On Friday we were leaving for Moscow around 1:00pm. I had purposely packed and loaded the van the night before so we would not be faced with any last minute fiascoes resulting in us leaving late. I keep learning the hard way, that all the planning and preparation in the world will not result in a smooth without chaos and stress departure. Following is what the morning was supposed to look like...following that is what actually happened.
7:00 am - Breakfast
7:45 am - Brant out the door
8:00 am - Kids dressed (I laid out their clothes the night before..socks, shoes, belts etc!)
8:30 am - Kids watch PBS Kids, I finish getting ready and clean kitchen
9:30 am - Take kids to SPORTS Gym, for open gym (drain the energy before a 4hr car ride)
10:45 - Start packing up to leave gym.
11:00 - Run to the Dollar Store to buy a birthday party gift for Tage's little friend.
11:30 - Swing by Taco Bell for lunch
12:00 - Drop Tage off at birthday party
12:00-1:00 Swing by Hooked on Toys to get each little kiddo a "special" car toy. Brant wanted to bless the kids because they had been doing so well at school.
1:30 - Swing by pick up Brant and Tage and head out of town.
Everything was running smoothly until we hit the Dollar Store...
I ran into the Dollar Store (D.S.) planning to buy color books and crayons and of course they didn't have any! It is really hard to change your plans in the D.S. with four little kiddos at your heels. I ran and got a cart knowing it would take a little longer than planned, plopped Ben in the cart and then reminded the kiddos that they needed to stay with me and to keep their little grabbers to themselves. I know all you moms have had this same little chat with your kids. My kiddos nodded their heads and smiled with little "yes mams"...so cute! All was good we decided on sidewalk chalk and chalk holders, got a cute little gift bag and went on our way to the dreaded D.S. check out. I don't know if any of you shop at the D.S. but good grief! Those people take an eternity to check you out! While I was waiting in the most ridiculous line ever I was going over in my mind whether I had time to get lunch before the party since things were taking longer than planned when I noticed the boys were missing from line. I was quick to leave the line only to discover the boys were right around the corner. Do you think any of those people were going to let me back in line...nope...there goes lunch. I finally got checked out and at this point I was rushing the kids, telling them all the way to the car that I need their help getting into buckles quickly etc. so we would not be late. Tage was especially willing since he did NOT want to miss the pirate party! I was digging through my purse as I was directing the kids, digging, digging, and digging. I sat them all on the curb (Ben too) and dumped my purse out on the sidewalk looking for those most prized KEYS~! When all of a sudden I remembered giving them to Ben to hold when I put him in the cart...this is where I heard that three beat scary movie sound in my head while my heart dropped into my stomach and Tage said were not going to the party. I also remembered that as I was leaving the D.S. I had taken Ben out of the cart and someone was right there waiting to take it. I was SURE the keys were in the cart, I yelled at the kids to follow me and seriously sprinted into the store hoping to run that person down and get my keys...NO SUCH LUCK...Agggg....I started pulling out all the carts that were so nicely stacked together when someone (not an employee) asked if I needed help. I announced in a much stressed tone that my keys were being pushed around in a cart somewhere in the D.S. The highly intelligent D.S. people never offered to help they all just stood and stared until I suggested to a manager that they ask over the intercom for everyone to look in their carts for lost keys. I had no idea what time it was but I knew we were late. Tage was standing at the exit stopping everyone and looking in their carts. I realized at one point that my cell-phone was locked in my car and that Brant was in the middle of teaching class...I was at this point on the verge of tears, sweating profusely, chasing Ben all over until Tage came to the rescue! I have to say that right before Tage saved the day I prayed and asked God to just make the keys appear right out of no where...that a miracle was what I needed! Then I explained to Tage that the keys were lost, the phone was locked in the car and I had no way of going anywhere or getting a hold of anyone. He and Simon ran out to the van, remembering I had left the window down a crack, Tage stuck is long skinny arm in the window, unlocked the door, and appeared with my phone. Praise God! I got a hold of my sister and she was on her way to save me when this lady, scary I might add, showed up out of no where and asked if I had lost some keys...she found them in a cart in the parking lot!!!! Despite her appearance I really wanted to hug her! I thanked her over and over again. After all that I didn't make it to the toy store, we grabbed lunch in the car on our way out of town and we left half and hour late. Oh, Tage did make it to the party, he was late, but made it and had a blast.
