Ramblings.

Tonight we went to a fall festival type event with some new friends. And by "we" I mean the kids and I. Joe was on trauma surgery call...downtown...definitely interesting...think gangs, guns and knives....probably more interesting than our evening...

Ok. Ok. Back to my original story. Stop thinking about gang fights. Please. Thank you. 

Before the fall festival we had dinner in our friends' home with another young family (why that fact is relevant I am not sure?! Mostly because it is late at night as I type this.)  My new friend (also a mother of three) complimented me on how well I handle 3 kids alone. To which I could only reply "Thank you. I have a lot of practice." I also went on to explain that I firmly believe in telling my kids my expectations of their behavior before we arrive at our destination. And they know I have no problem packing up and leaving early if they do not meet those expectations. It's my mommy pre-game plan. BUT sometimes, regardless of all my best laid plans and pre-gaming I really am just a hot mess with 3 out of control kids running around. Tonight wasn't one of those nights thankfully as this was our first time in their home. 

The festival was fun. Just your typical fall carnival stuff. Petting zoo. Face painting (which we the parents opted to skip). Pumpkin carving (or in our case just decorating). Kid carnival games with prizes!  Batman, the cow and FiFi the pink poodle all had a good time. As did their mom:) Excellent behavior all around. 

As we were leaving the festival my new friend's husband mentioned the fact that he would like to meet my husband at some point in time. (I have gotten together with them a few times before. You guessed it. Always without Joe.) I promised him that my husband does in fact exist and that one day they might even meet! Isaiah was walking beside us and added his 2¢ to our conversation, "Yeah. He's real. He just isn't at our house very often."

Ouch. 

This statement surprised me. Because recently Joe has been home *almost* every evening before the kids bedtime. Many nights before dinner time! It seems like he has been home a somewhat "normal" amount. Hhhmmmm. I guess when you have a mom that is always home, dad being gone any amount of time seems like a lot....or at least that is my theory. And I am sticking with it. 

Now before you go thinking I am the superior parent in this family, let me tell you the unprompted tidbit Isaiah shared about me to his dad the other day. He told Joe that I am always distracted by my phone and he wishes I wasn't soooo distracted. 

Double ouch. Kids are so darn honest. 

Not surprising, I have instituted a new phone rule for myself. When we return home from picking Isaiah up from school my phone gets plugged in (and left!) in my room. I can't touch it until after the kids go to bed. Admittedly I am struggling to follow the new rule to a T. But I am getting there. What I really need to do is delete Facebook from my phone...

Well I should get to bed. Enough rambling for one night. 

P.S. Sometimes dreams do come true! Tomorrow I get to take Charlotte to dance class...just the two of us! One of Joe's classmates has volunteered to take his Saturday morning clinic hours (Thank you Anita! I owe you big time.). I am SO excited. I have four books I want to read right now...I am going to have a hard time choosing which one to bring. 

P.P.S. Joe did have a more exciting evening than us. He got to suture a man's face. Attacked by a gang member with a knife. It's stuff like that that makes me miss work...I love suturing!