Hey, everyone.

Today I'm just leaving a quick note to say we're still here. The twins are out of school today, Hubby's home from work, and we're trying to get some cleaning done.

I'm off to the grocery store in a little while, and then it will be back to cleaning.

Sadly, that's it. We had no major plans for Valentine's Day, we hung out at home all weekend, and I'll be ready for the twins to be in school again tomorrow.

I wish I had some funny story or cute anecdote to share, but mostly we've been trying to keep the kids from killing themselves or us. Not a lot of fun involved.

Catch you again on Wednesday.

Later.

Hello, all.

Okay, loved Burn Notice again last night. Totally awesome. So sad there are only three episodes left in the season until June. Don't know how I'll survive, but somehow I will pull through.

As for the rest of our lives, things are pretty much normal.

Shocking, I know.

Usually we have some sort of ridiculous or pain-in-the-tushy issue going on, but things are actually pretty calm around here for now. The boys are at school and will be having their Valentine's party this afternoon. (On a side note: Twin A informed me girls are gross and he DOES NOT like them. Wonder how long that will last.) The Princess is watching cartoons, eating cereal, and spilling the pieces on the floor. She still has a cough, but seems to be feeling a little better. And Hubby is at work.

So I'll be trying to work on a manuscript while I can.

And I'm off. Have a good weekend, and Happy Valentine's Day (in a couple of days).

Later.

Good morning, all.

I'm getting a late start today because the Princess has a cold (cough, runny nose, low-grade fever) that's been keeping her up at night, which of course is keeping me up at night.

Hubby was kind enough this morning to get the twins up, dressed, and off to school so the Princess and I could sleep in after a very long, fitful night. We've been pushing fluids and trying to keep her down to get some rest, but a 2 year old who doesn't want to stay in bed is almost impossible to keep there without the use of restraints.

(And don't think I haven't been tempted to break out the duct tape to strap her down!)

So the rest of today is going to be about getting her better, and keeping me sane. We'll see how that goes.

And that's it for now. Hope your week is going well. Have fun. Stay safe.

Later.

P.S. I wanted to give a late shout-out to my brother "Uncle Gick" and tell him HAPPY BIRTHDAY a day late. (And actually, I did call him yesterday, and was informed I am supposed to be making him a pie for his birthday, as it is my sister-ly duty to comply. So the pie is on the way . . . sometime around Thanksgiving.)

P.P.S. Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister-in-law "Aunt Mishie" tomorrow. No more cokes or candy for the children as your present. No, no, no.

Well, it's Monday morning, and there are HUGE snowflakes falling in our area.

The school did not call and cancel so Hubby took the boys on his way to work. I'm actually sort of surprised they didn't cancel school today, but then again I understand why they didn't. Usually, the district is very good about not taking chances with so many children riding the bus and cars on the road everywhere, not to mention all the kids that walk.

But they've already missed 4 days of school because of the last winter storm, and I think as long as the roads were considered somewhat passable, the administrators didn't want to take the chance of more days they have to make up at the end of the year.

So I will be waiting for a call that school is letting out early, or just being prepared to get them after school at the regular time. Either way, I'm guaranteed to be driving in a snowy mess.

Not my idea of a good time.

I like to imagine myself pretty confident and able to handle most things thrown my way, but here's my big confession . . . I suck at driving in winter weather. (And I'm probably nowhere near as cool under pressure as I like to think I am.)

The few times I've done it, I've fishtailed all over the road - several times - and it scares the ba-jeebies out of me.

When I have kids in the car, all my concentration is on going slow and keeping them safe, but I always get distracted by other drivers who think they're NASCAR qualifiers, and then I have a little slip myself, and it rattles me for the rest of the drive.

Hopefully today will be a slow, uneventful drive.

Have a great week and keep warm.

Later.

Good Morning, all.

Burn Notice ROCKED!!!

Okay, got that out of the way. Sorry, I can't help myself. I just love the show.

And the sad thing is that watching Burn Notice is pretty much the highlight of my week. The twins are at school (YAY!!!), and they were so excited because today is Pajama Day. For a dollar, all the kids get to wear their jammies to school. And as far as fundraisers go, its a fairly clever one.

The Princess is ruling her kingdom with an iron fist this morning, bossing her put-upon servants (mommy & daddy) around and demanding we give her all that her heart desires the moment she wants it.

She's been a very frustrated girl because Mommy's not playing that game.

I still have three areas I'm focusing my time and energy on; the house, my writing, and other writing related issues. And I'll be working on them for the rest of the weekend.

Hope your weekend goes great. Have fun and stay safe.

Later.

Hallelujah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The twins are back in school!!!!!!!!!!!

I honestly didn't know if I was going to make it. Not that I don't love spending time with my kids, but 6 days of nonstop running, screaming, jumping, fighting, whining, and insanity have me a little on edge.

In fact, yesterday when the Princess finally took her first nap in those 6 days, I sat down on the couch and cried tears of joy and thanksgiving.

I was really beginning to think I had done something terribly, horribly wrong to anger God: spit in a church, commit an act of terrorism, kick an injured puppy . . . something to incur the wrath of the Almighty.

The children simply would not calm down and rest. And I desperately needed the reprieve.

But now I am happy to say that the boys are in school, and the Princess is happily playing with her toys and watching cartoons.

YAY!!!!!!!

So I will be trying to catch up on just about everything I've gotten behind on: laundry, picking up, sweeping, mopping, book revisions, critiquing a friend's manuscript, and duties I've neglected as the new VP of our OKC writer's group.

Lots to do, so I'm off. Hope the rest of your week goes well.

Later.

Good morning.

Well, I wish it was good.

The boys are home from school again today, and as much as I appreciate the school's commitment to keeping our children safe and not risking travel on still-icy roads, I'm ready to risk life and limb to get them out of this house!

This is the 5th day trapped with the kiddos.

And yes, I used the word TRAPPED!!!

I'm ready to tunnel my way through the snow and let the little critters fend for themselves.

Hubby went to work for a few hours yesterday, and he went in again today.

Lucky dog.

The children are literally climbing anything they can . . . dressers, cabinets, the entertainment center, tables, the walls (not a figure of speech, they are climbing up the walls in the hallway), on door frames, everything!!!

Rooms that were once clean are now filthy, and no amount of Mommy trailing behind them with a vacuum, or picking up in their wake, has made a difference.

Quiet activities like coloring, watching movies, or playing video games have become full-on death-cage matches.

I need some peace. I need to be able to hear myself think. I need to not hear the sounds of disaster when I leave them alone for longer than a minute to use the bathroom.

No more pulling all the clothes out of the drawers and closets.

No more emptying their toy boxes and having to pick up every teeny-tiny toy they've ever received.

No more grabbing a package of crackers from the kitchen, taking off with it, and I find it 10 minutes later crushed into the carpet.

Okay. *deep breath*

I think I'm done with my little rant. I just want the boys back in school, and only one child in the house so I can attempt to clean-up the destruction of this long snow-bound experience.

I hope everyone has a good week and stays warm.

Later.