On Friday, Mitch took the boys on another backpacking trip to make up for their less-than-pleasant previous one. So that means I get to hear about Henry's need for an RV for the next week or so. Our kids are split right down the middle about the joys of "roughing" it. Henry and Grace like a nice, comfy bed, down pillow, and down comforter. While Henry has been known to sleep on the floor, Grace would rather eat a shit sandwich or a vegetable than to leave her bed. Jack and Olivia are nature lovers like their dad (um, I don't know where Henry and Grace get there delicate tendencies from). One of their favorite games is to play "Crash the Bikes into the Blackberry Brambles or Each Other". The three oldest and their friends love this game, and because I'm a good mom, I let them, but if someone cries, they have to stop. This teaches them to suck it up. Did I mention I'm a good mom? Anyway, Miss Grace doesn't go anywhere near the carnage when they're playing, preferring to go into the flower garden and pick "TEENY! TINY! FLOWERS!" So, I guess she likes nature, just not when it comes to where she sleeps.

The girls and I went to Seattle to drop Dylan off and do a little shopping. It's getting pretty fun to shop with them. They even like when I shop for myself, and they love giving me their opinions, although Olivia enjoys telling me when things make my butt look big. She found some screaming gold glitter shoes that she fell in love with, and she's been wearing them ever since, and clutching them in her bed when she sleeps. Grace didn't think they were comfortable, and was happy enough with her Teeny! Tiny! Build-A-Bear! We spent too long shopping and hit the ferry line at 3:30. On a Friday. We were in line for two hours, but the girls were soooo good. When we got home, I discovered that Mitch had left the refrigerator slightly ajar, and the motor shut off. I couldn't get it back on, and I was freaking out because we still haven't gotten a second refrigerator. There's, like, one guy in the Teeny! Tiny! Phonebook! of Whidbey Island that does appliance repair, and it was Friday night, my husband was gone 'til Sunday, so it wasn't looking too good. I did some research on the internet, dried something with my hairdryer, kicked it Fonzie-style, and by morning it was working again. Yay for me!

I haven't really slept the past two nights thanks to the damn dog. All night long he paces between Jack's bed and Mitch's side of the bed, whining for them and farting. So now I'm tired and grouchy and I can't wait until my stinky boys return today.