As I fed Milo this morning, I browsed the world wide web for sewing ideas. I came across a tutorial for easy leggings to make for the girls so I added stretch jersey to my lengthy Joann list. With Chet gone at work, today felt like a perfect day to go to Joann. I sent a text to one of my little sisters, asking if she could babysit for an hour or two. She never responded, but while my creative bug was in motion, I decided to pack up the kids and head towards the cities anyways.
Two diaper changes, one bath, a shower, a rat's nest disassemble and two face washes later, we were on our way. I stopped by my mom and dad's house to see if the girls were home, as they still hadn't texted back. No one answered the door when I knocked. I let myself in to find an empty house. No little sisters to be found. I did find a note on the bathroom door, but it was to alert everyone to step on the rugs and not on the floor as there was broken glass. Wonder what happened there.
I went back out to the van and put in reverse, as the kids protested. They'd much rather stay at Grandma's than run errands with their weird mom.
We made our way into Maple Grove and I still hadn't heard back from my sisters. I called and texted but neither one answered. I had remembered that Ashley said she was going to study today, so we worked our way through the Saturday afternoon traffic to the public library. I was hoping to catch up with them and recruit one of them to watch my kids while I ran into Joann. No skunk in sight. (The skunk is a fancy name for her car.) Next, we tried the local Starbucks. No skunk.
Feeling like a stalker, I gave up and pulled into Joann.
I gave the kids a lecture before I opened up the van doors. No fighting. No biting. No whining. No crying. No touching. No bugging. Stay next to me at all times. I got two ok mom's, one screech and one snore.
I loaded up the two babies into the stroller and instructed Avery and Tucker to hold hands. We made it into the store in one piece and headed over to the notions section. I picked up a twin needle for my sewing machine and a package of magnetic snaps before Piper started screeching from her seat. I handed her my cell phone to keep her distracted. As I browsed through the fabric quarters, she was busy making changes to my contacts. Oakdale OBGYN now reads Oakdale OBGYNoooeeeebbbeekkkkkkkk. And Elizabeth is now Elizabeth0000030000kkqp.
We traveled over to the apparel fabrics and as I turned my back to check out a clearance sign, Tucker made his way to the top of the staff's ladder. I had to add one more rule. No climbing. While I lectured him, Avery pulled a bolt of fabric off of the shelf and asked if we should buy it, sending three other bolts to the floor. Sorry, Avery, I have no use for an apple print.
We made our purchases and as I pulled out of the parking lot, my sister texted me back. Too late.
On our way home, we took a little detour so I could show Avery the first house I grew up in down Rush Meadow Lane. As we drove down the adjacent road, memories of my childhood flooded back. I was only five or so when we moved from that house, but I can clearly remember it. We passed the house that once burned down and continued on past the house with the rusty statue of Mary still perched in the front yard.
I slowed as we passed our old house and I pointed it out to Avery. She noted the basketball hoop in the front driveway and asked me if that's where I learned to shoot my hoops. I showed her the small grove of shrubs, where Ryan and I would play house. Not to embarrass Ryan or anything, but he always wanted to be the mom. I saw the detached garage where my dad would sometimes park the big 12 passenger van. He'd put the van in reverse as he'd pull out of the garage and then slam on the brakes, then reverse again, and then slam on the brakes, over and over again, our heads bouncing back and forth like bobble heads as we giggled hysterically.
I shared my memories with Avery and she spent the rest of the drive home asking many, many questions.
As I pulled up to our little house on 1st Avenue, I realized that this will be the house that the oldest kids will have memories of. And as much as I want to move into something more accommodating for our growing family, I will miss this little house and all of it's charms.
Two diaper changes, one bath, a shower, a rat's nest disassemble and two face washes later, we were on our way. I stopped by my mom and dad's house to see if the girls were home, as they still hadn't texted back. No one answered the door when I knocked. I let myself in to find an empty house. No little sisters to be found. I did find a note on the bathroom door, but it was to alert everyone to step on the rugs and not on the floor as there was broken glass. Wonder what happened there.
I went back out to the van and put in reverse, as the kids protested. They'd much rather stay at Grandma's than run errands with their weird mom.
We made our way into Maple Grove and I still hadn't heard back from my sisters. I called and texted but neither one answered. I had remembered that Ashley said she was going to study today, so we worked our way through the Saturday afternoon traffic to the public library. I was hoping to catch up with them and recruit one of them to watch my kids while I ran into Joann. No skunk in sight. (The skunk is a fancy name for her car.) Next, we tried the local Starbucks. No skunk.
Feeling like a stalker, I gave up and pulled into Joann.
I gave the kids a lecture before I opened up the van doors. No fighting. No biting. No whining. No crying. No touching. No bugging. Stay next to me at all times. I got two ok mom's, one screech and one snore.
I loaded up the two babies into the stroller and instructed Avery and Tucker to hold hands. We made it into the store in one piece and headed over to the notions section. I picked up a twin needle for my sewing machine and a package of magnetic snaps before Piper started screeching from her seat. I handed her my cell phone to keep her distracted. As I browsed through the fabric quarters, she was busy making changes to my contacts. Oakdale OBGYN now reads Oakdale OBGYNoooeeeebbbeekkkkkkkk. And Elizabeth is now Elizabeth0000030000kkqp.
We traveled over to the apparel fabrics and as I turned my back to check out a clearance sign, Tucker made his way to the top of the staff's ladder. I had to add one more rule. No climbing. While I lectured him, Avery pulled a bolt of fabric off of the shelf and asked if we should buy it, sending three other bolts to the floor. Sorry, Avery, I have no use for an apple print.
We made our purchases and as I pulled out of the parking lot, my sister texted me back. Too late.
On our way home, we took a little detour so I could show Avery the first house I grew up in down Rush Meadow Lane. As we drove down the adjacent road, memories of my childhood flooded back. I was only five or so when we moved from that house, but I can clearly remember it. We passed the house that once burned down and continued on past the house with the rusty statue of Mary still perched in the front yard.
I slowed as we passed our old house and I pointed it out to Avery. She noted the basketball hoop in the front driveway and asked me if that's where I learned to shoot my hoops. I showed her the small grove of shrubs, where Ryan and I would play house. Not to embarrass Ryan or anything, but he always wanted to be the mom. I saw the detached garage where my dad would sometimes park the big 12 passenger van. He'd put the van in reverse as he'd pull out of the garage and then slam on the brakes, then reverse again, and then slam on the brakes, over and over again, our heads bouncing back and forth like bobble heads as we giggled hysterically.
I shared my memories with Avery and she spent the rest of the drive home asking many, many questions.
As I pulled up to our little house on 1st Avenue, I realized that this will be the house that the oldest kids will have memories of. And as much as I want to move into something more accommodating for our growing family, I will miss this little house and all of it's charms.
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