Not a finger was lifted by me today. I guess it was the equivalent of taking a day off. (as much as a mother can at least) Tim was going to be at work then basketball all day so I never even had a desire to cook. Chicken nuggets and frozen pizza all around!

Not a thing was done that didn't absolutely have to be done. Dirt tracked on the floor... so what? Toys EVERYWHERE... they'll pick 'em up. (eventually) Cat puke on the stairs... well I did clean that up at least. Shannon had school, but as luck would have it, her only homework was to bring a teddy bear to school tomorrow. So not even any math to struggle over tonight. Yippee! The kids played outside in the mud a lot, and with no need for sunscreen, well there's one more reason to mark this day as exceptional. I didn't even bother to let the idea of a bath (which they needed after playing in the mud today) cross my mind.

I quietly read most of the day and the kids played happily. The universe must be altered, I must be in the twilight zone. It feels great. Let me be stuck in this happy state of laziness forever.

From days like today come the birth of a child's imagination. Shannon cooked up fantastical stories in her room that involved "a tube of wonder, the magical mirror, the tube of secrets, a book of sorcerers, a bunny that tells you what to do, and my favorite, the hand sanimatizer." She never had a meltdown, hardly even raised her voice tonight. Except for the occasional skirmish, no one fought. Nicole, I'm starting to think that mirror really is magical.

Dan and Kate were outside a lot, Kate complete with her hat. I don't know everything they did but it must have been fun because they came in filthy.

And so even though (given the state of the house) I would have been horrified at any unannounced visits today, I felt a twinkle of the magic the kids must feel when they are left alone with their imaginations.