appt. at 8, so I had to have everyone dressed, fed, lunches made and in the car by 7:40. Including Henry and Nora because I was going to the gym afterward.

Good morning. Check.

But on the way to the ortho, two children lost priviledges for coughing in each other's faces, poking, bothering and generally annoying each other, and therefore me.

On the way to school we realized the missing-ness of one coat for an 8 year old girl. I told her to just wear the boy coat that happened to be in the car, to which I was informed that all the girls at school wore pretty girl coats and that she would be embarrassed. And nothing is a worse punishment for this child then to be embarrassed. And we couldn't have that.  So then I started to feel bad that her girl coat that she left at home was way too big for her, being a hand me down, and just a plain sort. Plus the fact that we would be late if we went home for it, and it was FREEZING outside today.

So we stopped at Walmart, and I bought her a pretty polka dot coat for 17 bucks. She was happy, and I wasn't that much poorer.

After dropping everyone off at school, I headed to the gym with Heinrich and Nora. I pushed through some major desire to NOT be there.

After getting sweaty enough to call it good, I headed to the store where Henry and Nora proceeded to drive me nuts for a solid 20 minutes. Not until they each had a doughnut in their mouths was there any silence from them.

The rest of the day then consisted of me watching the Biggest Loser and other random videos on the Bum Breaker, (that's the hard kitchen chair I sat on for 3 hours),while Henry and Nora entertained themselves.




It was with a final sad realization at 4:30 that I should tidy up enough so that Jeff wouldn't think I sat around all day, and that dinner might be something to consider. Cleaning up wasn't too bad since I had busted my behind getting ready for the missionaries yesterday.

(Really. This is not bad at all. I promise. It only took a few minutes to spruce it up.)


 And for dinner I made a yummy stroganoff, which I didn't eat.  But everyone said it was good. I was considering adding some vegetables to the table, but then I thought, "Who am I kidding? No one will eat that" and instead I added cheese filled breadsticks as an accompaniment.

I then spoon fed my 5 year old with the ninja mask on so that I could be sure he actually got any sort of nourishment in the PM.



After dinner, everyone pitched in to clean up. And I don't think I had to threaten anyone. It was pretty awesome actually.

Henry was asleep before 10! Do you know what a miracle this is? I honestly thinks it's because I  put him to bed while Jeff was running an errand with Julia for her school project.

And I don't mean that I have better putting to bed skills than Jeff.  Henry just adores his father sooo much, that I sincerely think that he had no reason to get out of bed without Jeff home.

 But then Nora came down, after I thought she was in bed for good, claiming to be hungry. I should have known by how NOT tired she looks after her afternoon nap.


But her still being awake made all the shushing I gave to Charlie feel unnecessary. Although it provided much humour when I finally told him that I would penalize him a dollar for every word he spoke. So instead, he mouthed things at us, and made weird shrieking noises and contorted facial expressions. But he never spoke a word until I finally told him that I would let him talk again if he promised to not make ANY of those noises again. He complied.

I was asleep by 10:30. I'm addicted to going to bed early. I'm pretty sure that there is way more activity in my house after 10 than I know of. But 10 o'clock hits and I start to panic that I won't get at least 8 hours of sleep so off I go to dream land. Except for weekends, wherein I stay up to ridiculous hours of the night watching shows with Jeff.

But that is how it should be.