The Return - a Mitzvah

Early, early Sunday morning I arose (for a minute) and then returned to bed - it was too cold! I had packed the night before so I only needed a few minutes to dress and get my bags downstairs. Phew - it was a cold morning.

The flight was uneventful except for a note that Shelby had sliped into my luggage the night before with strick instructions of when to open it. Two hours latter I was back in my place. I began the garage shelf a little bit, unpacked a little bit, did some mail, took a bit of a nap and then a quick round of the grocery and dinner with friends!

Monday a.m. my boxes of stuff arrived and I got to the business of unpacking the work I took with me and take care of the items that arrived while I was gone. I will probably have another long day of getting the bits and pieces completed and put away.

The rest of the week was great, more chaufferring, cooking, cleaning, listening, explaining, hugging, comforting, assuring, - the simple duties yet most important ones. Those are the ones that keep the very fabric of life together. So we did have the brownies - yummy with butterscotch chips, of course why not make choc chip cookies; and lest not forget baking the gluten free choc chip cookies. So everyone was able to have their non-candy sugar fix.

Shelby and I went to Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate store to use her gift card. She was especially excited when they answered her email that their products were gluten free. We bought some extra's so we could surprise mommy and daddy when they returned. We even treated ourselves to some special truffles to share.

Jess and I hung out a bit before taking her to go to the movies and enjoyed conversation with each other. While I was there, I completed lots more on her blanket. Just the four corners to go.

Taylor was out on a hike with OSEP - a bit cold to say the least. It is in preparation of her 30 mile hike in January. Big news, Taylor's orchestra will be playing at Carnegie Hall in April! She interviewed me for her Personal Finance class - it was funny, she asked questions and wrote up her paper, submitted them on-line, and the next day her teacher gave her great accolades and thought that maybe she could learn something from her Aunt. LOL!

Chris and I continue to play the monology game and the bank was still out of money - we called the game, he won with the most $$s :) We also had an opportunity to go to the game store and get a few more games for his DS.

Friday - everyone came home, we picked up, and packed ourselves into the mini van (my goodness this was a great car, super GPS, but so big ) and off to the airport to meet up with their parents. After a enormous hello, we went off to the Pasta House - chain type resturant that serves gluten free pasta.

My time was coming to an end - what an adventure it was! Saturday was not anything, spent most of the day with my sister-in-law and then off to the 6-7-8 Club social for the sixth, seventh, eighth graders that they organize at their church featuring pizza, candy and the movie Kung Fu Panda. Cute movie, though not what I call visiting, sad - oh well, I guess it doesn't matter - because I took this time soley to help them up.

I will say so myself - I did pretty darn good - another week on the ground and I would have felt better with their schedule and would have been able to get more done (for myself) as it is truly a logistics opportunity. I am truly thankful that I could give this time to my brother and sister-in-law so that they could be together, as a couple to strengthen their relationship, and celebrate their marriage of 20 years. A dear friend said to me on my return, you've done a mitzvah. This is the most precious gift that one can do for another. I am thankful :)

Wednesday - Hump Day

All is well in the calm before the storm. Today is the first of two half days for the kids. Shelby will be back by 11:45! Didn't she just leave. Actually today, she didn't wake me before she left - same with Taylor. While it was nice to sleep in for a few extra minutes, it's nice to see them off.

Now ----- there is a box of brownies sitting on the counter - I think some one is wanting a brownie fix! I guess it is a slight - "ya know Aunt Patty, brownies would be nice!" hint hint.

Miss Jess was the next out the door. Yesterday afternoon I attended as a spectator, her academic competition for her high school, LHS. These are held approx every two weeks - with students from each grade. Now for those of you that know the TV game show Jeopardy - that's kindergarden compared to the questions that are asked these kids! I did get some of the questions correct - and stumped completely on some, and not a clue on the tricky physics questions. A teacher reads the questions, I caught his eye a couple of times when he became quizzacle on how the question was worded. Anyway it was fun. Jess's team won the first competition against MHS, and lost against the second team from MHS. I must say these kids were quite impressive.

My niece, Miss Jess, is becoming quite a remarkable young woman. I was told to 'watch' her. Yet simple reminders are just about all I need to do. Double check on them for homework, they know what they need to do, though they all can get distracted. Last night was pick up dinner night, we did the left overs and assorted mini meals snacks and I made my colossal salad. She wanted the soup and some of the salad. Easily done. Before we 'closed' down the house for the evening, Aunt Patty doing the check the doors, lights, and anything else that could go 'beep, ding, or ring' Jess paid me the nicest compliment. "Gee Aunt Patty you are doing a real good job at the mom thing" then a simple hug and it was off to bed.

