This year instead of spending Martin L. King Day letting my kids sit around in their pajamas, (which we do every other year), I decided to be a little more ambitious and we went hiking at Red Rock with a friend and her daughter. I warned Rhyan and Levi, (especially Levi), that because I would be alone I needed them to be on their best behavior. That meant no running ahead up the trail where I couldn't see them...or fighting...or tattling...or hitting the person who tattled...or hitting anyone else...or crying...or any other thing that would cause my blood pressure to skyrocket. We had a blast. 
Unfortunately, the 20 minute car ride home was a different experience all together. Levi and Rhyan fought over nuetral middle seat territory in the back of the van, which resulted in Levi kicking Rhyan the whole way home and Rhyan screaming and crying. Isabelle and Katie, (mostly Katie), "kindly" sang songs at the top of their lungs to drown out the screaming. It also kept them them from fussing, but it didn't help to keep the noise level down. As I clenched the steering wheel to keep from pulling over and beating my children in full view of the rush hour traffic on the freeway, I savored those 2 precious hours. Because in those 2 glorious hours, I had a no whining, crying, screaming, hitting, kicking, tattling, moment of sanity.
