Finding bright moments

It's the fourth day that the kids are home that they'd normally be IN school. But alas, with FALL BREAK, they are home!

Thankfully, the kids have been getting along. For the most part. We've been doing little outings each day to break up the time here at home while I'm working.

Monday we went to the grocery store for an hour. We went up and down the aisles. Checking out stuff on the shelves. Talking about the fruits and vegetables in the produce section. We then baked some miniature pumpkin muffins. The kids love to help when I bake, which is rare. Since they enjoy it so much, I've got to incorporate that into our time more often this Fall season. We went out to swim class in the afternoon, so the kids burned a bunch of energy there. It was nice driving directly to class instead of having to wait an hour, which is what normally happens after school.

Tuesday we went to Tar-jay to get some stuff for me. Boring stuff. Deodorant. Contact solution. Shampoo. Hair dye. I thanked the kids immensely for letting me only buy Mommy stuff. Without having to purchase anything for them. You know how it gets when you're in Tar-jay. You end up buying WAY more stuff than you initially planned on buying. There's always something on sale. There's always an item on an end-cap that makes you stop.

Wednesday we went to Blockbuster to get me a new DVD - The Happening. I know. I know! But I HAVE to see it so I'm not left wondering. I still checked it out even after my favorite Blockbuster employee (the manager who knows me by sight) told me that he wants to write to the writer/producers of the movie and "get back those 2 hours of my life back". But he did say he wants to get my feedback when I return the movie to find out how I liked it.

Then we went to our new public library in our neighborhood. The Princess got her first library card. She even got to choose her own PIN! Getting prepared for using an ATM? Ha! Our library has self-checkout, so you scan your card and enter your PIN to check out books. Anyway, the Princess felt so big to be able to get her own card. She knows that she has now earned the privilege of having her own card. And she knows she's responsible enough to take of the books she checks out.

Today? It's 9:30am and we've already taken a walk to and from the neighborhood coffee shop. The kids walked happily in the cool morning air. Running and skipping intermittently while I walked behind them. We saw a large lizard sunning itself on some rocks. Of course, we spent a couple minutes just watching him stay SO still. The kids pretended to be like the lizard and stand like statues. It was too funny. The owners of the coffee shop were there today so I was able to catch up with them about what's been going on with them and their son, who is a senior in high school. I hadn't spoken to them for a couple months now as they've been ironing things out at their new shop.

Another bright moment happened on the walk home. On the walk to the shop, the firetruck and paramedics were headed out from the station with lights flashing and sirens wailing. On the way home? We saw the firetruck on its way back to the station. We stopped walking and the kids jumped and waved at the guys in the truck. And these guys? They ALL waved back to my kids. You should have seen the smiles on my kids' face!

So even though it's been a challenge to keep the kids happily at home - we've had some bright moments. I think we'll be heading out to the library again today as the Princess has already finished her 3 books. Yes. She did! Then we'll probably bake some blueberry muffins. [sigh] My kids. They're great. And they keep me on my toes. They're both shining stars that light up my eyes.