It is a wonderfully blustery day. The house feels cozy and warm. There is the soft scent of apples and cinnamon filling the air. The three older kids are sitting at the table, helping to chop apples. I am stirring warm, bubbling applesauce and checking on the baking crisp. The babies are contentedly sleeping with their blankets held close to their faces. I am feeling content and full of thanksgiving.

5 mins later ...........

The phone is ringing...........both babies are screaming with hunger and in need of urgent attention.........Mikayla is shrieking to be unstrapped from her chair as she needs to use the potty.......Aiden and Caileigh have begun to turn the apple box into a sled and are in need of every art material available to man. They fight in protest of who gets to use the scissors first.........the apple sauce is ready and needs to be removed from the element.........the timer is beeping that the crisp is ready and threatening to burn...........there is the smell of poopy diaper in the air..........I am feeling overwhelmed, yet strangely full of ironic laughter.

Such is my life.