(I threaten to sell my kids to the circus. Frequently. It’s serious enough that they understand my frustration, but silly enough that they know I’m just joking. Mostly.)

Yesterday afternoon was awful. To tell you just how awful, here is an email I sent my friend last night (mostly I’m just too lazy to retype the whole ordeal!).

So the kids and I decided to fill baggies with goldfish and make a little tag to attach to the top for Dr. Seuss’s birthday treats. We stopped at the Co-op (closest store) for an expensive and limited selection of goldfish. The kids both wanted snack bars there and in a weak moment I bought yogurt covered pretzels. Our stop for one item turned into about nine. Eve even threw in boxed mac&cheese and I didn’t object?! It was snowing and traffic was a mess so I was cranky and feeling mildly nauseas again. We got home and basically had a group meltdown. Some yelling, some huffing and foot stomping, etc. Good times. Then we pulled it together, cleaned up the fort, and filled 40 baggies with goldfish. Then we, all together, made a Word document to print. Well, we started together and I ended up on my own because it wasn’t doing what I wanted it to and a 10 minute thing ended up taking me about 45 minutes. I was cranky!! I was also eating yogurt pretzels by the handful all afternoon. We finally got it done, the kids ate oatmeal for dinner while I cut up all the papers to fit the bags. My stomach very much in pain at this point and the “going to vomit feeling” slowly surfacing. I managed to settle things down and as we were finishing up dinner and as I was debating about letting the kids stay up late to help with the stapling-tags-to-bags process, I realized that Dr. Seuss’s birthday is FRIDAY!!! Not tomorrow! Ugh. It would have made so much more sense to go to Price Chopper tomorrow (or BJs!), spend more time on it, breath… breath… I’m an idiot! I pointed out my mistake to the kids, trying to control my frustration with myself, and they were so sweet. “That’s ok Mom, everyone makes mistakes sometimes,” Lex told me. “I have something for you mommy,” said Eve, giving me a big hug and kiss. They are good to me.

In the back of my head that whole time was also the possibility of a snow day today. Which happened. So this morning I had to decide if it would be another awful day with two wild children, or if I would turn it around and make it a good day. Can you guess what I chose!?

We had an excellent day today. We played some board games and then the kids played really well together with an elaborate game of garbage processing, involving all the slippers in the house, mountains of tiny toys, and random other components, while I exercised and showered. They drew pictures together and had snack on the floor while I finished up the treat bags for tomorrow. They had nice quite time and I got to read a whole chapter of Harry Potter to Lex. Then we went outside and they went sledding across the street while I shoveled the driveway. Back inside they continued to play super well together. I think they always play super well together when I am not so sensitive to every noise and whine and giant mess.

HOWEVER, one big thing that changed today was my interactions with Eve. She has been making me crazy with her whining and rude attitude and constant meowing and whimpering. Seriously. Makes my head want to explode. This morning we had a long chat about respect, what it means and how we both need to respect each other a little more. I also offered her a treat (of her choice) at the end of the day if she could go an entire day without making animal sounds. And she did!! What a difference that made in my brain. No incessant meowing or whimpering. Just happy Eve voices. Love, love, love! She chose playing Starfall games with daddy as her treat. If she makes it through tomorrow with no animal noises I have agreed to buy her flowers this weekend. Also her choice. :)

Sigh. Just when you are ready to sell them to the circus they turn it around and offer up a wonderful, fun-filled snow day experience.

There are no circuses in town anyway, so I guess it’s just as well.

A few photos from today and the past few days…

She's ready for the circus!

Tuesday night Lex built a fort under the table, using mainly books and boxes for walls. They brought some art supplies in and had a grand time until I made them clean it up for dinner.

Fun with the new rainboots.

Wednesday morning the fort was resurrected, this time with blanket walls (my suggestion!) They enjoyed their breakfast and more art projects in there before school.

We went sledding across the street this afternoon. Due to lack of giant snowbanks and growing children, this hill did not provide the thrill it used to. I guess they were bound to outgrow it eventually.

Lex going for a very short ride.