I just can't get it together today. What's up with that? Seriously!! I have finally gotten all our tax stuff together to give to the accountant Friday. I thought it would only take till lunch time and then I could enjoy the rest of my day off but I finished at 2:00. The kiddos get home at 2:50 so not much R & R for me today.

It's now 5:49 and I have very messy kitchen and no dinner to be found. Sounds like we're eating out!! I want something really, really tasty and bad for me. I think I've burned a trillion calories getting up and down a trillion times to attend to my house full of kiddos and dogs. Decisions, Decisions!!

Yesterday was my Mamaw Dunn's 85th birthday. She lives in a nursing home a few miles away and I hate to say that I do not visit her enough. I am always a little uneasy going there b/c you never know what I will find. This visit was actually pleasant. It is really a nice facility - clean and all.

My mom being ever so thoughtful bought a slice of cake for my grandma. Even though it was a bad day for Mamaw (she was not responding very well), mom put a lite candle on the cake. Kaylea did not get a chance to help blow it out so she lite it again with a match.

I was relaxing and enjoying the visit when I noticed some unusual commotion in the hallway. I saw nurse and several maintenance men seeming panicked and acting as if they lost something. Suddenly I realized that they were smelling our candle & match and thought the place was on fire. The nurse was saying "I checked all the rooms" and "I smell it really strong right here". We were totally busted. You know - oxygen and all - I guess open flames are frowned upon.

I think I will forever remember Mamaw's 85th birthday.

Oh, the stress of it all!

I used to say that motherhood is the hardest job in the world and really believed it. Those sleepless nights, tantrums, climbing furniture adventures, diapers, strollers, car seats, drool and lets not leave out spit-up - those were some tough things BUT the older they become the harder it becomes. My brain is completely mentally exhausted.

We want to give our sweet darlings the best upbringing possible and this leads to much stress in my life.

Mason wakes up every morning - GRUMPY!! He mentions daily that he hates school - its boring, and he doesn't like anything but spoons full of sugar for breakfast. When I try to make him behave in a kind and respectful way he says "You hate me". What? Is he crazy? That must explain why I spoil him so much and give him 100 kisses everyday. When, oh, when will this phase end??

Kaylea on the other hand is perfect in the am. If only I could get those emotions under control. I can't believe that she already has the "I don't know why I'm crying" down to a science. Boy, are we in trouble!! She's just turned 11.

Speaking of science, FCAT starts tomorrow for her. She is a ball of nerves. She performed very well last year and I keep reminding her of that. So much hinges on the scores from that stupid (I mean standardized) test. Her whole middle school future is apparently on the line. Science is the big thing in 5th grade. Fortunately, she loves it and seems to understand it completely - unlike her dear old mom.

Anyway, Kaylea and I said a little pray tonight for a week of pleasant and stress free testing. It is so hard to send our kids out into the big world sometimes but - such is life. I just strive daily to really listen to them (or at least pretend to) and to tell them how much I love them. I really want to live in the moment and enjoy the utter craziness. Before we know it they will fly from our nest and start to build their own.