Saturdays

I remember a time long, long ago when Saturdays were for sleeping in and getting stuff done around the house or we would run errands together as a family. Well, since it is football season, Saturdays mean we are up earlier than we are during the week. Nico has 8:00am practices and Tommy has 9:00am practices. I can't tell you how much aggravation goes into waking up Nico. I don't know why walking to my room from his room riles me up but it does. We have tried alarm clocks so that he is the one responsible for getting up and the only thing that accomplishes is the alarm waking everyone else up while Nico sleeps through it. So, sleeping in on Saturdays...gone.

We no longer get stuff done around the house because we are never home long enough to start and finish any project. I am hoping to decorate the house for Halloween so that it is at least decorated for a decent amount of time. I hate when I put it off only to realize Halloween is in a week and then why bother? I couldn't wait to have a house so I could decorate it for whatever season or holiday it was. My mom is the best at that. Her house is always decorated to the nines for whatever month it is and I think it is what makes her house feel like a home. For the little time we are home, Gia will get a nap and by then I will want one too but the kids will all be nagging to go to friends' houses or have friends over and I'll either say no and fight with them for the rest of the day or say yes, drive everyone around or have a house full of kids in which case, I make it a rule not to nap when I have other people's kids here. Getting stuff done...not likely.

I used to look forward to running errands on Saturdays but since Gia hates to shop (I know Leo brainwashed her to scream the moment we enter Target), running errands as a family no longer happens. I like shopping alone but then I am on a time crunch because Leo texts me or the kids call me every five minutes asking when I am coming home. My favorite thing to do on a Saturday is to sneak away to Barnes and Noble (surprise, surprise). There is something about being there on a Saturday that just gives off a relaxing vibe and a promise to be able to read in peace. Today, errand running won't happen. Belle has a game and I have a feeling Leo will be the only one going. Since I always go to Belle's stuff, she was fine with just Leo going. Gia and Belle cheering don't really mix. She wants to be cheering and while I find it hilarious, it is probably very annoying for the other girls who have to watch out for her and the coaches who are trying to get it done. She cries and throws a fit when I have to pull her away and it really isn't fun for anyone. Maybe she and I will try to conquer Target...a girl can dream.

It has become crystal clear to me why people have kids close in age. Gia is a crab. She is cute but she is a crab and I don't blame her. She gets dragged everywhere. She doesn't like the car because we are always in it with a lot of kids always in her face. We are always on the move and it really isn't her first choice to be at a football, basketball or baseball game. The times when her temperament is best is when we are on no schedule and aren't rushing to be here or there. I love taking her to Cosley or to the park because that is when the sweetness comes out (as long as ice cream isn't a part of the plan) and when she doesn't have to be in the stroller. People tell me all the time that she loves to go for walks in the stroller but every time I try, she screams the whole time. I had all these fantasies of walking for exercise while getting Gia out for fresh air and a half hour walk turns into a two hour nightmare that no amount of goldfish crackers or Pirate Booty makes better.

Small update: Nico's gym teacher emailed me to tell me that Nico has "been making positive improvements" in class. I resisted the urge to tell him that had we been made aware, it never would have gotten to the point that it did and just said thank you but I will say here THAT WAS MY WHOLE POINT!

I need to accept the fact that my computer is not going to come back to life. Can someone point me in a direction of where I can take it to get the stuff off of my hard drive and is that even possible? I heard that it was but from anywhere between $200-$2000. All I want are about 10 files of pictures, about 10 videos and the four books I wrote or am writing. I am not in the CIA where I have classified, important files on there. It can't really cost that much to get my stuff. If anyone can advise me on this, I'd appreciate it because I am sick about losing my stuff. I know...should have backed it up.