it is going to be a long long summer...

i have not been able to get to the computer as much as usual for a couple of reasons. the first reason is that the boys have downloaded "toontown" and it is a true battle royale every single day for computer supremacy. between, thomas, jack, dennis and myself, it can get ugly. of course, if i want to get on, i win, but then i usually have to listen to three kids crying and whinig the entire time i am on the computer, which, let's be honest, is a total buzzkill. i think i am going to start setting the kitchen timer for everyone, even myself. for some reason, everyone obeys the timer with no arguments. when they are fighting over the computer or wii, and i set the timer, all arguments stop and peace reigns. i wish i could create a timer for every aspect of our lives.

(just as an aside right now, and to prove my computer battle point...jack is standing next to me, with his head resting on my left arm, singing "space space space space space" and trying to get me to let him press the space bar whenever i need it. very practical application while typing.)

the second reason that i have not been able to make it to the computer is the call of the great outdoors. my girls LOVE to be outside. in fact, when they are not actually outside, they spend a god deal of their time standing at the front door, yelling to people who are outside...just like miniature little fishwives. once i do release them into the wild, it is virtually impossible to get them back in and it always involves crying, an actual chase on foot and me telling them they are never allowed outside again. it is so funny to see them once they get outside, though. the boys now play with the other kids on the block, they actually have friends now. the girls try to chase after the bigger kids, but then get distracted and play by themselves. it's even funny when it is just my kids out there. they constantly amaze me in what they choose to do. the boys all have scooters, as well as big wheels and bikes, etc. yet, when we are outside, they consistently pick the girls little pink and purple tricycles to ride. why would they do that? obviously, they are very secure in their boyhoods and are not intimidated by the color scheme. as for the girls, katie ALWAYS picks the little red radio flyer three-wheeled scooter. she loves it. she is content to ride that back and forth to the corner all day, and she actually CAN ride it. i do believe that she is the ONLY one of all five kids that can ride a scooter. cara flits back and forth between chalking the sidewalk up, riding a different scooter or fighting with the boys over her trike. occasionally, she will bring her doll coach out and take her baby for a walk. poor thomas...there are no kids his age on the block, so he either bosses the little guys around or stays inside and enjoys the quiet. i envy him that time!

the thing that is going to make this such a long summer is that we live in the city, on a tiny block with no grass or real play space. i have a feeling that i will find myself at the playground quite a bit, but that also involves a scene similar to getting the girls to go in the house. the saving grace to all of this however, is the sheer exhaustion that hits right around 8pm. it is pure, unadulterated joy to put the girls to bed and not hear a peep until sometime the next morning. so, i guess i have to figure out what i value more...facebook and the computer, or peaceful sleep, because when we stay indoors i get way more computer time, way less peaceful sleep and vice versa. it is quite the dilemma for me!