I Need A Vacation!

We had playgroup this afternoon. When we get together we have lunch then the kids get to play. Today the kids were eating lunch and out of nowhere Elsie's little sister whacked Jack in the ear. Jack started crying and Elsie's mom put the little girl in time-out. While Elsie's mom was away Ann started going he he, Elsie's sister has to go to time-out. I was so proud of my boy, Jack stopped crying and said, "It's not nice to laugh at other people's misfortune", Elsie jumped on the bandwagon and said "Yeah, I'm not laughing". Yes, Jack was just repeating something that he has heard me say, I don't think he even knows the definition of misfortune, but he must get the point. It made me laugh to myself to hear someone so little say something so mature. Just the sound of Ann's voice has been making my skin crawl lately. She talks so loud and does this high pitch squeal, I need a vacation!

We went outside to play and our hostess broke out the dessert. Ben and Lauren were the first to start on their snack cakes, a treat they have never experienced. They were in heaven! Ben inhaled his, and then it was on Lauren's remains. I think the neighbors could have heard her telling her brother off down the street! One of the older kids left their half eaten snack cake on the table. It wasn't long before Ben saw this as an opportunity; he waited for just the right time and pounced on her cake too. By the time it was all said and done Ben had binged at least two whole snack cakes and was covered from head to toe in cake and frosting.

I leave for Santa Fe tomorrow with my friend Trisha! I can't wait for a vacation. We are going to relax, shop, drink wine and relax! I wish Travis and I could go on vacation together, but it isn't easy to find someone to take 3 kids for an extended time. When we went to Napa for our friends' wedding we were only gone Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon and we had to have the kids at two different houses. It was much easier when we lived in Nebraska and we could just have my parents take them. We went to Puerto Rico last summer and my mom and aunt came down to watch them. The logistics are just too complicated; the vacation is hardly worth it! When the kids get a little older it will be much easier to farm them out. Ben and Lauren aren't bad, they are just typical two year olds, but if you aren't used to them, they are a lot to handle. Just another reason for my parents to move down here! Enough about that.

Travis has asked me to set out clothes for the kids for each day and write down what to feed them for every meal. It is almost as though they aren't his kids. I left Travis with all three kids last year for a trip to Kansas City to meet my friend Katie from Nebraska. I don't remember having to do this for him last time, but I guess Ben and Lauren weren't eating real food yet. I think it will be good for Trav to get a taste of what I do on a daily basis. I think he appreciates my work more after he has the opportunity to do it every now and then.