Friday afternoon, the benefactor swooped up the younger children, apologizing in advance for having to take them to an educational function that day. Upon arriving, the children immediately began protesting, not wanting to stay inside the building. The benefactor made it clear in no uncertain terms that they were not to be unsupervised. The childrens’ solution was to then run around the seating area until being reprimanded at least three times (the benefactor generally loses count after two). When threatened with losing the privilege of attending a special festivity later in the evening, they finally settled long enough to get through the opening remarks.
 
The benefactor dragged them to various educational classes to acquire information about the elder children’s academia. They sat in a relative stupor, just maintaining enough to get through each 10 minute period. At one of the last presentations, the youngest male was delighted to get an opportunity to take a pocket book of the constitution, wanting to grab an entire handful. Reluctantly, he whittled his take down to three.
 
Finally finished with the formal aspect of their day, the benefactor walked the children to the Plaza, where a grotesque ball for children was being held. People in various costume littered the town square, and after procuring a light snack, they walked about, listening to the electronically generated music. Eventually, the children asked to mix with the crowd on the dance floor, slowly but surely inching upward to the stage. After pretending for an hour that they did not want to dance on the stage with the other young people bouncing and swaying, they finally ventured up and let loose. Occasionally they would return to the benefactor, and at one point, the eldest male came back to remind the benefactor that he had the constitution in his pocket, “just in case there is a riot.” Twas a lovely, peaceful evening despite his preparations for potential upheaval.
 
Sunday, we journeyed see the effigy known as Zozobra, a huge, terrifying puppet stuffed with the ‘glooms’ of the city. Despite our efforts to leave at an appropriate time, we didn’t manage to undertake our travels until an hour and a half past our target timeline. The younger children were at first reluctant, until the promise of ice cream was presented as a reward for faithfully doing their weekend chores.
 
Arriving at the warehouse of consumer goods, the children attempted an automatic beeline for the ice cream counter, and then became disgruntled when the benefactor forced them to first walk and explore the artistic displays. After wandering for a short bit in search of paper and writing instruments to write out our glooms, and a great deal of public haggling, the benefactor finally agreed to purchase the cold confection desired.
 
As the children indulged their sweet teeth, the benefactor scrolled out her lengthy list of the year’s miseries for the celebratory inferno to come. The youngest female, upon finishing her dessert, begged to mount the overpriced, circling carnival ride. She sulked at the benefactor’s refusal. When the benefactor took her list of melancholy to place in the box for the effigy’s stuffing, the youngest female ripped her own piece of paper to record her gloom: that the benefactor refused her a ride on the much coveted merry-go-round.
 
Returning home, the children dispersed to their various corners: the elders hid in their room whilst the youngest enjoyed a story with the alien doctor. The benefactor slipped outside to rest in her hammock, and the youngest female came to join her. After sharing that she felt glum, the youngest female curled up and requested the reading of a book. Her and the benefactor snuggled in the fresh air, the canine also joining to hear the tale of a dark haired, pale royal and seven height impaired men. Soon after, bedtime arrived swiftly, and the children were snuggled and tucked, the benefactor instantly exhausted from such a lively day.

The morning came with the soft patter of rain and an overcast beginning to the day. The children rose very slowly, resembling sleeping mummies risen from their sarcophagi. The eldest male was asked to awaken, as he was expected at a morning appointment. When only fifteen minutes before departure remained, the benefactor passed his doorway, observing him still tucked under the covers. Terse words were thrown into the room to inspire wakening. Finally, he rose with bitterness. Fruit in hand for breakfast, the younger children quickly gathered their growing school materials and left to greet the gray day, the first genuine hint of fall’s arrival singing in the breeze. The benefactor sat in the transport vehicle, observing the elder male peeking out of the bathroom blinds, as she impatiently waited for him to finish coiffing his hair. She signaled a warning to remind him to hustle. He finally, reluctantly, left the home, leaving the door wide open. When asked to return to close it, his eyes became throwing swords tossed at the benefactor. He remained in silent, bitter stupor for the few hours.
 
