Cross Things Off My Hand

Polyurethane toy box. Check.
Do bills. Check.Buy a laptop so I won't kill my husband when he wants to use my computer. Check.Take kids to an amusement park. No check.

Now that last "to do" written on the palm of my hand hasn't been crossed off yet. Here's why. We were all geared up to take the kids to either Knott's Berry Farm amusement park or (cringe) Disneyland today to do something fun as a family. It's been awhile. And low and behold, both kids woke up this morning sick as dogs. Of course, a different kind of sick than the staph infection sick Grace had earlier in the week. But nonetheless, not in any shape to put forth the energy they'd have to muster to complain about their feet hurting after standing in line for an hour at the pirate ride.

The funniest part was I was really trying to get them to rally. I'd administered the cold medicine/help-you-breathe-out-of-your-nose medicine and then it happened. Noah was saying he wanted to go to Disneyland and Gracie wanted Knott's Berry Farms (think rides with Snoopy and Charlie Brown for those of you unfamiliar with Knott's) and Grace very sadly and with the most downtrodden look on her face said, "I don't want to go to Disneyland."

I almost laughed out loud. The nerve of this little child to be so over Disneyland. I think she's only ever been twice in her life, even.

I resisted the urge to make them feel guilty about kids begging and stealing to go to Disneyland, other kids not having enough to eat, or homes, or little ones who have to walk through snow in bare feet to get to school.

I just quietly smiled and announced I was heading out to my office (garage) and told the kids that maybe tomorrow was a better day to fight over amusement parks. And I told Grace that she needs to be a bit more pouty tomorrow when she pleads her case against the happiest place on earth.