A Portrait of Frazzled

This is what I looked like after we got home from our errand running. I like to call my look: Frazzled and frizzy.

Just keepin' it real! But hey, I did have make-up on! That's a plus. Granted, the spray from the car wash sprayer thingy (Oh yes, we did wash the van. And no, it didn't go well) nearly washed it all away, and what the sprayer thing didn't get, sweat took care of. But that leads me to tell about this afternoon...

Why? Why must I insist on taking the children out an hour before lunch and naps? I never get back in time to actually keep them on schedule. And then we all end up tired and grumpy. Even though I insisted upon making the same mistake once again, it all went reasonably well.

First we went to the library. It was so quiet when we walked in! And cool. I had given the kids the pep-talk before hand. You know: keep yourselves in line, obey, be quiet in the library, etc., etc... If you do this, when we go to wash Bessie, you may help. If you don't behave you'll be in the van watching the washing.
The kids did wonderfully and the library was still quiet and in one piece when we were checking out.

As an aside, there was a woman - probably early twenties - in line behind us. She was watching us like we were a side show. She was thin, dressed very fashionably, wearing heels, perfectly coiffed and made-up. You know, how I use to look 6 years ago. I felt like saying... Oh honey, just give yourself a few years. You'll get to look like me! But I didn't. I kept my mouth closed and smiled at her.

Off to the Commissary where Judah begged to walk. This isn't my first rodeo so I know what it means when a two-year old says he wants to walk. But, Judah knew that if he stepped out of line Mama would find a corner somewhere in that store and he'd find his nose stuck in it.

He was an angel and so were the other two. Eve pushed the stroller while Eliza sat in it and chewed on Cinderella's legs the whole time. We had a small issue with the bulk candy bins that the Commissary stupidly put beside the self-checkout lanes, but I simply re-located the trespassing hands and all was well.

Next, we filled 'Bessie' up with gas and put air in the tires. With that finished we headed to the car wash.

The kids had earned the priviledge of helping to wash Bessie and boy, were they excited! Until the water actually started shooting out of the nozzle. Judah freaked out! So, into the van he went. But not before he blew out everyone's eardrums within a half-mile distance of the car wash.

Ay-yi-yi.

Just because I love you all I'll let you in on a secret... If you ever need a good laugh, just take a 31 pound 5 year old to a car wash, give her the spray thingy and tell her to squeeze it. Eve literally flew backwards from the pressure every time. I almost peed my pants I was laughing so hard.

We eventually got the van done; my arms felt like they were going to fall off from holding Eliza in one and spraying/scrubbing with the other. I was soaking wet, and I had stepped in puddles of pink bubbles so many times they were oozing through my toes. I had watched my son sit in a huge pile of bird poop and had gotten sprayed in the face repeatedly, but dang it, the van was clean. And it stayed that way until we drove through a huge cloud of red dirt on the way home. That is when I commenced slamming my sweaty head into the steering wheel.

The children are all resting now; I can smile as I write this because my house is quiet and peaceful. My hair is still frizzy but all is once again well.

I bet your afternoon wasn't nearly as exciting or fun-filled as mine. Or was it?