pottery, subway, dead batteries, target, & LOTS of smiles...

What a terrific day spent with my kids!

Did they drive me nuts? ABSOLUTELY

Was I at the brink? DEFINITELY

Did they know it? OF COURSE...Molly was even asking..."Are we driving you nuts Momma?"

That one is something else.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE her. Even when I tell her not to touch the bathroom door again when her brother is in there and she looks me straight in the eye and touches the door. Not only does she intentionally defy me, she tells me she is doing it. "I touched the door Momma," she says. She is unbelieveable.

Which reminds me...movie night was this past Friday and we rented Herbie from the library. (Very cute movie).

During some of the race scenes Max just kept saying over and over, "Whoa Momma, did you see that? That was unbelieveable!" The first girl to break his heart better watch out!!!

I decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to take the kids to one of those paint your own pottery places. Today was the perfect day to go. It was raining.

The kids were very excited when I told them that they could pick out a piece to paint. Molly chose a puppy and after a bit of consideration, Max chose the jet. The jet won out over the skateboard, trophy, & crocodile.

They chose their 4 colors very carefully and for about a half hour only the puppy's head was painted. Molly was more interested in getting as much paint on her brush, sticking it in the jar of water, and watching what color the water turned. The other tough task of the day was getting the kids to dab their brushes after they rinsed them off.

Needless to say, the paint was a bit drippy.

The kids had a blast. When I told them that we had to leave the pieces there to dry and get shiny they told me that they could blow on them so that they would dry before we left.

They seemed to get it by the time we left.

I chose to do a dinner plate with the kids handprints on them. When the guy told me that we would only be able to do Maggie's footprint and not her hand, I just nodded my head in agreement. Of course this guy had no clue what a mother will endure to get their little girl's handprint on a plate.

Maggie passed out.

I laid her in the stroller.

We painted her hand.

Brought the plate to her hand.

Wa-La!

All 3 handprints on the plate.

I can't wait to see it next week.

The kids and I then had lunch at Subway. The kids split a pizza when Max figured out that Subway doesn't not serve cheeseburgers or chicken strips. Subway now serves pizza though. Who knew???

So out to the parking lot we go. I got diapers changed & kids clicked into the careseats. I get clicked into my seat only to put the key in the ignition and turn it...nothing happens. I instantly start grilling the kids on who left the very back light on in the van.

A few seconds later I am on the phone with my husband very upset with myself that it was in fact my fault that the battery was dead. I left the headlights on. Apparently, I didn't know that they were still making cars that have headlights on them and don't turn off when you turn off the car. Oops.

Aaron tells me to call a towing company. I wouldn't have any idea where to call. I'm in this city for the first time without my husband and 3 kids.

Out of nowhere and out of ALL the cars in this mall parking lot, the people parked right next to us come walking out of the mall asking us if we need a jump.

It was like the Lord knew that I was on the brink sitting in my car just staring.

And just as quickly as they showed up they were off. THANK YOU! I can't imagine what kind of afternoon that would have turned into had they not shown up.

We were off. Found Target. Max really wanted a new bag for school so he found a nice Thomas backpack. We also found a suitcase for Maggie. We won't have to pack her clothes in plastic bags anymore.

We were finally on our way home after spilling bit of popcorn in Target and trying to eat it all off of the floor and bottom of cart. Not too long after we leave Max starts freaking b/c he has to go #2. We pull off the freeway. All 4 of us make it to the not-so-clean restroom. Max gets on the toilet. Peed a few drops. That was it. No number 2 until well after we returned home. There was no way I was getting everyone out to do nothing again.

Anyhow, hopefully everyone gets some rest tonight b/c they have to get up early for school.

Oh and is my Maggie's smile the most beautiful thing you've ever seen????

It was a great day with my kids, but am really looking forward to being away with my sisters in a few short weeks. Our little traditions of the evening are something I look forward to for 364 days a year. I can't wait. And my new book should arrive shortly before the conference. Since I can get ZERO reading done here, I plan on having my book read cover to cover by the time I arrive home.

Just a few more short weeks....yippee!!!