Family on Pause

We're getting ready for our trip to California next week. I'm on the Internet looking for great deals for hotels and cars. It's nice to look on a map and know that that great hotel deal on Century Blvd. just across from the Hollywood Racetrack just is not the place to be.

I can't believe how fast the time has gone. With Keri Lynn and Kristofer gone all this week, I told Keith that it felt like our family was on "pause." Every time one of the kids (or two in this case) are gone, it feels like I'm just waiting for them to come back so that we can resume family life. Keith looked at me, a little startled, and said, "Yes, that's exactly what it's like!" Then we wondered how we're going to handle it when they've left home for good. That whole idea of having the kids actually growing up seemed impossible when they were so young, but now with a second kid on the brink of teenhood, it seems a little more likely.

Keva is roaming the house right now with that flag from Fourth of July. Boy, she loves that thing -- I might have her take it on our trip to keep her busy and happy. The rest of the kids are on their bikes, free to be outside at last after a wet morning. Our poor lawn needed that rain! Keith held off on watering yesterday in hopes that it would come down. Now, I'm hoping that children will not return as Mud Monsters from the Deep. They've been eating up their holiday candy these last few days. Konner very proudly showed me his stash and announced that he was going to eat only a few a day and make them last a long, long time. I nearly fell over in a faint at the thought that my baby son was seeking long-term gratification! No way!

I'm happy to report that the laundry still remains under control. I'm still in maintenance mode -- and it's the weirdest thing to think that I'm actually not behind in this household chore. For anyone who has spent any time with me at all, you'll know that laundry is a HUGE issue, especially with seven kids. The big test will be when Keri Lynn and Kristofer come home. Two big kids make a big difference with the laundry, but if I stay on top of it, we should be okay. Once I'm on top of it for a sensible amount of time, I'll go into PHASE II of The Grand Laundry Plan. PHASE II involves getting the kids more involved in the laundry work. The plan is that when they are all eventually happily married, they'll also all be able to participate in the laundry process!