A most normal, average Monday. Just perfect.

Coming off a busy weekend filled with Halloween plans a plenty including a block party, today was a needed break.  It was a teacher workday for end of the quarter grades and yes, I did curse the computer and the new "let's use technology that takes us back ten years in the opposite direction thanks to our cash-strapped state of education" software that the state has contracted for use by all counties. PowerSchool I think not, more like Power Suck. I didn't get a stack of AP essays graded in time to make the cut.  It was a nice break to be with the kids eating doughnuts off a string in a party game and eating so much candy my pants were tight today.

Bill and I met with Ben's teacher for fall conference earlier today. I walked the dog on a nice fall afternoon, prepped dinner, and picked the boys up a little early.

At day care pick up Ian had a big sticker to "check the dirty clothes bin." Thinking that my eight loads of weekend laundry all clean and put away was about to be ruined by a pair of pee/poop soaked undies and pants were missing.  In their place was MY underwear, a single, and yes clean pair, that had ridden to school in a cleaned nap-time blanket.  I laughed out loud hard. So hard my I add that by the time I got to the car tears were streaming down my face I was still laughing.

We hit up Trader Joes where I bought flowers for myself and let each boy buy one treat for good behavior and because I was secretly celebrating my favorite day of the year.

It is an anniversary that passes every year with little fanfare.  It passed yesterday filled with the boys sharing their TJs stickers with me only to ask for them back, nighttime routines of stalling for extra time denied, but did include extra hugs and telling each of them how much they are my favorite Ben and favorite Ian.   I arranged the flowers, did nightly chores, prepped school stuff, and watched DVR'ed 60 minutes.  It was the most ordinary days, and the best part is I get to do it all again tomorrow.