The last couple weeks have been in full-on crisis mode for our family. It seems like every single day, I think, “Oh, this will just be a regular day”, and then, BAM! Some new chaos is thrown in my lap. It doesn’t help that our last babysitter gave her notice a few weeks ago and our new gal can’t do full-time until next month, so I am trying to do 20+ hours of work every week with 10 hours of childcare. And then, we’ve been hit with health issues, insurance drama, tax mayhem . . . it just keeps coming. It’s all making my brain a bit fuzzy. For example, I sent the sitter to Home Depot the other day for mineral spirits for a piece of furniture that needs cleaning. Only, I said mineral oil instead. “For a project I’m working on”. She came back saying that Home Depot didn’t carry it, but Rite Aid did. Apparently, mineral oil THE LAXATIVE is not the same thing as mineral spirits. I think my sitter thinks I am totally insane for sending her to the store in search of a laxative for my “big project”. Then our new sitter started. We had a tempura paint incident in the backyard, and of course I never bothered cleaning it up. So this is where I told her to feed the kids lunch: Don’t mind the bloody massacre stains I forgot to clean up. I bought Jafta a Darth Vader costume at a consignment sale. It really fits, no? I also bought him some new shoes online. Note to self: if a pair of size 2 shoes seems unreasonably cheap, it’s probably because THEY’RE FOR TODDLERS. And finally – I am en route to New Orleans today (yeah for in-flight internet!). As I was waiting for my flight I noticed that I had forgotten to finish painting my nails, since Karis starting screaming last night around 1am when I finally sat down to do it. So I’m heading to a conference with one red nail. Keepin’ it classy. I am really, really, looking forward to this little getaway. Right now, the man sitting next to me is sporting a handlebar mustache and knuckle tattoos, and he is sleeping so deeply that he keeps putting his head on my shoulder. But I’m almost to New Orleans! Hopefully my attention to detail will resurface while I’m there.