In the evening, the benefactor elected to take the younger children to a music festival. On the way, she asked the children to postulate who they knew that might be ‘with child’. After naming two women over the age of 50, they then listed the elder female and elder male as potential suspects, the last one troubling for obvious reasons, and a clear indication that the youngest female needs additional information on the miracle of reproduction. They were delighted to learn that their aunt, the benefactor’s sibling, was now pregnant.
 
At the concert, the children enjoyed running through the grassy plaza, eating sorbet, and listening to the band play as night slowly fell. Dancing and joy were relished in large quantities. When they finally arrived home, it was bedtime, and they were ushered to their rooms right away. The older children lounged downstairs, like sleeping snails. The benefactor reminded them that a pair of socks needed to be picked up, the same pair that had been living at the bottom of the staircase, looking forlorn and forgotten for a week. Both grunted an acknowledgement that they heard the comment, yet neither tweaked a muscle to stand, which forced the benefactor to repeat the statement. With exaggerated eye rolling, the elder male finally discovered his legs and moved to collect them from the floor.
 
The youngest female asked to read a book and presented two to the benefactor, and a selection by Dr. Seuss was chosen. As the benefactor began reading, the youngest female initiated a full emotional meltdown as it was not the book she wanted to read. When asked why she presented it as an option, all she could moan was, “I don’t know”. Finally, she calmed herself enough to enjoy the tale of a one, two, a red, and a blue fish. At last, tucked in and snuggled, the youngest children drifted off to sleep, the benefactor hoping to follow suit.

The benefactor was unyielding in her demand that the children hike into the village center for its annual Indian Art Festivities. Only the eldest male was permitted to forgo the event due to extreme illness.  The youngest female, barely four blocks in, began requesting the group stop and sit on a bench, heavily whining when they would not stop. The youngest male, on the other hand, seemed determined to walk at the pace of a rabid dog, refusing to wait for the rest of the party. He also kept collecting live leafs from trees, which brought him an ear beating from both the benefactor and the eldest female on climate change.
 
After a forty-minute trek, the plaza was reached. Stretching for what appeared to be miles in all directions, white booths and throngs of people flooded the narrow, brick streets. Immediately, the youth demanded to be taken to the sweets shop in exchange for the effort made in getting there. There, they agonized over penny candy and lollipops, finally making their difficult decisions on what hyper-inducing sweets they would purchase.
 
Next on the agenda was seeking out the booth with roasted corn, a yearly tradition. After finally finding it on a side street, the benefactor and children waited for what felt like eons, primarily because some of the sugar had been ingested and standing still seemed like an impossibility. Finally, they relished the smoky corn with butter and chile, the benefactor’s favorite part of the event.
 
They then sought out the frybread station, which proved more challenging, until the youngest male observed smoke in the air at the end of another side street, where booths of food purveyors lined the sidewalks promising the sweet, deep fried pastry. After another wait of epic proportions, they finally took their heavenly, plate sized breads to a quiet corner to enjoy them, where the youngest male promptly knocked his and the elder female’s frybread into a plant. Luckily it was quickly retrieved and little damage done, the five second rule put into fast effect.
 
After examining the skill on display at various booths, it was time to head home. On the return, a deep-seated discussion about racism and geography pitted the elder female and youngest male. It eventually deteriorated into a conversation between two people talking at each other and ignoring the aspect of listening, with the elder female then walking at an extreme pace to be away from the rest of the pack.
 
Arriving home, the younger children were forced to go to the market with the benefactor to gather provisions for the week. As soon as they arrived in the store, they grabbed a basket on wheels and took off with a healthy stride to the sample counter, where they lingered a bit too long, taking one too many paper cups of hummus and cucumber. The benefactor deduced this by the side eye given to the them from the market worker who had to cut said cucumbers. Finally back on track, they gathered their items and processed to the money line to pay for their goods. The younger male unexpectedly and eagerly jumped up on the counter to sit, knocking over an entire bag full to the brim with packed groceries, scattering heirloom tomatoes everywhere. The benefactor could only sigh.
 
