No Longer Feeling Bad

Yesterday, as I rejoiced over the nearness of the beginning of the school year, I also expressed a bit of guilt for feeling a little too happy.

So much can change in 24 hours.

This afternoon I happened upon Caroline and three friends playing with Play Doh and Moon Sand on the hardwood floors. Have you ever heard of Moon Sand? If you haven't, I urge you to NEVER purchase the stuff. Not for your child, grandchild or birthday boy/girl. Maybe for your arch nemesis, but surely not for anyone you care for. I'm willing to bet that relationships have been severed over Moon Sand. Girls, if you value your friendships, do not, under any circumstances, buy your friend's children Moon Sand. It's the stuff of the devil. Sticky, clingy, stubborn. It sticks in the crevices of your wood flooring and gets stuck between your toes. No matter how thoroughly you sweep, Moon Sand has a way of hanging around. I really hate that stuff. I won't even start ranting about Pixos, Moon Sand's evil cousin. I beginning to think that only childless people, or sadists, invent children's toys. Between batteries, noise, blinking lights and things that come in a thousand pieces, I'm convinced that no right minded parent would ever have a hand in creating the junk being sold in toy stores today.

Now, where was I? Oh yes, Moon Sand. Caroline has owned her Moon Sand for awhile, but I had it cleverly hidden in a big Rubbermaid tub on the unreachable top shelf of her closet. Caught up in an organizational frenzy this morning, I found another purpose for that tub, so I promptly emptied the tub, leaving the Moon Sand, completely unhidden, in Caroline's closet. It took no more than 5.37 seconds for her Potential Mess Making sensors to locate the stupid stuff. She has a keen MessDar; radar capable of detecting objects that will facilitate her mess making abilities.

So, as I watched one of the kids roll on our light colored carpet with Moon Sand on his legs, consequently leaving blue smears all over the beige floor, I decided then and there that I would no longer feel guilty for wanting school to start. I can handle trips to the pool and doling out snacks. I cannot, however, tolerate blue stains on carpet that doesn't technically belong to us. Thankfully I wiped up the Moon Sand smudges without issue. Then I kicked the kids out of the house.

But they came back.

The weather has been most enjoyable the past two days. A trip to the pool is out because cooler weather = cooler water temperatures. Cold pool water, without a doubt, means I'll hear more complaints than splashing. So, we're staying home.
The windows are open, the breeze is blowing. It's really very pleasant.

I went on a run this morning and the cool air was reminiscent of a fall morning. Much to my surprise, but to my great pleasure, I ran for an hour. I don't have a GPS, and I'm direction/distance challenged, so I'm not sure how far I ran. All I know is that I found it really enjoyable. Except for the part where I ran uphill into the wind, but who ever enjoys that? I think the beautiful weather inspired the length of my run. It's nice to feel like you can go forever. It's very freeing.

Oh man, here I am complaining about a couple of blue Moon Sand smears on the carpet when I just dumped half of my Diet Pepsi on the same beige carpet. You'll be happy to know that I acted quickly and no harm was done, but for now on I'll try to keep my unruly laptop cord away from beverage containers.

Moving on to another random subject, I sharpened all of Caroline's Ticonderoga #2 pencils this afternoon. I have a gnarly blistery spot on my thumb to prove it. Caroline and her pal, Rachel, each sharpened two pencils, which was a great help. As I was sharpening, I got to thinking that I should make Caroline do it, since they are her pencils, but realized it would take FOREVER. Sometimes it's just easier to do things myself. Thus sayeth the control freak in me. I'm a textbook case.

Oh gee, Caroline is crying over Mario Kart; time to make her go outside and play. I remember having to DRAG her inside, but not anymore. She and her friends have discovered the love of playing indoors. I'm ok with that when it's too hot or too cold, but the weather is too nice to stay inside. I guess that's the difference between playing with boys and girls. In Georgia, Caroline played with boys. Dirt loving, bike riding, ball playing boys. And here....things are different. They do play outside, but not all day.

SIX DAYS!!!