All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Lately I've been feeling like such a spacey mom. It seems like I can't remember anything and I keep doing all kinds of boneheaded things. I guess I need some B vitamins or something.

Last weekend, Spencer was the recipient of his class' traveling bear. Traveling bear is a small stuffed bear that visits each kindergartner's home throughout the year. He stays overnight and brings books and a journal for the kindergartner to write about what he/she did with traveling bear. Spencer was thrilled about having TB visit our house. He came home on Friday, so Spencer was lucky enough to have him for an entire weekend and not just overnight. TB went with us shopping and to the football game and to church on Sunday. Each time we went out with TB, I made sure that Spencer was taking care of him. On Sunday, when we got home Spencer went to find TB and he wasn't in the diaper bag. We started searching all the church bags and under the seats in the car. No TB. I knew he was with us during Sacrament Meeting and then I told Spencer to put him in the diaper bag before he went to Primary. I started to panic. What if he decided to take him with him to Primary and lost him? What if Cameron grabbed him and took him to Nursery? I was going to be the mom who lost TB. I was going to be branded...labeled. I could hear people whispering and pointing..."That's the mom who lost TB. It's because she has all those kids. That's what happens when you have too many; you lose TB." We all said a prayer that TB would be found and I sent a note in with Spencer to his teacher that TB was MIA but we were looking. I decided to go over to the church Monday morning, just to see if we left him. I figured the building would be locked but to my surprise it was open. Thank you to whomever was practicing the organ that morning! I went to the lost and found first but he wasn't there. Then I went to our row. There he was, face down on the floor exactly where we were sitting. I've never been so happy to see a stuffed animal! I picked Spencer up that day and took TB to his teacher. She laughed and told me that she bought 10 identical bears just in case one ever got lost. I was relieved! Smart teacher.

Shopping has become even less fun since Lizzie's birth than it was before. The carts are not equipped properly for me. The baby bucket goes where I used to put Cameron. I've been putting Cameron in the basket. It isn't working very well. Usually he throws out anything I put in there. Or sits on it. Or stacks it and gets made if it falls downs. Today he fell out backwards. I felt totally retarded. There are a million warnings on the cart: CAUTION! DANGER! DON'T PUT YOUR KID IN HERE! Did I listen? Nope and out he falls and screams and everyone in the store was looking at me thinking, "Can she even read? The cart says don't put your kid in there." If I don't put him in the basket, then he runs away from me. (Stacie, you are not alone. Cameron is trying my patience like crazy lately. Just hang in there. It gets better...eventually. :)) I left the store vowing to never go back with the two of them. It just doesn't work. Sometimes I wish I never had to leave the house. Sometimes after having been away, I'll just sit in the car for a minute dreading having to haul all my stuff and my kids in the house.

I am such a crappy housekeeper. My husband is such a great one. I wish we could switch places sometimes. He knows how to take care of everything and never forgets anything. Our tub floor has been a yucky gray color for a really long time. He took a go at it and now it is sparkling white. He took the blinds down and washed them. He vacuums twice a day. Once before he leaves for the day. He makes the bed. He wipes out the microwave daily. What's wrong with me? Why can't I get it together to do this stuff so he doesn't have to? It's all I can do to take care of the kids, fix meals and do the laundry. I wish I was more like him in this area.

Yesterday our stupid dog got out of the yard twice. I hate her. She will not listen to me and come home so I have to call Chris and put him on speakerphone so he can yell and her and get her to come back in. I wish I could be on the other end in his office watching him yell at the dog through the phone.