The $4.19 Latte

This may come as a shock to everyone, but I, Teller, am feeling stressed with the homeschool.  I know, I know.  You guys all think I have it all together.

But I don't.

Yesterday was charming.  I was planning on taking the kids on a field trip to a museum.  Therefore and henceforth, we had to squeeze all of our studies in before lunch.

This is no small feat!

So, as I was juggling my three pupils at once, I was noticing the state of my house.  I find it quite odd that I can clean everyday, and yet, my house looks like a tornado ran through it within hours.

It is clear that I have superb home and time management skills.  Readers, take note.

Books on the ground.  Hangers behind the couch.  Socks on the floor.  Kitten litter spilled in the laundry room.  Dead flies on the windowsill.  Toothpaste on the sink.  Toothpaste on the counter.  Toothpaste on the drawer.  Toothpaste on the carpet.  Gum in the carpet.  Something sticky on the floor.  Laundry pile going strong.  Fingerprints on the dishwasher.  Fingerprints on the oven.  Fingerprints on the refrigerator.  Papers all over the counter.  Hair clips behind the door.

I am making my home a haven.  Obviously.

I was about to just forget the field trip, because, clearly, I needed to spend the afternoon teaching my boys how to properly equip their toothbrush with toothpaste instead of spreading toothpaste around the entire bathroom . . . but, alas.  I was probably going to the spend the afternoon cleaning and feeling cranky, only to end up with a messy house tomorrow.

So.  I put on a clean shirt, curled my hair, and put in some big earrings.  I am convinced that a gal can feel like a person so long as the smell of hairspray is in her hair and excessively large earrings are dangling from her lobes.

Just make sure to use hairspray instead of glass cleaner.  Ask me how I know.

Getting out of the house was a superb choice.  It is amazing how much you don't care anymore once you are not living in your own nightmare of filth.

We went to the museum.

 

 We got out of the house with all kids dressed in clean clothes AND all put on the right way.  The two in glasses actually have their glasses.  And the girls have clipboards.  For to take notes.

Sadly, Little Dude had his shoes on the wrong feet.  But I am going to call it a win.

After the museum, we went to our rental.

Confused?  Reading this post might clear things up.  But I make no promises.

In a nutshell, David and I bought a house that was a complete dump about 9 years ago.  We spent 7 years gutting it and fixing it up.  Instead of selling if when we moved, we chose to turn it into a vacation rental as it is in a good location in town.  Currently, we have a love/hate relationship with this house.

When I have 7 beds to wash, I hate it.  When the house is clean and I am all done, I love it.

So, the kids and I stopped by the rental because, surprisingly enough, I needed to finish up washing some bedding.  While we were waiting on the loads to finish, we walked to the park.

I stopped at got myself a latte.  That's right.  A fancy, city coffee to go with my hairprayed curls and large earrings.

The latte was $4.19.

That is absurd.

We walked to the park.  Handsome Dude wowed me with his skills.  Or skillz.  Whichever you prefer.

Just behind him is the library.  The girls think they are all that AND a bag of chips if I give them the library card and let them go peruse on their own.

The boys decided to swing.

Handsome Dude has learned to pump on his own.  This is glorious for me, as I am so over pushing my kids on swings.

Kidding!  Or am I . . .

Little Dude, sadly, does not know how to swing.  He was a bit miffed about it.

 

Handsome Dude, the kind big brother that he is, went to help him and started to push him.

Little Dude (wailing):  MMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!  He is PUSHING me!  He is PUSHING me, MOM.

Me:  I know.  That's what you wanted.

LD:  He is PUSHING ME.  *sob, tear, wail*  He is SO MEAN WITH ME.

I did what any concerned and attentive mother would do.

Sipped my $4.19 latte and waved.