in search of a do-over

I barked at my children a few too many times this morning...
I woke up to Emma standing at my bedside in a teeshirt, shorts, half chaps and riding boots, asking if her outfit was okay for her riding lesson. (Her riding lesson that starts at 4:30 pm, that we've been counting down to since the drive home from lessons last Thursday.) Mary has plundered the hats and mittens basket looking for her helmet light, unearthing a crumbled up baggie of dry cereal in the meantime, tossing it and all its crumbs on to the floor.  And someone has accidentally let one of the barn cats into the house and it is whining for food somewhere in this apartment. Maybe it will find the cereal crumbs. And Elizabeth? She's cooing and laughing in her crib, waiting for me to come and swoop her up. My sanctuary in this little early morning storm of busy, messy, single-minded, creative, obsessive, curious, goofy children.
So I'm making my coffee and going to find them. Somewhere outside. No doubt checking on kittens or setting up bicycle obstacle courses in the driveway. I need a do-over. And joining them in their morning excursions is probably a good place to start. Even if it just means being an audience to the latest gymnastics show.

....Elizabeth just knocked over the cat food....at this point, though. It's all comical.....
Happy Thursday, everyone....

****On a completely different note--my sister is heading out on a long road
trip with her three kids tomorrow. What's your favorite road trip
activity, craft, etc.? What tricks do you have up your sleeve for the
long boring ride? I'd love to pass some of your ideas on to her....