Goodwill Toward Men

After the girls got their bedrooms and playroom cleaned this morning I spent time going through Cougar's outgrown clothes and shoes getting them packed away in totes to store in the garage. It's something I've started about 5 times now and just haven't gotten done. While I was doing that I decided to go through my things and the girls' things and ended up with a nice big pile for Goodwill. We had some bags of things collected from a playroom/closet cleanout about 6 weeks ago that we still hadn't dropped off so I decided that today was the day to make it happen!!! I loaded up the donations and the kiddos just before lunch and headed out. The girls were so excited about the idea that their stuffed animals were going to be able to find new homes with children who may not have as much. Brinley was thrilled to see the Goodwill store and noted what a fun place it would be to go shopping ... they had lots of clothing racks!! It felt so good to cross those things off my list today and to see the happiness in my kids' faces knowing that we were doing good for others with our donations.

After our drop-off we picked up lunch at Taco Bell - per the girls' request - and headed home to eat. Cougar fell asleep on the way so after I got him tucked in for his nap I sat down with the girls for lunch. We chatted about lots of random things and I loved that they noted the fun "girl time" we were having. It's hard to make that time very often so I love to hear how much they enjoy and appreciate it ... I know I do!

Then it was on to vacuuming the upstairs and cleaning the guest bath. My girlfriend Beth called and said they had been cleaning all day, too, and they were rewarding their hard work with a movie - The Tale of Despereaux. Here's pretty much what the theater looked like:A few others trickled in after the movie started but it was fairly empty. Here is my sweet boy sitting like the angel that he was.This blessed picture lasted for about 20 minutes and then I spent the next hour (and then some) out in the hallway. He would literally start screaming if I tried to open the door to the theater. It's not like I was letting him have fun in the hallway ... I wouldn't even put him down! I sat him on top of a garbage can part of the time, carried him and walked around, but wouldn't let him run around. I was NOT about to teach him that if he acted out in the movie that he could have fun outside!!! The manager was kind enough to bring me 2 "readmit" passes that I can turn in for 2 tickets to another movie at another time since he saw me in the hall most of the time and knew I was CLEARLY not enjoying the movie I had paid to go to. I was very impressed by that since I didn't even ask for them (although I had considered asking if I could get my money back).

I would be remiss if I also didn't include the part where I was intolerant of bad behavior again. There was a group of 5 kids (mostly teenagers) who were sitting a few rows above us. At the start of the movie they were ALL OVER the place! Climbing over railings, down to the front of the theater, back up top, talking audibly, etc. I gave them "the look" repeatedly ... so did Beth. When I took Cougar out the first time, 3 of the girls (the most obnoxious of them) were not far behind. They started walking into different theaters, etc. and then played like they were going to the bathroom since they noticed I was watching their every move. The manager happened to come by just as they were walking past me to go back into the theater. I mentioned to him that they had been fairly disruptive, all over the theater, texting, and had been in and out of other theaters ... and that they didn't appear to have a parent with them. Just wanted him to be aware ;) He came into the theater a short while later (during one of my brief stints where I tried to go back in) and sat in a seat. I heard the girls say "Is that him?" I ended up having to leave again and when the manager came back out he told me he had gone up to talk to them. I clearly got some snatchy looks as they left the theater after the movie and I can only IMAGINE what they said to each other and told their parents but I felt like if I expected my 20 month old (and 5, 7, and 9 year olds) to keep quiet so others could enjoy the movie - even if it meant standing in the hall with a wild toddler for an hour - SURELY teenagers who should be able to sit through a movie without being disruptive should have been expected to behave accordingly. I wasn't expecting silence or "model" behavior ... just courtesy toward those around them. Getting off my soapbox - I obviously need more sleep :)