Finally getting to it

The kids have been home a week now.  The big two are getting over their illnesses. 

I found a way to get everyone some sleep via a med that was Audrey's.  The long story short is I found it, knew it might work, guessed on the dosages, and voila!  a full night's rest for them, and for me. 

I took my colleagues teasing me over the weekend about how my children were in medically induced comas in stride, mainly because at some point, Karma will take care of it.   Everyone knows that as a parent, you should never say "never," because that is the equivalent of a Karmic bulls' eye for you.  And you never know what fun Karma will dish up.

We've been staying up late and sleeping in.  Hanging out.  It's been good.  But the resultant swarm of kids around me, not to mention their feeding schedule, has made it a little hard to keep up with the blog-o-rama.

<Don't be surprised if Audrey starts leaving comments in your j's.  She'll probably make more sense than I do.>

My fellow juggling Mom Laura tagged me some time ago.  The tag is Ten Things That Make Me Say "Life is Good."

The thing is, I thought, 'oh, I can crank that out in a second.' 

The disturbing thing is, I had to think about it. 

I like to look at it as an overabundance of what makes life good.

Which is a pretty good thing.  :)

Ten Things That Make Me Say "Life Is Good."

1.  After a hot day, walking out in the evening after one of our dust/thunder/wind storms.  Balmy, breezy...sexy.  (I can say that because I don't have a pool to fish palm trees out of, and I'm not knocking on doors looking for the patio furniture, like many people have to do after one of these wind-fests.)

2.  Walking around my house in the middle of the night, when everyone is asleep.  Those little sighs while dreaming make all the "Mommy, Ryan is looking at me!!!!!" melt right away, and I can let the crease between my brows relax while I smooth hair off foreheads and love them again.  Who needs Botox when you have that?

3.  My favorite word:  "Bedtime."  The other night, I was lamenting to Mr W that all of the children staying up late was beginning to hamper my, uhm, nocturnal activities.  That's all I had to say.  He had them in all tucked in by ten.

4.  Sneaking into bed, when it's really late, because I think hubby is sleeping, and suddenly feeling him drape his arm over me. 

5.  Watching my kids seek each other out.  I try and try, preach and preach, that they should be close and there for each other.  I always wonder if it's getting through to them, and then I see them seek each other out.  Whether it's for solace, or joy, or just because, it makes me smile.

6.  Sharing a joke with someone.  That giggle, that letting go of yourself and letting someone else in, can be almost as good as a hug.

7.  Jeans and a white shirt.  (Yummy.  I'm there.)

8.  You know that moment, when your kids do something kid-like, be it funny or mortifying or horrifying; and you look over their heads at your spouse or a friend, and you share that nod, that eye-contact, of how you two get it on a completely different level?  That moment.  It's one of my all-time favorites.

9.  Ice cream.  I just have to say there's nothing like the versatile perfection of good vanilla.  I would never call it "plain."

10.  Watching a movie with the kids.  The shared experience of it, even if it's one we've seen before.  I love to sit in the theater and look down the row at their mesmerized profiles, then share a grin with my husband over the tops of all their heads. 

I know I left something out.  Maybe I'll do the Thursday Thirteen to get it out of my system...

**I tried.  I did, I was in the middle of the entry.  But hubby called and he's on his way home for lunch...Audrey is mad cause Ryan "ruined my paints" and is about to "rinse them off" in the bathroom...Shadow is pacing at my feet because she smells peanut butter somewhere...and Ben has disappeared outside.  He'll melt in 20 minutes, I'm sure.  And where, where is Ryan??? 

Not to worry.  He's on the couch. 

Ahh, summer.  The joys of family.  What's not to love?  :p