We've been uncharacteristically reclusive this week because the kids have been sick. Normally, that would just mean that we'd be doing solo, outdoorsy things so as not to expose anyone else to our illness, but right now, it's just slightly too chilly in the mornings, especially with both of them not feeling well.

Of course, we can't be entirely housebound because the first question Luke asks me each morning is, "Where are we going today?" and when I tell him that we're staying home, his little face gets so sad. So instead, we've been taking lots of walks around the neighborhood. Yesterday morning, we went to watch the construction trucks that are building...something...behind our neighborhood. Yesterday afternoon, we wandered aimlessly in search of a squirrel. And this morning, we decided to walk to the grocery store to buy some bananas and honey. (Can I just say how much I LOVE the fact that we're within walking distance to a grocery store?)

But apparently, I've completely forgotten the fine art of getting two kids ready and out of the house in any timely fashion because here was our morning:

5:15 am - 8:45 am: Pat a coughing, snorting baby so that he'd stay asleep.

8:45 am: fall back asleep.

9:02 am: McMoose shepherds Luke into the bedroom so he can start working.

9:03 am: Luke says, "Where are we going today?" And because I had been thinking about that very issue from 5:15 am to 8:45 am, I reply, "We're going to walk to Food Lion to buy bananas and honey." To see his excitement, you'd think I had told him we were going to Disney World.

9:05-9:30 am: Get myself and Weston dressed and ready. Tell Luke to pick out some clothes and get dressed.

9:30 am: Fold a load of laundry while Luke chatters about how we're going to FOOD LION to buy BANANAS and HONEY and OH BOY, FOOD LION! (Meanwhile, he's still in his pajamas. Normally, I would have gotten him dressed after asking the first time, but I had decided we were going to have a relaxed, leisurely morning. Ha!)

9:50 am: Tell Luke that he needs to go potty and GET DRESSED before we can go.

10 am: Verbally help Luke put his clothes on because when I offered physical assistance, he informed me that he was going to do it all by himself.

10:05 am: Decide that I should feed Weston before we go because Luke was still trying to figure out how exactly to get his underwear on.

10:15 am: Look for my wallet in the diaper bag. It's not in there. Look in the car. Not there. Look every place I can think of. Not there. Run upstairs to ask McMoose if he knows where it is. He doesn't. Run back downstairs and look in one of the same places where I JUST LOOKED and there it is. Of course.

10:20: Leave the house. Walk down the street. Chat with Luke about the man mowing his lawn.

10:25: We get to a gravelly part of the path and Luke says, "Ouchie! I need my shoes!" I look down and sure enough, we had forgotten the child's shoes. And he walked ALL THE WAY DOWN THE STREET before saying anything about it.

It's a wonder we ever manage to get out of this house.