Hitting the Books

Today Rex was home working on the bathroom. Not wanting to chance my kids' fingers getting chopped off from a skillsaw the size of Madonna's ego, we had the rare treat of a Happy Meal in the car. Of course my kids whined all the way up to the drive through window ensuing a lecture about how,"This is not called a Bad Manners meal. It is called a Happy Meal. And if you want to stuff your bodies with fried food you better slap on a smile or we're going home to eat fruit!"

Needless to say, we found ourselves moments later under a shady tree in the library parking lot. For some reason, this place is like the holy grail for my children. Stink: "Oooh... look at the bluuuuue mail box (the after hours drop-off bin). Does the fairy come at night and put all the books back that good boys and girls leave in there for me?" Me: "Yes, and we will do the same. Isn't that good?" Stink: "No, that is not good. Not good at all. I want ALL the books."

Once inside, they made a dart for the children's section. Why that is not sealed floor to ceiling in sound proofed plastic I will never know. They have this mini-stage full of stuffed animals, and before I could stop her, Pip had doved head first (like her mama into a vat of Diet Coke) screeching, "It's Dora! It's Dooooooooora!" She only stopped swinging the lifesize doll around to pick up a beaten down cheetah and scream, "And Baby Jaguar! It's Baby Jaguar!"

Stink had no time for toys. He was right to work staking out his books like an old Pioneer claiming land. After a few minutes, we started in on a Spongebob, drawing a crowd of three more little dudes. "I'm not scared of that shark," one would say. "I'm very brave when it comes to sea monsters," a second would say, meanwhile hugging my kneecap like I've known him since infancy.

15 books later, we made it home to Rex blasting a U2 concert on a tv larger than Bono's stadium. All the noise on the surround sound was not enough to keep the kids awake. They were gone by 2:30, giving me some much needed time to myself.

A walk with Stink to Arco later, followed by some family time with all of us and some friends, made for a lovely day.

I'm too peaceful to think of anything sarcastic. Think of this as your lucky day off. Tomorrow I start in again.