Teacher Workday, Here We Come

Today is a teacher workday.  Two little rascals, home from school all day!  You'd think I could sleep late this morning, but you'd be wrong.  I set my alarm for 6 AM, thinking I could walk the dogs before the boys got out of bed, but when my alarm went off the boys were already awake, plotting against me in Anders' room.  I heard them as I staggered down the hall: "Track 11!  Play track 11!  That one will really wake her up!"  Then, a blast of Led Zeppelin at an ungodly volume nearly knocked me off my feet.  Led Zeppelin?  Really?!  They are 8 and 10 years old!  So much for a leisurely morning.

So here it is, ten before seven, the evil music player has been confiscated, puppy dogs have been fed their breakfast and are out in the back yard, and little boys have been slightly calmed by a brief separation in Time Out while I made my latte.  It's still pitch black outside, but the blessing of caffeine is beginning to bring me to full consciousness so I can plan my day. 

I'm going to need to walk my dogs, and I will need to bring Lars with me to prevent mischief and certain doom while I'm out of the house.  This means I will need a bribe -- Ribbon candy?  A chance for computer or video game time?  Or maybe a trip to Starbucks later?  Anders I would trust with my banking password and the car keys, but Lars?  Not so much.

I have some pillows for a client that I need to pick up from my drapery workroom later today, so my little "assistants" will be coming along for the ride.  We can go to Starbucks afterward, if they cooperate and behave well in the car. 

Lars with his Vanilla Steamer, Anders with his Kid's Hot Chocolate

They really dig the cake pops at Starbucks, along with their beverages of choice: a Kid's Hot Chocolate for Anders and a Vanilla Steamer for Lars, who mysteriously has no enthusiasm for chocolate whatsoever.  Obviously, little boys who wake up and terrorize me with classic rock before the sun comes up don't get anything with so much as a drop of caffeine. 

What else is in store for us this day?  Lars is going to his first sleepover birthday party tonight, which means that I need to take two little boys to Target to select a gift today.  I think I'll delay Target as long as possible, because my Bernina dealer is in that shopping center and there's a good chance my sewing machine might be serviced and ready to pick up by late afternoon -- cross your fingers!  I'll also need to get Lars's overnight things packed up.  My decorative painter will be coming by to work on my dining room ceiling at around noon, so we will need to stick around the house for most of the afternoon (I'll try to post some pictures of that later).  I have some business calls and paperwork to attend to at some point.  Oh, and I need to get the Halloween costumes down and figure out what each trick-or-treater is going to wear (and referee any ensuing fights), because immediately after we pick Lars up from the party tomorrow morning we're taking our boys to the Phantom of the Lollipop concert at the symphony.  Bernie should be back from his business trip by late this afternoon, thank the Lord.

Man, just thinking about this day is making me exhausted.  Do I hear the water running upstairs?!  I need to go...  Happy Friday, everyone!