How much does it take to find 2 lost children?

Monster #1 and #2




1 calm mother 1 frantic mother (guess which one was me) 1 random jogger 1 family of three 3 garbage men 3 police officers in 3 separate cars (although they assured us there were MANY more on the way) 1 neighbor that assured us she would tell the police officers that we were "good moms" 2 laps around the neighborhood (thankfully the jogging mom is in great shape) 2 calls to 911 (one to call for help, the other to cancel help)

Mind you it took less than 5 minutes for those little buggers to slink like snakes under the fence, run down the alley, hide in a house currently under construction and completely ignore the fact that someone was frantically calling their names.

In Summary:

Total people involved in the escapade: 15 (including the rascals, but not including a worried husband at work)

Total time lost: approximately 10 minutes

Total number of times the little darlings have played in the backyard unsupervised without a problem: At least 100 times

Total number of years I lost: About 75.. at least.

Total time for the adults to recover: 5 days and counting

I know, I joke, but really it wasn't all that funny. Thankfully, at least my little conspirator, knows he scared me. He repeatedly has said over the past couple of days..."crying", ''scared" , "big truck" with at least a slight look of concern.

**post edit** I should clarify that the police didn't actually help us look for the kids. We found them before they got to the house. But when we called the 911 operator back to say we found them, she said they were already enroute so she couldn't call them off. She said they would have to see the kids to verify they were okay. However, the garbage men were in fact the ones that found the monsters.

My Weekend As A Mother of 6

I have to say it has been better than I expected. Just the other day I was sitting on the floor playing with Teddy and listening to Lizzy practice her piano. The others were happily playing and their laughter was reverberating throughout the house. I actually said to myself- "Self, I think you could do this". Two days later, not so much. Nothing major, but WOW 6 kids can drain the life right out of you. I am exhausted. It probably doesn't help that I have two kids in diapers that need to be changed every other second. The girls are.. girls. They get along like I did with my sisters- playing nicely one second and fighting the next. Luckily everyone else is getting along with each other- that is everyone except Ted. I think both of the boys are anxious for him to leave. I must say- he does NOT play well with others. He will chase them and actually try to gnaw off their arms with those sharp little teeth. Will has had a look of horror in his face a couple of times.

Against my better judgment I agreed to cart said children to 9:00 am church! We successfully made it and everyone was appropriately dressed. Luckily the girls were available and willing to help. Their grandparents live here part of the year so they were available to help wrangle kids during sacrament. They were really good.

My favorite things:

• Lizzy teaching Lulu to play Mary Had a Little Lamb on the piano.
• Zoe reading stories to all of them before bedtime.
• John and Lulu making roads of dirt on the patio.
• Will giggling like crazy when I sing made up songs to him.
• Teddy chasing after the other kids in his crazy zombie like walking style.

My least favorite things:

• Changing another freaking diaper. What are these kids eating?
• Sister DRAMA. Can't we all just get along.
• Lulu peeing on the floor at Grandma and Grandpa's house. ARE YOU KIDDING?
• I can't go anywhere because who am I kidding? 4 kids under the age of 5 isn't conducive to anything. Therefore, I've been rationing my diet cokes. I'm getting a little low. Maybe this would be a good time to quit?