Broken Cars, Rashes, and Chicken Heckling

Today was one of those days.

Last night when Calvin went to bed, the skin around his eyes was bright red and his eyes were pink, so I didn't wake him up this morning. I let him sleep in, in case he was sick and needed to miss school, but when he woke up at 9, he seemed fine. The skin was still a little rosy, but he has scarring around his eye from an injury, and that was mostly the area that looked irritated, so I thought it was something with that.

We got ready, and both Calvin and Autumn were at school an hour late. As soon as I dropped them off, I ran to the post office, and then took the car into the mechanic because it's been making weird noises. As soon as I handed over the keys, Calvin's school nurse called and said that he was covered in a rash and I needed to come get him.

I put on a backpack full of my laptop and Nicky's menagerie of trucks, settled Nicky on my hip, and walked the half-mile or so to my mom's house. I borrowed her car and went to the school for Calvin. They said school policy is that he can't come back until his rash is gone.

I had to call my sister to pick up Autumn, and I spent the day feeling like I was failing at life.

I hadn't planned on Calvin being kicked out of school or the car having as many issues as it did, so I'd left my house key at home, and the garage door opener in the car, and was stranded at my mom's. There are FAR worse places to be stranded, for sure, but I was feeling sorry for myself because I am so behind on housework and other things, that I didn't have time to be stranded for an entire day.

The kids, though? The kids thought it was the best thing ever.

My mom's watching my sister's six kids because she just had a baby, so Calvin spent the day with them building forts in the backyard, having stick fights, playing wizards, and whatever else, while Autumn held hands with her cousins and frolicked through the yard.

I should have taken more pictures of their magical day, but here are a few of my favorites:

Trapping himself in a tomato cage:

Nicky's cute cousin Aby spent a good half hour with him at the chicken coop. They would stick in long grass so the chickens would come to eat it, then as soon as the chickens got close enough, Nicky would stick in his hand to pet him. He thought they were hilarious, and in the six hours we were there, I caught him sneaking back to the cages about a dozen times. He loves him some chickens.

I desperately wish I'd been able to capture this moment, but he kept throwing himself back on the grass, and then he'd do a big belly laugh at the sheer joy of rolling in it. He's a kid who knows how to enjoy all the little moments.

Calvy's face rash. I didn't take a picture of his chest, arms, and hands, but it's there, too:

Calvin and Hobbes:

Apparently I didn't get any pictures of Autumn, but I really didn't see her much. She was running full steam with her little friends. It was an adventurous day--they caught a snake, rode bikes, jumped on the tramp, and played pretend all day. Literally ALL day. My mom fixed us lunch, gave me a makeover, chatted with me and my two sisters who dropped by, and was her usual perfect hostess, even though she already had a full house and a million things going on.

Late afternoon I got the car back, but the kids wanted to stay, so Grandma kept the big kids, and I took Nicky home and put him to bed.

Calvin and Autumn are never so happy as when they're playing with cousins. It made all of the annoying parts of the day worthwhile.