7:00 am - Breakfast
7:45 am - Brant out the door
8:00 am - Kids dressed (I laid out their clothes the night before..socks, shoes, belts etc!)
8:30 am - Kids watch PBS Kids, I finish getting ready and clean kitchen
9:30 am - Take kids to SPORTS Gym, for open gym (drain the energy before a 4hr car ride)
10:45 - Start packing up to leave gym.
11:00 - Run to the Dollar Store to buy a birthday party gift for Tage's little friend.
11:30 - Swing by Taco Bell for lunch
12:00 - Drop Tage off at birthday party
12:00-1:00 Swing by Hooked on Toys to get each little kiddo a "special" car toy. Brant wanted to bless the kids because they had been doing so well at school.
1:30 - Swing by pick up Brant and Tage and head out of town.
Everything was running smoothly until we hit the Dollar Store...
I ran into the Dollar Store (D.S.) planning to buy color books and crayons and of course they didn't have any! It is really hard to change your plans in the D.S. with four little kiddos at your heels. I ran and got a cart knowing it would take a little longer than planned, plopped Ben in the cart and then reminded the kiddos that they needed to stay with me and to keep their little grabbers to themselves. I know all you moms have had this same little chat with your kids. My kiddos nodded their heads and smiled with little "yes mams"...so cute! All was good we decided on sidewalk chalk and chalk holders, got a cute little gift bag and went on our way to the dreaded D.S. check out. I don't know if any of you shop at the D.S. but good grief! Those people take an eternity to check you out! While I was waiting in the most ridiculous line ever I was going over in my mind whether I had time to get lunch before the party since things were taking longer than planned when I noticed the boys were missing from line. I was quick to leave the line only to discover the boys were right around the corner. Do you think any of those people were going to let me back in line...nope...there goes lunch. I finally got checked out and at this point I was rushing the kids, telling them all the way to the car that I need their help getting into buckles quickly etc. so we would not be late. Tage was especially willing since he did NOT want to miss the pirate party! I was digging through my purse as I was directing the kids, digging, digging, and digging. I sat them all on the curb (Ben too) and dumped my purse out on the sidewalk looking for those most prized KEYS~! When all of a sudden I remembered giving them to Ben to hold when I put him in the cart...this is where I heard that three beat scary movie sound in my head while my heart dropped into my stomach and Tage said were not going to the party. I also remembered that as I was leaving the D.S. I had taken Ben out of the cart and someone was right there waiting to take it. I was SURE the keys were in the cart, I yelled at the kids to follow me and seriously sprinted into the store hoping to run that person down and get my keys...NO SUCH LUCK...Agggg....I started pulling out all the carts that were so nicely stacked together when someone (not an employee) asked if I needed help. I announced in a much stressed tone that my keys were being pushed around in a cart somewhere in the D.S. The highly intelligent D.S. people never offered to help they all just stood and stared until I suggested to a manager that they ask over the intercom for everyone to look in their carts for lost keys. I had no idea what time it was but I knew we were late. Tage was standing at the exit stopping everyone and looking in their carts. I realized at one point that my cell-phone was locked in my car and that Brant was in the middle of teaching class...I was at this point on the verge of tears, sweating profusely, chasing Ben all over until Tage came to the rescue! I have to say that right before Tage saved the day I prayed and asked God to just make the keys appear right out of no where...that a miracle was what I needed! Then I explained to Tage that the keys were lost, the phone was locked in the car and I had no way of going anywhere or getting a hold of anyone. He and Simon ran out to the van, remembering I had left the window down a crack, Tage stuck is long skinny arm in the window, unlocked the door, and appeared with my phone. Praise God! I got a hold of my sister and she was on her way to save me when this lady, scary I might add, showed up out of no where and asked if I had lost some keys...she found them in a cart in the parking lot!!!! Despite her appearance I really wanted to hug her! I thanked her over and over again. After all that I didn't make it to the toy store, we grabbed lunch in the car on our way out of town and we left half and hour late. Oh, Tage did make it to the party, he was late, but made it and had a blast.
