Let me start this post off by saying that I've been so eager to blog more regularly, but time just has not been on my side lately. I'm running a bit ragged trying to get all the normal maintenance stuff done like cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming, trimming little fingernails, cooking, etc. and I don't have much time for extras. Some people have asked me if having 3 kids is much more work than 2, and I usually say "No, not really" ... but I'm feeling the burn these past few weeks.
Truthfully, Peter doesn't contribute too much dirt or require meal prep or anything like the other boys do, but things like trimming finger and toenails (I have 30 fingernails and 30 toenails to keep trimmed now!!), and giving the kids baths definitely is more time consuming now. And the laundry situation is a bit crazy ... I used to be able to do laundry twice a week, but now I'm doing it probably 4x a week, and that doesn't include cloth diapers. And I can't really get away with not vacuuming every week or not cleaning bathrooms every week because Jack and Thomas are good at spreading dirt far and wide (which I don't mind), but I do mind stepping all over crumbs on the carpet and muddy handprints around the bathroom counters and sink, so for my own peace of mind I can't let these chores slide.
On to today's events....
A plumber came this morning to replace our kitchen faucet which was leaking badly. Jack and Thomas were excited to have 2 new "friends" in the house for a while that they could chat up :). Fortunately, the plumbers were very quick and the new faucet is working great!
Since the plumbers were done early, we had a few hours before lunchtime to burn, so I decided to take the boys to the park. Jack was doing his best Eeyore impersonation, dragging his feet through getting his shoes, going potty, etc. before we left and Thomas was running away every time I tried to get his diaper changed and his shoes put on. So after a couple of warnings about me needing their cooperation if we were going to the park, I called it off because they just weren't listening at all.
They played in the front yard for a little while and then I checked my e-mail and realized we had a handful of movies and books that were ready to pickup at the library (I LOVE being able to request stuff online from the library and pick it up at my convenience). Thinking it would be nice to have some movies and books on hand for relaxing this weekend, I packed up the boys to the library and took a picnic lunch for afterward.
After the library, we headed out toward the park and I spotted a CHP car behind me. Now, my registration for our blue van is up-to-date (and I have the current registration card in the glove compartment), but they never sent me new stickers, so the registration stickers on my license plate are expired. A while back, I called to DMV to see if they could mail me new stickers, but they said I had to go to the DMV and fill out a form. This has been on my to-do list for a while, but I just haven't gotten to it yet. Honestly, my mind has been so busy lately that it hasn't even really been on my radar, even though it's something I know I need to do).
Anyway, the CHP car is behind me and of course I'm driving my very best, all the while hoping that he'll cut me some slack over my expired stickers.
Ah.... no such luck. He blooped his little siren and flashed his lights at me, and I found a place to pull over. Now, I've never been pulled over by a cop before for any reason, so I was a little nervous. I guess I was afraid that if I didn't have the right paperwork or say the right thing, I'd get in Big Trouble or something. Fortunately, I did have all the current paperwork that the cop asked for, and he was nice enough about the whole thing, but he did give me a citation for the expired sticker. Thankfully, no fee --- I just have to get a current sticker from the DMV within the next month.
The tricky part is that after I get my new registration sticker, I have to find a CHP officer and show him the citation and the sticker on my car to prove that I corrected the violation. Unfortunately, the CHP doesn't have a station in Ramona, and the best advice the cop could give me was that I should just "keep an eye out" for a CHP car and basically hunt down any old officer to sign off on my ticket. Apparently the cops hang out by the schools in the mornings.
This is not something I look forward to, to say the least. I'm envisioning myself driving circles around Ramona with 3 crazy kids trying to find the elusive Ramona CHP cops. I'm also a bit nervous about when I do find a CHP car - I'm not too keen on parking near a CHP car, hopping out, and approaching the officer -- it seems confrontational somehow, like I'm the one playing the cop. I'm afraid I'll give off the wrong vibe and the cop will think I'm out to get him or something.
Sigh .... hopefully I can get over my "But I don't WANT to" grumbly feelings and turn the whole thing into some interesting or useful experience for the boys. If they see that police officers and nice and I don't have a problem interacting with them, maybe that will help them develop a healthy attitude toward them. Heck, maybe I can enlist the boys' help to be on the lookout for a cop car while we're out and about town in the next few weeks!
I am a little mad at myself for not getting a new sticker sooner, but of all things to be stopped for, this has got to be one of the most minor. I do kind of pride myself on being a very careful and safe driver, so I'm glad the cop didn't catch me doing something unsafe -- I'd feel a lot worse if that were the case.
After the police officer escapade, we did have our picnic at the park in town, and that was relaxing. Now the boys are supposed to be napping (but are making a lot of racket instead), so we'll see how the rest of the afternoon goes. I think I might go make myself a big glass of very sweet iced tea now :).
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