An evening at the circus

We had the missionaries over for dinner tonight. Dan had a scout meeting at 4pm, then went to pick up the elders for dinner at 6pm. That left me with all the kids, and my plan was to start dinner at 5:15pm. So at that appointed time, this is what I was presented with:

1) The kids played in the sprinkler this afternoon, so April had put her new swimsuit in the kitchen sink to be washed (because it says "Handwash Only"). As I puzzle over why a swimsuit is sitting in my kitchen sink, I notice some writing on the inside of the swimsuit that says "Do Not Iron", written with a purple sharpie marker.

2) Stephen walks up to me, naked from the waist down, and says, "Mommy, I need a diaper." (He was trying to get dressed after sprinkler time outside.)

3) Jeremy is laying under his toy mobile on the living room floor, wailing his little heart out. Definitely time for him to eat.

And all I really want to do is start dinner.....

So, I tell Stephen to go to his room and get a diaper. I grab April's swimsuit, douse it with Spray N Wash, and throw it in the laundry with some other dirty clothes. I go to the boys' room, where Stephen is laying on the floor waiting for me, grab a diaper and put it on him. I tell him to put on some pants. I run back to the living room, grab Jeremy, and take him to his room to feed him.
At 5:35pm I am finally able to get dinner going. Fortunate for me, I planned ahead and thawed the steaks on the counter this afternoon. When Dan and the elders arrive at one minute before 6pm, I am feeling organized and in control again, dinner is ready and almost everything is on the table.
Of course, what dinner is complete without entertainment? This was graciously provided by my children, just by being themselves. The elders thought they were very funny, how they all try to talk to Dan and I at the same time, regardless of whether Dan and I, or any other adults, are already deep in conversation. At one point, Emily came up to me with little Nerf balls stuck under her shirts. "Look, Mommy, I have boobs!" The elders choked with laughter.
At the beginning of dessert, the elders shared with us a spiritual thought, and tried not to laugh while the kids kept asking for more cake, more strawberries, more whipped cream, despite our reminders to be quiet and listen to the lesson.
When the elders were done, they gave us the usual phrase, "Is there anything we can do for you?" Dan said, "Yes, hold the baby for me so I can eat my dessert." There is nothing funnier than watching a young missionary try to hold a baby. All I can say is--- Totally Clueless and Scared to Death! I couldn't tell if the elders were smiling or grinding their teeth as Jeremy wailed in their arms.
I truly don't think I could have gotten more entertainment than this if I actually DID go to the circus!