Barnes and Noble is Heaven

I've been on my own without Joe now for almost a month, I think.  I admire single mothers more than any other creature on Earth.  I just miss the adult companionship so much, as well as the extra set of shoulders to burden the worry and angst that comes along with trying to be the perfect parent.  I cannot wait to be with Joe again in less than a week!  We'll join him in Fresno on June 6th...phew.

As I'm sure any other single parent can attest to, the late afternoon/early evening hours are the hardest to kill with little kids.  Ellie's usually chock full of energy at that time (post-nap) and Charlie's just fighting to stay awake until his bed time...it's a tough one to balance...we fondly call it "The Witching Hour."  While on my own, I've discovered the wonders of Barnes and Noble during these hours.  It's my little slice of heaven.  I take the kids there to play with the Thomas the Train set; it's the one activity I've found that both kids can enjoy and participate in together.  I usually grab myself an iced coffee, catch up on some phone calls, and watch the kids play with the train set and try out every stuffed animal in the place.  An hour and a half later, I'm caffeinated and happy, and the kids are sufficiently entertained and worn out to take home and wind down for bed.