(Daniel is flipped around-head at the foot of the bed)

Holy Maloly! Getting the kids to bed is becoming quite an extravagant endeavor. There is no simple story-thenbrushteeth-thencozyupinbed routine. No no. That's way too boring. I'm going to have to start bribing them just to get them into the bathroom. We get upstairs and while I'm sure they were right behind me a second ago, they are now scattered in every other room.

I'd love to see this on tape. You know, sped up so that the span of 15 minutes is shown in 30 seconds? With silent movie piano music plinking in the background? You'd see all of us in and out of every upstairs room no less than 27 times. And me spinning superfast around in circles in the middle of the hallway every 5 seconds.

I check the girls room. Shannon has already emptied about 30 of her purses and arranged the items on the floor in preparation for rearranging. Katie is in Dan's room playing with the trucks and trains. And Dan? He's in mommy's and Daddy's room stressing the kitties out.

"Okay kids! Everybody in the bathroom! Brush teeth! Go potty! Get jammies on!"

I pick up Katie and with one arm and carry her to the bathroom while I pull down her pants with the other. Stick her on the potty. Good. We have a start. Before I can check on the other two, Kate's screaming "No! Ha to brus teef!"

OK. (it's gross but...) I give her the loaded toothbrush and let her go to town while sitting on the pot.

"Shannon! Do you have your jammies on yet?"

no answer.

"Dan!" as I walk into his room, assuming I'd find him there. Nope. Go into my room. Nada. "Dan?"

*giggle giggle* "I'm in the cwoset! You can't find me!"

"No I can't! Now go potty!"

back at the bathroom, I'm trying to help Katie put on jammies and her diaper. "NO MA! Wet mee do it!"

"But it's inside out. Let me get it for you."

"NO MAA! WET ME DO IT!!"

ok, ok, be back in a sec.

"Shannon, please get your jammies on!"

Shannon: "Mom? (holding a charm on a chain) When you get a second, could you undo this for me?"

"Yeah, ok. Then get ready for bed."

"Katie! Come to bed now! Are your jammies on yet?"

"No ma! I ha to cween!"

Now Kate's scrubbing the bathroom with a washcloth, I still haven't seen Dan and I think Shannon may have at least put her stuff away.

30 minutes later... The girls are in bed (after Katie's nightly cannonball jump into it) A jammie-less Dan comes into the girls room with a truck and wants to make tire patterns on the rug. This fascinates Katie who is now out of bed and fighting for the truck. At least Shannon is ready.

(ok, it wasn't 30 min. later...whatever)

After an eternity, (I really need to get me some patience) prayers and nite nites have been said. Everyone is tucked in, and as I come out of the bathroom to head downstairs, Dan says "Mom? I have a couple sentences to say."

*deep breath in* "Yeah? What?"

"I have me heart and I love you and Maggie and I'm so happy you are taking care of me and us guys."

*exhale* Awwww...

Right after I took the picture of Shannon, she went into one of those lucid but still dreaming states. She sat up, scratched her chin, looked at me and said

"A pig."

me: "A Pig?"

Shannon: "A pig."

Totally unrelated ridiculous quote for the day:

"Oh. This is the kid's house. We're doing this for the kids."

said by Jon (of Jon & Kate plus 8) when asked why they are getting a (totally unnecessary in their kajillion dollar home) new kitchen.