Tikkabik

Because Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, my company offered up yesterday as a holiday, and many others did as well. So we had a nice lazy three day weekend to recover from Sunday's burst of activity, and spent most of it laying low.

We'd had enough lounging around by late afternoon, though, so we gathered up the kids and headed out around suppertime. Our first stop was the local Target store -- Bonnie spied a couple of good deals on things we really needed, like new underwear for her and Emmeline -- then we went to dinner at Applebee's.

I don't know if it's just residual energy from the day before, the time of year, or what, but my children's behavior is, in general, aggravating the hell out of me, especially when we go out in public. I know I should be thankful they're all reasonably healthy and well-adjusted, but there are a few things that totally drive me crazy -- like having to repeat myself five or six times before what I'm saying finally sinks in, or repeatedly asking a child not to do something (like run away from us in a department store, for example) and having the child disobey me.

Today doesn't seem to be a lot better -- we're following the same pattern as we have for a few weeks now, where Bonnie and I ask the kids to do something (take your pills, brush your teeth, pack your bag for the overnight at the hotel with Grandpa tonight) and have to repeat it four, five, six times before the command is followed.

Maybe I'm expecting too much. Or maybe I'm letting something bother me that shouldn't. Or maybe I'm going about it the wrong way. All I know is that it's annoying.