All In An Ordinary Day

7:20 My day begins when I am abruptly awoken in Miss Bit's bed again by the screech and clang of a neighbor's dumpster delivery.

7:21 Tigger wanders in to continue my wake-up call wondering why I'm not up yet since the rest of the critters are.

7:29 Hubby gives me a goodbye smooch before he leaves for work.

8:15 I finally rouse when I realize that today for me there won't be any more slumber thanks to the onslaught of lawn services and one persistent cat.

8:16 I Spy on a still sleeping Miss Bit snug as a bug in my spot oblivious to an ounce of commotion. As I make my way down the hall to check on T. Bone, I see his empty bed and remember that he is at a sleepover.

8:17 The Boys follow me straight down to their food bowls making me feel like the Pied Piper. They are frantic when I pause to open the front door to let the crisp (a cool 60 degrees) air in. I lol when I see that hubby has already filled their bowls cuz' one would have thought they were starving when apparently they are just creatures of habit.

8:18 I make a much needed, strong cup of coffee.

8:20 I start the 12th load of laundry of the week and it's only Wednesday.

8:25 Miss Bit presents herself in the kitchen sulking and saying, "I didn't have a very good night's sleep!" Really? I refrain from pointing out that because of her I didn't sleep too well either, and instead offer cuddles and confirmation that we have little to do today. Wink. Wink.

8:30 Me and my girl snuggle in on opposite couches to read. She curls up with some Ivy and Bean and declares, "GREAT! G-R-E-A-T! GRRRRREAT! book Mom!" Totally music to my ears. I am working my way into Haag's memoir, Come to the Edge and wishing we could spend our whole lovely day reading.

9:00 Me and my girl share a cheesy bagel and a banana while we watch her new favorite and my old favorite: Looney Tunes.

10:00 We get dressed for a day of running errands. She looks like she does almost everyday today...more tween than girl. Today's ensemble: madras shorts, cami, slightly dangly earrings, flip flops and a ponytail with a stretchy headband to tame the wispies. I cannot remember the last time she chose to wear a dress.

10:15 We hit the laundromat to wash quilts, pick-up the jerseys for the tournament team, buy a gift, get an oil change and stop for some noodles for lunch: mac & cheese for her and udon for me. I find myself thinking about how much more fun it is to do just about anything when I'm with my Bit. She's my sweet sidekick. As we leave the restaurant and walk hand in hand to the car she says, "If you weren't my Mom and I could chose anyone for my Mom, I would chose you every time." I may have blushed.

2:30 It's time to pick T. Bone up so he can have a little down time before practice. He thanks his hosts graciously and the Mom declares him "delightful." I couldn't agree more and I think I blushed again.

3:00 We all have a little chill time. The kids pick raspberries in the yard (and the neighbor's yard) for snack and I tell them about the raspberry raids of my childhood, but I refrain from sharing that our yields were more plentiful.

5:00 The boys head out to practice. Miss Bit plays first with me and then with a friend. We play Barbies. Hailey and Abby, our girls, are house sitting in Malibu for the summer and they are in charge of 20 untrained, but cute dogs. Then I do more laundry, other miscellaneous chores and read for a bit.

7:00 Time to make dinner. It's slim pickings with the schedule we've been keeping so I decide to make breakfast for dinner: pancakes, sausage and strawberries. The kids, at least, are very happy. I opt for cheese, crackers and grapes...the fermented kind.

7:30 Hubby and I chat over cocktails while the littles hang out together watching t.v. and videos on the Internet that they find hilarious. I think the character goes by the name of Mrs. Swan.

9:45 Bedtime for T. Bone and Miss Bit means the adults finally get the t.v.

10:30 I fall asleep half way through an hour long show after an ordinary, but good day.

12:00 I make my way up to bed and am quite sure I sleep with a smile on my face thanks to the gift of the day and the sweet smell of crisp, clean sheets.