One the way to the bus stop this morning, Jaden enjoyed walking on the ice that was still on the side of the road.  He laughed as he stomped and cracked the ice beneath his boots.  We met up with the neighbor kids at the bus stop.  Jaden and Nadine were stomping on the ice that was still frozen on top of a large puddle (you can see where this is going).

It all happened in slow motion.  Jaden stepped a little off on the curb, he started to tip backwards, I reached out to try and catch him, and he splashed into the big mud puddle!  We are talking mud soaked jeans, mud splatter on his face, his yellow coat was covered in mud.  The poor kid started screaming “I’m dirty!  I hate mud!”  I go to try and wipe some of it off and I smear more dirty across the poor kid’s face.  I debate whether or not I can send Jaden to school as is and quickly decide that we need a new pair of pants at least.

So we truck back to the house.  I tell Jaden to drop his drawers in the kitchen while I run down the hallway to get new pants.  We get changed quickly and I fly to the basement to get his old coat.  I still have hopes of being able to make the bus!  I tell Jaden he’s got to run.  We fly out the back door and round the corner of the house — hoping to see the neighbors still at the bus stop.  They are no where to be seen!  I might have dropped the S-word but Jaden knew enough not to correct me at this point.

In the house we go.  Off with the boots and off with the coat.  We now have 20 mins before we need to leave since we can’t drop off at school until 8:40.  I kneel in front of the babies to start buckling them into their car seats and … wait for it … the bus drives by!!  Are you freaking kidding me?  Where the heck were those kids?  Did I just miss them?  Where they hiding?

I can’t lie, I honestly thought to myself, can we still make it?  If I grab Jaden and run with him like a football under my arm would the bus driver see us?  If he sees us will he stop?  I’m pretty sure he would, but think how unfair it would be to the kids on the bus.  Crap – I’m driving to school!

Jaden was a good sport.  Tells me how much he loves me in the car on the ride.  It took longer to pack up the kids than it did to drive to school.  On my home I decide to make the trip worth it, I was going to let someone else make my coffee this morning.  Starbucks drive thru for a white peppermint mocha.  Made the trip at least more worth while.

So that was my Friday morning.  Phew and to think it all happened before 9am!