Home, the benefactor unpacked the goods and prepared a light meal, while the children readied themselves for their educational endeavors awaiting the next day. After eating and partaking in the media box for a short bit, the children were ushered upstairs to bed.
 
At three in the morning, the youngest female snuck into the benefactor’s sleep space, needing to know if she had prepared a specific letter for her teacher. The benefactor sleepily assured her she had, and the youngest female informed her she never planned on sleeping alone before plunking herself into the benefactor’s bed.

Daylight seeped through the windows quickly and fiercely. The benefactor, despite getting more than her usual 6 hours of shut eye, felt groggy from being awakened at 0400 by the younger male, who entered her room to rouse her and pronounce his throat was sore, then left and returned to sleep, leaving the benefactor to unsuccessfully resettle.
 
The children were not entirely enthused to be returning to their educational stomping ground, and dragged their feet to dress. Both pronounced they did not wish to eat, but the benefactor insisted on some form of nourishment. They became excited when they saw prepared waffle warmed in a mechanical heat machine in the icebox. After heating them, and embellishing with butter, the waffles were handed off, where the youngest female promptly complained because a.) there was a flavor of blueberry, clearly etched on the box, which she is now capable of reading and b.) there was butter, which she admonished did not mingle with the flavor of the blueberries. The male child, with as much solidarity as he could muster, merely shrugged and ate in silence as the female threw darts with her eyes during every bite.
 
Finally, afternoon meals gathered, rucksacks collected, and materials readied, the benefactor and children ventured to their school. Walking them in, she asked for an obligatory snapshot to commemorate their advancements into first and fifth grade. Bulking, they finally posed and granted the benefactor her meager wish. Inside, the male immediately wandered off to his classroom, while the benefactor walked the female to hers. Inside, the first to arrive, she settled at her desk, a bundle of anxiety and excitement. She blew the benefactor a kiss and promptly booted her. Wishing to say one more goodbye, the benefactor made her way to the class of the male child, who sat scribbling his name in cursive for his desk tag. He gave a reluctant, backwards half hug and then shooed her away.
 
The benefactor left the building feeling the immense tug and pull of rearing progeny: the excitement of watching them unfold, yet knowing they must age and mature to do so. A wave of nostalgia and pride wove its way across her chest and enveloped her heart, holding it tight.
 
Later in the evening, as the benefactor was engaged in educating future parents, the elder male reached out to inquire when her task would be complete. After several exchanges, the benefactor discovered that the elder male, for the second time this week, had managed to lock himself out of their abode. Unable to leave, he was forced to call a local companion and have her transport him to her home until the benefactor finished and could swoop him up. The benefactor was less than thrilled to have to go out of her way after a grueling day of drudgery, but also felt gratitude that he had a place of safety to which he could turn.

The homestead has become completely overrun with the touches of youth: singular socks, supplies for education, and random electrical cords belonging to advanced devices. A ceramic tooth cleaning container, the second of its kind, was broken yet again by the elder male, the shards left intact and preserved for another to find and remove. It is inwardly driving the benefactor to a slow insanity, but joy at their presence prevents full incapacity.
 
The youngest children were afforded extra time in the morning, so they spent it watching the alien doctor fighting an alien robot, which kept them quiet and satisfied. Walking around as if in a trance, the elder children slowly gathered their belongings and lunch pails to meander to school, leaving a trail of bread crumbs and various objects in their wake.
 
The benefactor took the youngest children with her as she prepared to enlist them in activities of physical movement.  Sitting in line for an hour felt like twenty years, as there were three young girls in front of the benefactor, blasting the world’s most annoying moving picture song on repeat from their talking device. It felt like proper torture, and the younger children, unburdened of having to sit in line, smartly disappeared to play in another room.
 
After registration, the benefactor and children made their way to her employment, where they argued and whined for over an hour straight as the benefactor attempted to accomplish something outside of correcting behavior over and over and over and over and over and over. The youngest female then engaged her brother in a contest of physical wills over a futuristic toy sword, ending in broken disaster and crying. It finally reached a pinnacle when the benefactor forced them to settle themselves and take a nap, where they curled up together and finally fell into sweet, silent, if short, repose.
 