By a.m. she had an email on a STAR meeting which is about a kids discussion about poor and bad behaviors of some of their classmates. Apparantly, many of these kids have found alcohol and are drinking during the day! Okay - kids will try just about anything - remember I was in school during the sixties. I was surprised by her comment - 'their parents don't care'. Even if this comment is only half true, let me at those parents. I've my 'duh' stick and each of them would need to have a lesson about the "R" word. No offense here - parents are to be parents , not absent, not too busy, parents are to be the enforcers of the rules, and the biggest comfort blankie on earth. Parents are not suspose to be the kid's best friend and popular. If that does happen along the way, then I would say they were exceptional parents with exceptional children.

by the way----- being Hump Day - stop by Showmecables.com for this week's specials and the video of the week Little plug for baby brother's site as he hasn't written on his blog for more than a week.!


PS by the way ----- the kids said that I say stuff just like Dad.... LOL..... who came first the chicken or the egg!

Tuesday 1:16pm CST

So another two days have gone by. There is still an "Aunt Patty" and there were four kids off to school this a.m. - so far it's we are working like a well oiled machine, unless one forgets lunch, or misses the buss because it's not suspose to be there until 7:45 and it came at 7:42! Lots of activity of course when they get home, chill down time, Kumon work to complete, general homework, then of course computer stuff, like video's on UTube, they can look up just about anything in a few clicks, phone calls, friends, keeping up on the rsvps for Chris's party and even answering questions for the Saturday movie night at their local church.

by the end of the day.... phew.... it can be tiring. This a.m. was about 5:30 - lol for all of you reading as it only feels like 6:30 to me. Then it was "do you have your lunch" , "where is your backpack", " did you remember the book?", okay the socks don't fit into the shoes, put the cello in the van, oh--- pet the dogs, don't forget lunch for Chris, set the timer to pick him up at 9:05 and leave the house by 8:57 - Yes folks down to the last minute. I can get my 5000 steps in before 9:30 am!

Last night was a little more quiet, Molly, Jess's bf came by for a book, (my additional niece I've been told), there was homework, and Shelb and Chris were at PSR or CCD to the rest of us.

My nephew Chris is so funny, he gets back, strews his stuff around and wants to know if we can continue the monolopy game. So we make an easy deal, he picks up his stuff, brings me all his laundry (AP task), does his health (ugh) reading of which he read most of it out loud to me. Then after getting PJ's on, and after all his stuff was readied, then we sat for a few more minutes to play a few rounds of monopoly. While it is the Jr edition - actually can move more quickly and easier on the mind. It was getting just too funny. The bank never seemed to have change, so I had to keep making change out of my stash. We couldn't make the change from Chris's as I've got more money than Chris and the Bank combined LOL ---- The St. Louis Branch of the Bank of Foley (old joke for those SSWF readers). I'm not sure what will happen when then bank runs out of money? but let me tell you, Chris hasn't fallen far from the tree - he'll make up rules! JUST LIKE HIS DAD! I hope that he and I can play it for a few more nights. His Gramma LuLu told him that she would play for days on end. He's so funny to play with. He plays his piece and if I don't move fast enough, he'll play my piece! Mind you he'll explain everything to you.

Today is a new adventure ---- check back later

Sunday in St. Louis

ahh the quite of the morning.... mind you it's 9am and the three princesses are still asleep and my nephew, the little man of the home, is away at a sleep over. Even Lizzie and Luke (dogs next door) are quiet. It's the first morning that I haven't driven someone(s) somewhere(s) before 8am!

I expect within the hour Chris returns home with lots to tell, Shelby will arise to tell me of the party she attended last night - mosel tov, Taylor & Jess and I hung out and watched some TV which, I'm now so confused as she clicked between six different shows. Taylor was driving the clicker - must have learned from Pete!

So I've had two days with the kids alone (well sort of). Denise & Pete are speaking with them at each major turn of the day via phone. We've been to do volunteer work (Jess), Taylor's "o" group, get together with Jess's friends and one slept over, reminder of the homework assignments, picking up, chores from the board, music instrument practice, played video games, did some YouTubing, did cooking (not really as Denise prepared many of the meals in advance), did the grocery store, did the library, can't do the pictures I was hoping to do - somehow they didn't load which is sad:(, breakfast, lunch, even chinese last night with the girls.

It's interesting to watch them be kids - not something you can see in a days visit once or twice a year. When you add friends, it's gets really funny. Oh give me the drama!

ps - after delivery of said children in the a.m. - and to the end of the day - mind you an easier day - I did some 11,000 steps!