Mommy of Many®

I drive a large, white van. It’s actually a 15-passenger van and it’s come in handy for bringing extra kiddos to events and when we have company, so that everyone can go places in one vehicle. But, it looks just like one of the vans that they use for getting teams places or govt. vehicles that you’d find on base. Well, the other night, I went to an event on base. I was about 1/2 hour early because I had gotten one of my kiddos to volleyball practice and it left me with extra time. I decided to pull into the parking lot of the Exchange and finish my make-up (I’m always doing my mascara in crazy places!). I found a well-lit area and pulled in. There were almost no vehicles there because it was getting ready to close. So, I settled in with my iPod playing Rod Stewart (you know it!) and started my eyes. I started hearing people talking and laughing, but I just turned the music up and kept primping. Then, came a knock on my window! I about jumped out of my skin! My first thought was that I was going to be told I couldn’t be there by an MP. But when I looked at the guy at my door, I realized that he was carrying a soda and chips and that there were several more guys at the van. They thought I was their ride!

The dangers of driving a vehicle that looks like every other govt. van!

Have a great day~

Dun Dun Dun Dun Duh! Today was full of adventure! We started off by leaving the house for school (an 8minute drive) and hour early so as to find a parking place in the madness of the first day. I drive a 15 passenger van, so you can imagine parking becomes important. Everyone got off to school just fine and had a nice first day (1/2 days the whole first week). Then home for the 3 hours before we had to go back and retrieve the children. I had to do some paper work and you can see what Gabi and Luke-Xavier found to keep themselves busy (for all of 5 minutes). When I saw this, I kept thinking (and singing in my head),”Follow the white-diaper road. Follow the white-diaper road. Follow, follow, follow, follow, follow the white-diaper road”. After cleaning up the neatly-laid diaper road, it was back in the van to drive in circles for 1/2 and hour waiting for a parking spot to open up at the school. Ugh! I forgot that the trick is to either leave REALLY early or get there 10 minutes late. Tomorrow! Got kids home and fed them a lunch of last night’s left-overs rolled in tortillas. I love tortillas! You can roll anything into a tortilla with a little sprinkled cheese on it and it’s good. But more importantly, the kids will eat it. The one good thing about 1/2 days is that you don’t have to pack lunches and can serve left-overs. Then back in the van for errands. Hooray! I got to go to not one, but 2 stores looking for the last item on our school-supply list; colored chalk. Not to mention looking for neon fishnet stockings (my old pair was getting worn out). Ok, they’re for a runway show that Mariah’s class is putting on. I see interesting people walking around in such items on a fairly regular basis. Just try shopping for some. Not easy! Came home without the lovely fishnets. Maddi was kind enough to make dinner while I was running around, so we fed the kiddos, signed a bazillion papers for school and then……..back in the van! I was trying to be a good mother and fulfill Kateri’s away-at-college request for dried mango and individual soymilk boxes by going to our local Trader Joes. So, I buckled the 3 youngest into the van and off we go to Trader Joes for the items and to find Pokey (a stuffed fish hidden in the store that earns you a prize when found)! Yea! Yea! Yippee! Again, I drive a 15-passenger van AND I live in a beach town. Parking is at a premium. This parking lot is tiny and most-likely built only for those golf-cart style cars that locals like to drive to prove that they never really venture far from the beach. I drove around and then made people behind me really angry while I waited for a couple to vacate the perfect-I can get out of that spot-parking space. Whew! Finally! Open the doors on the van VERY carefully so as not to bash the cars on either side of us and squeeze through. Guess what?! No individual soymilk boxes OR dried mango. All out! I did manage to buy $36 worth of other items though. Max and Gabi love tomatoes and they just couldn’t resist putting the Heirloom tomatoes in the cart, “Mom, there are purple ones and ones that look like watermelon!” We made our purchase, retrieved our prizes for “trying really hard” to find Pokey and headed for the van. I didn’t bank on the baby grabbing our precious tomatoes out of the bag and spilling them all over the parking lot! Apparently he likes tomatoes too and just couldn’t wait. Forget it, they are staying on the ground and we are smooshing into the van and heading home! Fun tomatoes will have to wait for the next trip. At least waiting for the perfect parking spot paid off and I got out of there easily. Now the little ones are in bed, the bigger girls are preparing for tomorrow and I am ready to face tomorrow’s “Super Mama Adventure”. Wish me luck!
Good night~