In the afternoon, the benefactor and children ventured to meet their school marms for the new educational season beginning tomorrow. Supplies were handed in, and desks were chosen. Behavior was kept in check by the dangling promise of freely distributed cookies on departure.
Returning once again to the benefactor’s employment for a forum, the children slowly began to lose their composure. At one point, sobbing erupted while arguing over who was the boss of who, the answer to which, of course, is NO ONE.
 
At the end of the day, baths completed, vittles procured for lunch, and the evening repast served, the children were tucked in with delicate care before whisked away to sleep, and the benefactor’s sanity restored.

Morning came harsh and swift from the moment it was time to rise. The youngest children were challenging to rise, hanging their heads in fatigue. The elder children were still nestled in their beds, attempting to postpone the inevitable. With a stroke of grace, the benefactor and youngest children managed to leave the house in a timely manner.
 
A long day forthcoming, the benefactor set up the children with the talking, portable, picture player, indulging their requests for various forms of animation and story. This settled the wee ones until roughly noon, when lunch time pains racked their bodies and increased their whining ratio greatly. After being fed, the children settled back into their zombie like state, merely breaking the quiet to argue over matters that were so inconsequential a gnat wouldn’t care, as they watched a holiday movie despite summer still lingering.
 
After the long work day, the benefactor prepared to pick up the eldest female, who communicated, without asking, that she expected the benefactor to transport a school mate to a train stop. This precipitated an argument after dropping the classmate at her destination, as the eldest female, a non-transporter, did not comprehend the angst of being committed to transport another, as she saw it as, “no big deal.” This vexed the benefactor, who had picked up the elder female to attend an event in Santa Fe proper, and was detoured. The benefactor did take internal, small glee in knowing that one day, whence the elder female began operating a moving vehicle, there would be plenty of opportunity for the benefactor to ask her to drop off various family, which would be, “no big deal.”
 
The benefactor and three children attended a Rally Against Racism, which is sadly required in these dark and dire times. Sitting on the ground, the youngest female sad forlorn, claiming she was famished, despite eating during the entire time they traveled to arrive. The elder female, already on the benefactor’s list of people she would rather not engage, also began complaining, and asked to leave the rally to acquire food, which would take the entire rally time. The benefactor managed to coral them for 40 minutes, before the youngest lay on the ground as if she might perish.
 
The children and benefactor trudged back to the moving vehicle they just left and traveled to a general store to acquire food necessities. As they began collecting their items, the elder male communicated that he had arrived at the homestead without any way to enter, and had been sitting outside for approximately one hour. This forced the benefactor and children to hustle and rush, likely forgetting critical items. Whence they arrived, the elder male sat sitting on a stoop, looking fatigued and embarrassed. When the benefactor reminded him that a spare key had been left with close by companions, his face dropped even more.
 
Finally home, a meal was quickly procured, and the children settled in to watch a moving picture they have seen now approximately 13 times about an infant in higher management, the younger two falling asleep before the end was reached, the canine happy to rest on their warm bodies.
 

This past weekend celebrated the anticipated return of the eldest children. They arrived with their large valises, eager and happy to have returned to the Land of Enchantment. Once back at the dwelling, they immediately do what they do best, and made a concerted effort to cover every inch of available space with their clothes and belongings, created a land mine of vast proportions.
 
The next day, the younger children joined the household and were delighted to see their siblings. Gifts from their travel were exchanged from the eldest children’s’ travels. They caught up on their summer escapades. The youngest regaled with a description of her new media scratchpad, describing how she planned to learn new languages, such as Spanish and English, until she paused with the recognition that she was already quite familiar with the English.  The eldest female offered all jellied candy in the shaped of soda bottles until the benefactor hid them. This greatly increased the excitability factor, until the younger children were enticed to watch the time traveling, alien doctor, as final arrangements were coordinated for their day of adventure.
 
