swirling thoughts

• I'm enjoying one of my favorite breakfasts, oatmeal made with milk and a smashed banana. Of course, it's better if I can eat it in one 15-minute setting, but I guess I should figure on 30 minutes per meal per child. :) That's why I usually wait until 2 pm (naptime) to eat lunch.
• Apparently my girls are dreaming of snow because they keep coming downstairs in long-sleeves and sweaters. We are going to a picnic today and expecting humid 97 degree weather. Clearly, I made the executive decision to nix the sleeves and wool.
• All 5 of us spent a good 20 minutes in the coat closet Tuesday night. Tornado sirens went off as we were finishing supper. (I'm afraid of tornadoes. I shouldn't be, having spent 28 of my 32 Springs in Texas or Oklahoma, but it's only gotten worse since having children. Or maybe it's gotten worse since living in OK where you also have to worry about gustnadoes. Frisco's so far north, we may as well live in OK, so, to my mind, I have to worry about gustnadoes here also.) My point is we all crammed into the coat closet that was already crammed with gift wrapping paraphernalia, candles, baskets, future gifts, vacuums, dusters, and, naturally, coats to discover it gets no AC. Closet + 5 people + humidity - air conditioning = miserable. The upside is I was able to rethink the organization (or lack) of that closet, especially if it is to be our "safe room". Candles in glass jars on a shelf directly above our heads? Spending 10 minutes emptying enough of the closet to make room for the 5 of us? Of course, it is a coat closet. And a big one with plenty of room for gift wrapping paraphernalia, candles, baskets, future gifts, vacuums, dusters, and, naturally, coats. Here's where I admit all that stuff we pulled out is still in the dining room. I'm hoping it will inspire me to put it back in a more organized manner and maybe find another home for some of it. Maybe literally another home. Anyone need a Dora gift bag?
• If I ever mention to any of you ever again an idea to refinish a piece of furniture, shoot me. I started stripping the paint (apparently about 15 coats of paint) off a dresser that was originally painted for Addison's nursery and then put in Libby's nursery and then (shhh!) put in Levi's closet in his nursery (yes, I left the flower and butterfly pulls on the drawers!) almost 3 weeks ago. It is driving me crazy, but when am I gonna find extra time to work on it? It's not like what I'm doing now isn't priority. :) If I ever finish, I'll post a picture. I don't have a before picture, so if you've never seen it in person, you'll just have to imagine.
• I AM SO HAPPY IT IS SUMMER BREAK! I may never let my children return to school again!
• I made an ill-fated decision to go Krogering yesterday. We have the stickers to prove it. (Does anyone else's children beg for those stickers, never even remove them from the backing and then forget about them and leave them in the car by the time you get home? Mine, too.) Long story, sort-of short...Libby got down for a late-nap, but I woke her up way before she was rested because I'd promised a trip to the library. We made it through our library trip unscathed and headed to Double Dave's for Peproni Rolls. Then while those were being made, we shot over to Kroger, which happens to be in the same shopping center, for 8 things. 8 things means, by myself, I could be in and out in 7 minutes. 8 things with 3 kids means a lot longer. Both girls had to get "little carts" so between us we had 3 carts. For 8 things. I warned them before we got into the store about paying attention so they didn't drive their carts up my legs. I also warned them about racing each other and watching out for others. By the time we'd gotten 30 feet inside the store, Libby had cried twice. She doesn't cry quietly, especially when she's tired and feels she needs to battle her siblings for attention. The second time I grabbed her and tried to put her in my cart. She's a little too tall for me to do that in one swift motion as I'd planned. By the time I got her long legs in the cart with the rest of her body, I was slightly more frustrated. That's when I noticed all the white-coller workers fresh from their days spent without the annoying screeches of young children staring at us. Bryan said it was all in my head and maybe they weren't thinking, They should not allow a stay-at-home mom and her misbehaing brood in Kroger after 5 pm, but it would have made me feel better if they had gone on about their shopping without so much as a glance in our direction. We survived and we made it out of the store without any more tears from me or my children and with all 8 things. We were rewarded with hot Peproni Rolls ready when we returned to Double Dave's, which is a miracle since that place might be more unorganized than my coat closet.
• I made this a few days ago and it is scrumptious. It takes all of my will-power not to finish it off while Bryan's at work during the day. There are only 2 pieces left today. Would he really notice them being gone?
• I'm listening to my 6 year old explain to her 3 year old sister why you would want to break up with your boyfriend. What?! She actually has some good reasons. If you just aren't comfortable with them or they annoy you, you might want to call it off with your boyfriend. She is wise beyond her years.
• I'm ready for the weekend, so I can finish that darn dresser enjoy my family and have a date night with my husband! Have a good one!