Two negatives make one positive

I have so much going on with work right now. I'm taking a class to increase my math certification, judging cheerleading tryouts, working on the dance team and marching band show for next year, fund raisers, class planning, and, oh yeah, teaching! All of this means that Clark is spending most of the time with the kids and I get home with only an hour and a half to finish dinner, homework, and bed time. Every day I think, "I've just got to get through the end of the week (month, year...)."

Well tonight was cheerleading tryouts and my class, and Clark was home taking care of the kids with what turned out to be an upper respiratory infection. Two negatives. But what came out of all that turned out to be positive. The kids and I went outside to get the mail and bring up the trash can from the street, and ended up spending time playing in the yard to stay out of Clark's way. We played kick ball, frisby, ring-around-the-rosie, tumbled, and soljer-boy'ed until it got too dark to see. We came inside and did the bedtime routine and got everyone in bed. Once I had time to sit down and think, I realized that it has been a long time since I spent any time with the kids doing something completely unproductive, just for the fun of it. They had such a good time and for just a second I felt like a mom Supernanny wouldn't fuss at if she dropped in for a visit. I need more moments that remind me why I'm a mom - moments that turn two negatives into a positive.