After bags were packed with essentials, and food was gathered from the nearby cooperative, the benefactor and the children traveled south to the Duke city to a local midway. There, the children dived into water play, except for the youngest, who only tentatively placed a hand under the falling water. Unfortunately for her, as she was attempting to climb a rope bridge, a deluge of water came crashing down, and she was unintentionally fully soaked and shocked. The benefactor pulled her to safety as the other children laughed with glee at her poor timing.  After fun in the liquid sunshine, the children and benefactor roamed the large, mechanical, fun machines, riding and laughing. Twas a near perfect day with nary a bicker from the mouth of any babe. Sun-kissed and with joy in their hearts, all returned home to relax and slumber, the heat of the afternoon bringing fast repose.

The morning began with a robust blue sky stealthily shining into the benefactor’s room, waking her from slumber, much as the moon had twice during the middle of the night. The younger children bounced around gaily, as he benefactor slowly eased into the day.
 
As the benefactor prepared morning tea and vittles, the children languished on the porch stoop, appearing to share secrets and conversation. On closer inspection, they were merely debating who should carry their lunch pail. They had gathered two piles of objects to carry along, and the younger male was asked to leave his virgin 734 piece set of molded bricks in the home, which he argued against vehemently, before capitulating and taking it to his room.
 
Again, arriving at the benefactor’s office, the children immediately spread out and took over any corner of untouched space. The younger female demanded to watch moving pictures on the portable, intelligent screen, whilst the younger male began to pull bags of bricks from his backpack, the very same set he was asked to leave behind, but stealthily hid. This temporarily irritated the benefactor, until realizing the focus and attention he was pouring into building produced both quiet and less disagreement.
 
Thankfully, the first half of the day flew by, and a splendid repast was provided. After, the younger male continued to construct his pirate ship, while the younger female engrossed herself in the story of a singing redhead and a bald foster parent.
 
All went well until reaching home, when the younger female accidentally kicked the completed project that took the younger male 5 hours to build, severing it from its base. Many, many tears of frustration were shed, as it was discovered it must be rebuilt from the beginning. The younger female felt great remorse, and apologized with a whole heart, which was eventually accepted. The younger male then asked to watch the alien doctor as a way to settle himself, and the benefactor obliged.
 
During preparation for slumber, the younger female asked if perhaps her life was really just a dream. “What if I am story and it ends?” she questioned. The benefactor replied, “That is why it is important to write your life to be as wonderful as you want it, and to fill it with the things you love most.”

Yesterday we celebrated the nativity of the younger male child, who happily turned the ripe age of 10, while simultaneously going on 65. The benefactor took both younger children to her place of work for the day, where they engaged in their favorite activity: ‘how much can we stress the benefactor before she breaks?’ Fortunately for the youth, the question was never answered, although the answer was much closer than they realized. For instance, the benefactor left the office for two minutes to gather something, and upon her return found the children had decorated a cup entirely with push pins. Their quickness and efficiency rivaled the fastest gunslinger on his best day.
 
Unbeknownst to the benefactor, the children smuggled celebratory pieces of chocolate dessert with their lunches, and hungrily munched on them throughout the day, elevating their sugar levels to new highs previously unrecorded. This resulted in a terrible late-afternoon crash for the younger progeny, although it brought a blissful sixty minutes of successive silence for the benefactor, whose nerves were circling the point of fracture.
 
Finally, after leaving said employment, the children nestled in at home, watching the media box in their bed clothes at 5:00 o’clock in the early evening, simply because they ‘can’. As they immersed themselves in tales of a British alien time traveling through space, the benefactor prepared the youngest male’s dinner request, and they celebrated with a light feast and the opening of gaily wrapped tokens. The evening was finally complete when the youngest female was found to be decorating the inside of her handbag with metallic, adhesive pictures, and they were sent to prepare for slumber. After the full evening tuck in ritual was realized, the benefactor bid them adieu and sweet dreams until morning strikes again.

And then there was one…waffle. The elder male lay immediate claim as soon as he spied it, which was slightly unfair due to his singular presence when the lone breakfast item appeared. Immediately, sensing the betrayal, the youngest female appeared out of thin air, and attempted to demand the breakfast circle. Ferocious bickering erupted, followed by an intense negotiation worthy of United Nations standards. The elder male was granted the baked good, stipulating the youngest female was given full authority to feed the canine.
 
