Playdates again

Things to be grateful for, as exhausting and chaotic and crazy as it is. The kids can have playdates again and the house is crowded and messy and insane, or maybe it's always like that, but it's good. Having to move backpacks and shoes and getting asked a million weird things and having to relocate the dog, but it feels so much more normal than the past few pandemic years.

The highlights of the 8 or 9 kids here on Friday were questions such as: 

"Did you know if you stab yourself in the stomach with a knife, you shouldn't remove it yourself?" (I did not).

"Bethan, can you get Lanie? She's stuck on the top of the fence."

And exclamations such as, "Glitter emergency! Open the door, get it outside now!" Directly after I thought it was a good idea to vacuum the popcorn up that had been trailed across the floor, silly, silly idea. 

And obviously when two of the parents arrived their children were in the treehouse eating tortilla chips and I was looking for Lanie who I hadn't seen or heard in a while.

On the plus side, Sam and his friend were upstairs and I didn't get a chance to check on them. Turns out they were making a video that is different than their usual crazy stuff.

Strawberry Festival

We went to a Strawberry Festival last weekend and arrived in the morning to find a lot more patrons than we anticipated being there, and also possibly than the farm anticipated being there. Parking attendants seemed to be directing traffic to any open area, including, apparently, areas not owned by the farm. When we pulled in, we were directed into an area that had deep tire marks which appeared to be made by farm equipment, after a few rainy days. As we parked I wondered about the possibility of getting stuck in the mud.

We picked strawberries, luckily a friend arrived before us and stood in line and got a container, so when we appeared it was handed to us. We did find some good strawberries, but we really had to look for them, as it was already picked over.

The kids seemed to have fun though. We left as the festival was beginning as the lines for food and drinks and pony rides were extensive. As we walked to our car and loaded in, I watched a minivan, identical to the one we recently had, get stuck in the mud.

I'm not entirely sure why, but they unloaded the entire extended family from the van and then got it out and left it to the side which they directed more traffic out. The family still stranded. When it was our turn, the front wheel drive vehicle I was driving went back just fine, but as I put it in drive, got stuck. The attendants told me to "rev the engine and step on the gas" when I asked them for a push. Obviously that drove the front tires further in. When we were good and stuck, and had drawn a crowd, and their efforts to push us out were fruitless, someone finally got the tractor. They hooked us up and to the kids' delight, we were pulled from the mud by the tractor. My friend took photos for us. We left to the applause of a small gathered crowd. The kids waved to the audience.

Easter 2019

A few photos from Easter- Chris went to see his parents as his mom is ill, so the kids and I spent the morning at home and then went to my parents' house in the afternoon for dinner.  Everyone was tired from a busy week and from family members being away here and there all week.  I think they are ready to be back in a routine!

Egg dyeing.

I was passed this very sad note by Sam.

The Easter bunny came and brought books. Lanie's is to help her stop using a pacifier : (

Today Lanie is with Nana, and apparently she put the Easter bunnies to bed.

The Easter bunny appeared at our door and even though I knew he was coming he scared the crap out of me when I came down the stairs. Jack who barks at anyone and anything was not fazed in the least.

Jack's excitement at the park

This dog has more energy than the kids sometimes.  He runs and runs and then comes home and sleeps for hours.

Back at Work

Just went back to work to finish up the school year (and get my summer pay!).

It's been a challenge to say the least.  Thank god for coffee.  It's more the organizing and getting out the door in the morning than anything else, on limited sleep at best.  Lannin was sleeping in 3-4 hour increments until I actually started back and then regressed to every two hours, probably for comfort.  Thankfully I only returned for 2-3 weeks, though they seem like really long weeks...

Since returning I've done some pretty dumb things that I know about- not sure what dumb things I don't know about...

- I backed into a stationary trash can in Davis Square- outside Starbucks naturally.  The homeless gentleman on the street thought it was amusing, luckily no damage done.

- tore the house apart looking for my keys before work and found them in the ignition of the car from the day before.  The car was parked in the exact spot where a car was stolen about 3 months ago

- dropped and shattered an iPhone

- after going away for the weekend we left behind (luckily at a family house), an iPad, my wedding rings (I think), a puzzle, a book, and then when we arrived home on Sunday and unpacked realized Chris's car was at my work from leaving on Friday

- gone to an appointment on the wrong day and time and rearranged my own, Sam's, Chris's, and my mom's schedule accordingly so that I could do so

- emailed the wrong teachers about the wrong timeframe at work

- remembered food for a volunteer breakfast at work, for Vivian, for Sam, for myself, but not milk for the baby at the babysitters so got to spend the day pumping and running a milk delivery service across the street between teaching, meetings, and interviews

- forgotten at least 8 kids names at school and called several by the wrong name

On a positive note, school ends in three days, and to date all of my own kids are accounted for, fed, and clean.  And right now, by some miracle sleeping, which I'm sure won't last for long.