I cannot even believe it is already October!! Fall is my favorite season. I love that the weather is cooling down enough to leave the windows open. I love putting up fall wreaths and buying pumpkins. I love that I can spray the "Harvest Spice" air fresheners all over my home and not get funny sideways judging looks from anyone who comes in the house. And there are copious amounts of birthdays to celebrate. Woo. Birthdays. Woo. Hopefully this month I will take a few more days off than I did last month. My days off of work grand total for the month of September...... ONE. Well, 1.5 because I took a half day, but I'm not counting that because I came home, did dishes and laundry, took out the trash, mowed the lawn, and then picked the boys up from school. So grand total stays at 1. Come on October, bring your worst. I'm armed with a fall leaf garland and a pumpkin scented candle.

This has been a long week. As my weeks seem to grow longer, I find myself dependent upon a few things:

1. Energy drinks. (bad, I know)
2. Silly texts from my husband.
3. Camaraderie of fellow like-minded cohorts.
4. Good music- which is actually the driving force behind not only my constant crazy dancing and occasional singing, but also the driving force behind my blog post this evening.

I have discovered a new band to love. They are awesome and make me want to dance. Check them out.http://youtu.be/81c3nn-7EUU

And if you happen to be in Dallas October 26, they will be playing at the House of Blues.
You bet your life I'm going to be there. And I will be dancing my booty off, guaranteed.

If only the easiest things in life were also the most rewarding. We'd all have it made. Too bad that's not the plan.

So I think I'm an organization junkie. I have a hard time saying no to the little foldable bins I find at the 99 cent store. I enjoy putting things of like qualities in boxes and bags. I write lists. My closet is color coordinated. I get cranky when I find markers in the snap top box designated to hold crayons. I believe that everything has a place and everything should be in that place (preferably in alphabetical or chronological order). Granted, I do have 5 children, a sometimes absent minded (but brilliant, funny, AND sexy) husband, and 2 jobs, so there are many an evening when the laundry stays unfolded, the board games stay out of their boxes, and the markers stay in the snap top box designated to hold crayons. I would like to think that at some time in the future, I will have a home of Martha Stewartian charm and standard. Ok, maybe not THAT organized, but I'd at least like to have a place for all of the random necessities that have accumulated along my counter tops and dressers. And NO, more "junk drawers" are not options.

At work today I was slightly vexed. Ok, ok, I was PEEVED. I was off for 3 days in a row, and it was obvious. I am not trying to ring my own bell, or toot my own horn, or play any other musical instruments, but I could definitely tell there was not much love put in by the surrogate food handler. I do what I do because, yes it brings in bill paying means, but because it makes me happy. I was at job #2 this weekend and got to make a succotash.    It had vibrant yellow corn and green field peas, beautiful red onions, red bell peppers, poblanos, and smelled of bacon and freshness and love.  I was nearly overwhelmed by the huge pot bubbling in front of me. I love to be around food. I love to see the amazing and beautiful things that can be created using different edibles. I love to be a part of that creation. I cannot imagine the mind frame of someone who has CHOSEN to be in my profession and has no respect for the kitchen that they call home or the food that they are entrusted with. If you have no true passion for the job, you have no place in the kitchen. Just saying.

On  a totally different, non-venting note, my boys have been really awesome today. Really. There has been minimal bickering, screaming has been scarce, and for the most part, they are all getting along swimmingly. I explained personification to the fourth grader (in total teacher style- whiteboard and all) and he actually got it. He even thanked me for "telling it" to him in a way he could understand. Apparently, his teacher, whom assured us that she was familiar with Asperger's, does not feel that a fourth grader should have issues with literary devices. REALLY? One of the symptoms of the syndrome is " taking figures of speech literally." GROWL. Ok, I am done with the venting for real this time. I promise. As I was saying, the boys are all goodness and light this evening. I still have actual bedtime to endure before saying it was a great night, but maybe I'll bribe them with a snack. I know snack bribery works on me.

I fully realize that the majority of my posts are about how immensely loud and hectic my days are. I am not sure if this is because the few minutes I spend typing about the crazies calms my frayed nerves and slightly turns the chaos on it's end, which allows me to look at it in a more humorous light, or if I am looking for some kind of reassurance from somewhere. There is always the possibility that I type this just in case someone runs across it and has the "Aha!" moment of not being the only one who feels so overly run ragged. Maybe I  do it so I won't forget these wild moments that I know are speedily passing by. In all reality, it must be a little of each.

I had a "day off" today. I  got in from work last night at about midnight, which is actually early. I let hubby sleep in. I made breakfasts and lunches and took the boys to school. I did laundry. I went grocery shopping. I rearranged the pantry. I usually get my weekly dose of dress wearing in on Sunday, but now that I work Sundays, I only get to wear a dress for about 45 minutes before I have to rush out of the church building, change into my work garb in a whirl resembling Superman changing in a telephone booth, and speed (no mom, I don't actually speed: I am a very safe driver) downtown. I felt a little girly today and did all my errands in a dress. Woo. As the boys' bedtimes lurk ever closer, I don't know if I will be able to keep my sanity until they are all snoring on their pillows. The twins' high pitched screaming, the older boys calling eachother names and arguing and disobeying and constantly telling me a story about a kid in their class or a certain level in a certain video game and it's all reverberating so incessantly in my brain. There is still laundry to be done , dust bunnies in every corner, trash and recycle to take out to the bins, and I am tired. I will be back at work at 5 tomorrow morning just raring to go.

Kazoo Culprit

So I'm not nearly as tired at work (either job) as I thought I would be. It all seems to come crashing down when I get home. The weather is so awesome that the windows are all open. Woo. Upside is that air conditioner not on = lower electric bill. Downside(s) 1) Allergies are driving both me and hubby crazy 2) Dog finds it necessary to bark at every squirrel, car, child, neighbor, or insect that moves in front of our house. So there's the constant barking, and then there's the twins. I realize I am not home during the day (or evening, if it's the weekend), and this causes the need for more concentrated doses of mommy time when I get home. It is slightly claustrophobic to have two small children no more than two steps behind me where ever I move. Especially if one of the small children refuses to stop playing a little plastic kazoo. It is nearly impossible to explain to a fourth grader with Aspberger's what the difference between a simile and a metaphor is, while the dog is barking, Spongebob and Patrick are cavorting loudly on the tv, and two small monsters are on either side of me playing a kazoo and whining to be picked up. I am thankful beyond words that my parents brought pizza over, so I can concentrate on reorganizing the step by step daily schedule for my fourth grader so he will  not again go to school with dirty ears, or forget to have his reading log signed. I am spread so thin that I feel like cellophane. Just wrap me around the leftovers.

Keep Your Sunnyside Up