Misc Musings

I have so much muddling around in my mind. I just want to hit some of the hotspots. These days the time for a well thought out, long post - well that time just doesn't exist right now : -)

• We had our homeschool group over today. We were headed for the waterpark but the weather canceled those plans (along with Daddy Piper's first chance at work in 3 weeks!) What a bunch of fun gals and great kids this group has! We are experiencing our first bit of drama (a miracle really for being 10 months into our group). I hope we get the drama sorted out and finalized. I want nor need any of this drama in our group. We have developed such wonderful friendships and so have our children. It's truly been a gift to get to know these families. The bond we have secured through our desire to homeschool is the best. The bond the kids have formed is even better!!!
  
• Today at homeschool group, one of the little boys, A, found a lizard. Seeing this ordinary creature through his eyes was amazing and wonderful. I love seeing life through the eyes of our little ones.
• Baby J fell out the back door today. It was comical, after the fact. Daddy Piper didn't have work again today (UGH!) and was outside with the majority of the kids (helped S feel more comfortable) and J fell out the door, with me sitting RIGHT next to him. It happened so quickly. Daddy Piper made the comment later that 4 women are inside with one baby and still managed to let the baby get hurt.......
  
• L & S put their monster truck tickets on their wall. Well L tacked hers up on the wall and S put his on his ceiling where he can see it best from his top bunk :-) I think that was a fun, memorable night for the kids. I still harbor guilt leaving J at home.
• Tonight was the Girl Scout meeting for L. We had found her a troop close to home but still went to the open house to learn more about it. I am excited for her. She is ecstatic about the opportunity to be with other girls her age. She just ran right over and got in the mix with everyone. I love that quality about her. I am also looking forward to this activity that will be a time for just her and I. When the meeting was over, L had been outside with the Cadets playing. She spotted me and ran arms wide open to get to me. I love that girl so much, sometimes my heart feels like exploding.
• We got some much needed invoices paid yesterday. It is a relief to have some money come in finally. This economy is draining me. It has really put an emphasis on what is important and money isn't one of them. Having enough to pay the bills is nice, of course, but it's not what makes the world go around. I hope to look back at this time in our lives as a major turning point, financially speaking. I have learned so much about debt and the freedom it takes away from us. I want our kids to know what debt free living is like and how to achieve that goal.
  
• Had major coupon savings today - spent $31 and saved $126. I have made huge strides in our grocery budget using coupons. It has really saved our cabooses during this trying economical times. Our pantry, laundry room shelves and shelves in garage are full beyond belief thanks to coupon shopping. We'll not go hungry, be stinky or have yucky breath thanks to coupons : -)
  
• Got home from the grocery store this afternoon and S and L RAN out to me, like they hadn't seen me a month instead of 30 minutes. It was wonderful to see them so excited to see me. S was super pumped and ran right to my door. His eyes were sparkling with delight at the sight of his mama. He is something special : -) I feel like we are harder on him than we should be at times. He takes everything so sincerely and to heart. Oh how I love the hugs and kisses I get from him. They are enough to melt away the hardness that piles on my heart at times.
  
• This afternoon we got the camping stuff and started cleaning it up. We are going camping with our homeschool group in a few weeks. We have never taken the kids camping, let alone camped with a baby. I am excited to have something to look forward. L and S are totally stoked about the trip. We are going to camp out this weekend in the front yard as a trial run. We are even going to cook breakfast out on the stove Sunday morning. Should be quite the adventure for the Piper 5.
  
• Seeing the camping stuff brought back a ton of memories for me. Mostly seeing the blue hot cocoa mugs. I cried over and over seeing those mugs. Most of the camping stuff we cleaned up today was from my mother and ex-stepfather. They divorced 6 days before L was born. He is the only dad I really knew and once the divorce was final, our relationship was final too. He and my mother married when I was 6 and I never really knew my real father. We camped a ton while growing up and there was so many wonderful memories from that time. Seeing those mugs brought back so much. Mostly the feeling of what went wrong and how can I prevent that from happening in my own marriage. I know it takes 2 to succeed and 2 to fail. I just want so very badly to have my marriage stand the test of time. It's very important to me. My husband and my children are everything to me.
• S destroyed his corn tonight. Instead of devouring his food, he now says destroyed : -)
• J took 4 steps today, in a row. Not while I was home of course but while we were at Girl Scouts. I did see him take his first step though. He is such a delightful little soul - happy to just be with everyone and playing and getting into everything.