Babysitting

I'm just toooooooo old. This house is toooooo big. It takes an act of Congress and a week to hike from the living room to the kitchen. Even with my - no empty hands travel anywhere and always take a "haulback" I can't keep all the dishes, glasses, bottles, etc out of the living room. I take an "armful" with every trip. Most of the time with a baby or toddler or two - but I just can't seem to keep it picked up. And most of it is MINE!!! I get to the kitchen with 2 kids and a bottle, spoon, can of formula, etc and when I'm done I fix another cup of coffee or water and walk back to the living room to find the last one still there - I didn't take it with me!!! No wonder S'te stays so skinny!!! I've had to up my consumption of chocolate just to stay energized!!

I'm doing the grandmotherly thing and staying with the kids overnight so Rod and S'te can have an evening, night and day to themselves before Rod is deployed. I probably won't be back out here again before he leaves - so I figured this would be a good opportunity. I'm not sure the grandkids care much for it. They've been on a really tight rope - I can't deal well with 10 kids running loose and I don't know where any of them are - I have to know. I'm a total control freak I guess - I want them where they said they will be - or where I said they will be - and I will check on them!!!

Dr. Ruth - our TJ Dentist left us a message this morning and said she will make an appointment whenever we will be in SD - language barrier time - Keith called last Friday and told her we are here and need appointments :)

Other than that - my last post has a picture of the family. The kids are getting older, taller, and smarter by the day. Jaleel has drawn me several very artistic pictures. He is really a pretty good little artist. Brayana and LaDaria are getting really good on the keyboard, and as will never change - the drama is kept to a high level by Destini. Ty is playing lacrosse and lost his game last week - boooo - but has been practicing!! The lady on the other side of the fence called the police because the basketball keeps going into her yard!! I had a hard time with this one - the issue isn't loud cars, joyriding, drive-by shootings, vulgar music - but a BASKETBALL is annoying her. Papa said we should put up a tennis net on the top of the fence. See how she likes that. The ball won't bother her again :)LOL

S'te's new furniture is georgeous and looks really nice in her remodeled living room. She has worked very hard getting things straightened out and sorted out so that the kids don't have so much to tear apart all the time. She has really gotten rid of a bunch of "stuff". She also rearranged her library so that the teens can't hide in the corner on the video games anymore (yeah!) and the computer monitors can easily be seen from 3 different doors. No hiding for them!!! The "middle kids" have all rearranged their rooms, some with new furniture, and are growing up so fast - it's hard to believe that Brayana will actually be 10 this year!!! Does NOT seem possible.

They are watching a movie now, babies and toddlers are sleeping, and Ty is late returning from his friends. Rod and S'te aren't back home yet from their "trip" and I'm going to watch my soap. So all is will in San Diego. Hope all is well for you too!!

So we've had a really good visit and we really get to be close to everyone since we show up and cling on forever. They have a hard time getting rid of us once we get here!!!