Boy!  I can't even begin to imagine how we traveled with our seven kids when they were young!  Why, you might ask, am I saying this?  Well, here's my answer:  I am going on a little weekend trip with our kids to Texas, leaving on Friday.  Randi is coming with me.  So, that's TWO compared to NINE for whom I am planning a trip (read:  getting things together for the trip). 

Sid and I went shopping this morning to get some food items for me to bring.  First of all, I told our kids that I would cook a huge spaghetti so everyone going could eat from it.  (We're trying NOT to have to eat out so we can save money on food and gas--for the car, of course.)  We can eat it as spaghetti sauce for one meal (or two) and then we can turn the sauce into chili for some hot dogs.  Ok!  That sounds reasonable.  Right?  Right!

Now, have a chat with Jess:  "Mom, do you think you could cook a crock pot roast?  You know how much we all love that?"  Hmmmmm--well, I like that, too, so I said that I would do it.  Well, you cook a roast, you need to cook some rice, so I'll have to do that on Thursday.  Then, of course, since I've been trying to watch what I eat, I decided that I wanted to bring lots of fruits and veggies--apples, bananas, nectarines, grapes, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers.  (When we'd travel with our kids, they were happy with sandwiches, which I'm trying to avoid as much as possible, within reason, of course.)  That means bringing healthier foods.

I'm bringing cereal (for our morning meals), spaghetti in a can for Randi when she doesn't like whatever else we're having, Vienna sausages (for the same reason), soup (as a filler for me), and, of course, the above-mentioned foods.  And don't forget all the stuff I mentioned in the preceding paragraphs.

In addition, I'm stopping at a nice little store in Thibodaux on my way to Jess' house to pick up some delicious ham and cheese that we always get when we travel back home.  That means--BREAD!

Are you seeing what I'm talking about?  And I probably missed a lot of the stuff I'm thinking of bringing.  And you may have noticed that I haven't even mentioned clothing and toiletries yet.  How did we ever do it?  I guess, for one thing, I was a lot younger and did stuff I cannot imagine that I did--you try fitting nine of us in our station wagon.  This was pre-seat belts, of course (and we survived quite well).  We didn't go on long vacations, of course, (about which I was duly reminded by one of our older kids after we discussed having taken vacations with the younger ones later on, after they older ones were gone), but we did travel some.  Just coming to visit their grandparents here in Ventress took a lot of planning, especially if we spent the night! 

Whew!  OK!  I'm getting more and more tired by the word, so I'd better stop talking about this.  I know that Randi and I will have a great time, and I love cooking for all of our kids and grand kids, so NBD.  Of course, I'm also making sure that there is food for Sid while I'm gone, 'cuz that's really important, too.

On to other subjects--rain THREATENED again today, but nothing happened.  According to the weatherman, though, we should DEFINITELY have some rain during the next few days.  I didn't realize that he had been promoted to "giver of favors" by God, but we'll see what happens.  He assured everyone that there would be rain for our gardens.  Yeah, right!  I'd better watch what I say or we'll get our usual continuous rainfall for days on end!  Like they say, "better watch what you pray for"--your prayers might very well be answered!

That's it for tonight!  Hope you have a great evening and a terrific day tomorrow.

HEARTFELT BLESSING:  (Paraphrasing again)  "Envy is a self-defeating thought.  It doesn't allow you to see or connect with the abundance of what might otherwise be available to you.  The moment you begin to rejoice in the good fortune of others, it becomes your good fortune as well.  As soon as you let go of any envious thoughts, abundance begins to flow your way."              --Ralph Marston

NOTE:  Want to keep up with the Joneses?  Help them celebrate their bounty.  Good fortune (whatever that happens to be at the time) will naturally follow.