Busy Busy Busy

If there was ever a time I just wanted to stop, and think, and take a breath, I think the world might just end. That's what it feels like sometimes. I wish for more peaceful moments in my daily life. But, sometimes there's just none to be had. If I just step out to the garage or out to get the mail for a minute, all heck tends to break loose. It's like there's this switch in everyone in the house and as soon as I am more than 10 feet from them, it goes off and says, "Mom's not here, where's mom, let's scream, and hit each other, and jump off the couch and bark", etc. etc. Kids and dogs go nuts. There are times I can get a shower without worrying about who's taking what from who and what not, but then sometimes it's that "too quiet" worry. They are too quiet what are they doing now??? Usually it's something like taking a sharpie to the wall, or feeding the bulldog their apple or all of the snacks that were left in the bag, or putting a whole roll of toilet paper in the toilet or stringing it through the house so the bulldog can then get a hold of it and "help" make it even messier by tearing it up into little pieces. And of course, the older kids, never realize that the younger one is up to no good because they are too busy doing whatever they do and not including the little one so she is left to her own devices, even though I asked them to watch a specific cartoon and color or play such and such toys nice and quiet just so I can get a quick shower. So, you might ask why I don't just take a shower when the husband gets home. Well, that's all well and good, and I do do that on many occassions, but he's an EOD tech and a Marine, he's away from home A LOT. I have to be able to get a shower when he's not here, so the kids have to be able to behave for 10 minutes while I do it. So, we keep trying. Sometimes it goes well, and sometimes, as demonstrated above, it doesn't. Such is the life, I suppose.

I have decided that this summer I am going to take some days and just drive around to all the different little thrift shops up in this area and see if I can find some reference books for the kids. Since we are dropping the charter school after the end of their year, and we are going on our own, I am going to need a few things. And while I think the library is a good thing, I'm just not a good library patron. Dragging all the kids there, trying to make them be quiet, and then picking out a few books, only to not take them back on time because I just can't get out of the house, I forget, or whatever. I prefer to have my books, I prefer to be able to keep them, and if there is a book I don't like or don't want, I can always sell it to someone else. In fact, I don't mind buying used books, either. So, we are going to need a set of encyclopedias, not too ancient, but not new enough to cost a lot. My parents used to have these two sets of books, one had lots of stuff like each volume was different, one set had volumes on marine life, land animals, reptiles etc. and then the other set where different volumes of fairy tales, nursery rhymes, etc. I used to love those books when I was little. Before I could read I would just look at all the pictures and stuff, and when I could read, I did. I read them all the time. I used them for reports and lots of stuff. Now to just see if my parents remember the names of the books, because I sure don't, lol... But, I think maybe if I have that kind of stuff in the house, it can only help. Being able to look up things they want to read about, and reading just because, will be great. For the little ones too. I'm excited for summer to come so I can begin my search....