Day 2

So it's been over 24 hours and we're all still alive, smiling and well fed.... no missing children, no power outages, no burnt supper, no major tantrums.  It's quiet at present, two at school, one downstairs and one in bed... so a few seconds to update on my life as a quasi-parent. 
Time schedule (sorta close but probably not really)
13:00 - turf Sara in bed...accompanied by her baby
13:30 - check emails, clean up a bit, try to load the dishwasher - hmmm, how do you work one of these things?  Thankfully the kids are pros.
14:00 - close my eyes for a few minutes until it's almost time to leave for picking up kids
14:50 - check in on Sara to find her awake and contentedly lying in bed waiting for someone to rescue her - and she gave me a big smile!
15:10 - leave to pick up kiddies - nearly take off the side mirror of the van trying to back out of the garage - alll these modern conveniences eh?  dishwashers, garages, what will be next?  I'm supremely happy they don't have an alarm system!
15:20 - Caleb and Anna reporting for duty - thankful to see both of them present and accounted for
16:00 - snack time, play time, unpack bags and talk about the day time
16:30 - TV time - time to start thinking bout supper
17:45 - Esther's home from choir and it's supper time - Spaghetti Casserole - yum! Everyone liked that and there weren't too many fights about that
18:00 - Dessert - how much can we push for?  Chocolate milk and chocolate syrup on icecream - hmm, getting spoiled to be sure!
18:30 - Cleaned up dishes, read stories, goofed off a bit
19:00 - Launching into the bedtime preparations of getting three little kiddies off to bed in a half hour - pajamas on, teeth brushed and flossed, stories read, prayers said, fish fed, teddies in bed, lights off, blinds shut... oh i know to any mom with experience, this sounds like any other night but when you're used to putting only one person (yourself) to bed, it's a change to marshall three into dream land in one coordinated effort without causing major upheavals (that's not the way we do it, Aunt Danielle) or transgressing laws - not allowed to have doors open and lights on.
19:45 - peace and calm reigns at the domicile - Esther and I sneak downstairs to watch part of a movie - nice and relaxing...
20:45 - Esther's in bed too - and lights are out and it's time to relax
21:00 - dishwasher on - to save energy...
24:00 - empty dishwasher - dry things off whilst watching a movie on my computer - who knew doing dishes could be this fun!
00:15 - to bed, to bed....
01:30 - wake up - am i late?  Nope, apparently not, back to bed, you silly goose
02:30 - is it time yet?  No...
04:30 - How about now?  Nope, still two more hours yet if you would be smart enough to take advantage of them
06:30 - Okay, enough already - i'm getting up - i'm going to regret this later but there's no point in waiting for the alarm now!  Shower... get dressed and ready to face the new day....
0:700 - everyone's awake - happy and ready for a new day - no nightmares or midnight wanderings to deal with thankfully
0:715 - breakfast, packing bags and brushing teethes
08:10 - leave for school, run a yellow light, get told off by a five year old for doing said error, and make it to school early - i was desparately afraid i wouldn't wake up or be organized enough to get this done but it worked out well!
08:30-12:30 - home again and it's playtime... in random order - reading books, playing with babies, playing with Barbies ( i do believe i've forgotten how to play Barbies - my Barbies ended up eating out of a play frying pan, working on a railroad and wearing completely uncoordinated outfits whilst wearing one skate - who knows where the second one was), marshalling little tiffs between Sara and Anna, building a highly unsuccessful fort (i'm so rusty!), dancing around the play room wearing (at various times) a fake wig, an orange hat, a huge old sweater, pink insulated slipper socks and a bandana "Aunt Danielle, you look like a prince and you have to marry me! "
12:30 - lunchtime - leftovers from yesterday's dinner, bread, cheese slices, yogurt and milk - hmmm... i think everyone should be dosed up on dairy products!
13:00 - Sara's down for a nap - she went quietly into the fray and Anna's playing downstairs...
.....