What a long evening!  Dinner didn't get made on time, after all the trouble I went to plan and prepare it.  Kids at dinner were...annoying at best.  Cleaning up after dinner didn't happen because I got a phone call.  Sure enough, it's not someone I often talk to, so I'm on the phone for a while.  Well, all hell brakes loose with the kids.  I guess I should be thankful they didn't beat each other up.  That's highly likely if they're left to themselves.  No, Rose decides she's going to get out another toy.  Well, I guess I should be thankful, too, that she did obey my whispered, half-signed message to clean up the other toys first.  She must have picked the mother of all impossible toys to play with, and got so frustrated and worked up that she came in the green room, shouting at me to come help her.  Not even asking, demanding. Sigh.

And then there's little dd.  Such a nice, quiet angel while I was on the phone.  Kinda hidden from all the mess that was playing out with Rose and Sam in the living room with the toys.  Well, kinda hidden, literally.  

My first clue was Samuel sucking on a blue lollipop.  (mental note: I didn't give Sam a lollipop).  Where did he get it?  'He got it himself' says Dominic.

Hmmm....

Well, the little candy bowl we've been steadily consuming today (fat Tue.) was now down to one lone chocolate heart.  There was at least three times that many before I got on the phone.  I asked Rose. No, she didn't do it.  I asked dd.  It took a while, but he finally fessed up.  I asked where the wrappers were (I had already checked the trash.  Who would've thought to put them there!?).  He took me to the shoe basket in the kitchen, removed the snow boot, to reveal a handful of shiny candy wrappers.  Almost proudly he showed me.  Sigh.  I could just picture him, hovered behind the kitchen table bench, while I was miles away in the green room, furiously unwrapping the candy as fast as he could and scarfing them down before he was discovered. Sigh.

Then we had the long talk about not only lying, but stealing.

He got punished. Rose got punished.  They were crying. Sam was crying, for who knows why.

What a night.

And now here I am. Three hours left of fat Tues to raid the cupboard of soon-to-be-coveted treats.  And I'm exhausted.  Dishes aren't done.  Rosary not prayed.

Should I just wait till tomorrow to do all that?  And pig out on brownies? :)

I may leave some till tomorrow.  I have to admit I really just want to work on the lent paper chain...without the kids!  I think I could get a start on it, and let them put it together tomorrow.

All while eating brownies, of course. :)