Of course, the youngest female was heavily disappointed when she went to feed the dog and found her food dish still mostly full. This created a mild bout of crying, easily soothed with a physical embrace. She then settled for a hearty bowl of crisp rice, but balked at the nut milk the benefactor offered, eventually capitulating.
 
While the benefactor readied for the morning, she sifted through the children’s self-made lunches. The younger females included blue, spun sugar packaged as a fruit and a bag with three heirloom tomatoes. Clearly this needed to be supplemented.
 
As she added nutrition to their lunch pails, the children snuck off with the spun sugar and ate it for breakfast, as a side dish. They then began to fill imitation firearms with water, and proceeded to squirt them outside. When the benefactor caught them, they claimed they were watering the sunflowers, which continue to grow strong, despite such unorthodox care.
 
Finally, after belongings were gathered, the children chasing themselves to the transportation vehicle, the benefactor herded them unsuccessfully for several minutes until they were finally contained in safety restraints. The benefactor will have a short break of four days without any progeny, and despite the chaos and kerfuffle, will miss their daily presence, as she does the absent elder children daily.

Fall has gently begun to trickle into the air, with cool breezes fluttering through windows at night, and a slight chill as we wake. The younger children were reluctant to rouse in such comfort, but needed to prepare for a special journal they would undertake with their camp leader to visit wild animals in captivity. The benefactor had been misled to believe the trip was to be the day before, necessitating rewashing of uniform shirts and new preparations. Finally, they found the motivation to move and ready themselves. The benefactor prepared them a nutritious beverage of blended banana and yogurt, with a touch of cacoa thrown in for good measure. They youngest female turned her nose up at its contents after sipping, inquiring what kind of chocolate the benefactor had used, then in her very polite, mannered way of telling the benefactor to sod off, refused to drink the rest.
 
Again, the hound was a source of argument, and the two children bickered until reaching a stalemate, at which point the benefactor decided she should just provide the dog its necessities. The dog looked at all of the humans with quiet confusion and embarrassment. While the benefactor was busy, the younger children escaped to the upper floor to discuss something ‘important’, led by the youngest female. They came back somber, which should have been a warning sign for the benefactor.
 
Finally, chores completely and breakfast enjoyed, everyone gathered their belongings to leave. As the benefactor lifted some items from their dining table, she noticed a distinct sweatiness emanating from the cloth. The youngest female took this moment to confess that she had spilled vase water and left it, concerned the benefactor might be upset. For the thousandth time under the sun, the benefactor explained how much more vexed it made her when she was not informed of such incidents. The benefactor then hurried to move books and other essentials, already touched by the dampness, mumbling they should thankful they lived in the desert, as it should facilitate everything drying by the time of their return. She then cuddled the youngest female, truly remorseful for the unpredictable disturbance, before departing for their daily routine.
 

Monday began with its usual feverish rush to wake and exit the abode in a timely manner. As usual, bickering ensued before leaving, with the youngest female deeply offended that the younger male child was asked to procure vittles for the dog, who cared less about who offered nourishment than actually feeling nourished. An agreement was reached when one undertook hydrating the animal, and the other provided sustenance.
 
In the evening, the benefactor and youngest children took the canine for a short jaunt. Again, squabbling erupted after the youngest female was granted permission to manage the hound. It was decided she would complete the first leg of the journey, and the younger male the second half. This brought a momentary peace, with some bitter resentment thrown in for good measure.
 
The rest of the night ran smoothly, until the youngest male decided to test the effect of dropping a glass on a thinly carpeted tile floor. When asked by the benefactor why he felt the urge to do this, his explanation only alluded to an ‘experiment’. The benefactor was vexed, considering the day before, this theory was fully investigated when the youngest male knocked a delicate frame from its place on the wall, and discovered how far the shards travel on ceramic. He claimed an ‘accident’ despite its lofty position, one only perfectly reached by launching from the staircase toward the wall. Needless to say, this experiment has fully concluded and without need for repetition.