Rainy Day Fun

Yesterday, I was wracking my brain to find some suitable entertainment for Li'l E that didn't involve hours of mind-numbing television viewing. I really needed to try to tame the wild beast that has become my dumping ground closet over these past two years of learning to live with five kids. And I remembered the tents! Many, many moons ago, when it was just me, Shaggy, and Dr. D wiling away our days, we used to have little tent picnics on rainy days in the kitchen.

So . . . I got out one of our play tents and set it up in her brother's room. She played Tea Party with her HoHo monkey and two Kai Lans as her special guests.  While she was chatting happily with her little friends upstairs, I had the big brothers set up her other play tent in the kitchen for a special little lunch date.

  She was delighted!

Dr. D is such a good sport.

They eat lunch together almost every day

and it's so great to see how much she looks forward

to their funny faces and silly noises together.

The best news is that I was able to purge two years' worth of the kids' papers and projects that I had totally de-prioritized. You know, while I was struggling to maintain some semblance of sanity focused on keeping the household running.  And I filled a big shopping bag with clothes that I haven't worn in those same two years. Lady Bug is excited, she inherited some of my "funky" socks that she now fits into.

I was on a roll, what with a happily occupied three year old and successful purging of my closet, so I organized all the toiletries, took inventory of what we need, and even cleaned out my dresser drawers. I even put some of The Boss's laundry away. I almost never put his laundry away anymore cuz once I open those drawers I feel unnaturally compelled to straighten them up. But then they NEVER stay that way so I have just stopped putting it away. Problem solved.  I also stored away (in all that extra space!) a couple Christmas presents that I bought early (I'm still in shock over that. "that I bought EARLY!"  I never buy early!).

Including this little treasure.  Shhh, don't tell Li'l E what she's getting. But it came last weekend and I'm not sure JUST HOW I am going to keep this one a secret. I mean, HOW CUTE IS THIS DOLL?!

I had a ball on our dark, dreary, cloudy, rainy Thursday.  And judging from how hard Li'l E slept during her nap time, she did too. What more could a mom ask for?!