Our tumultuous life with a seven year old

So I was going through a pile on my kitchen counter this morning (more on the piles in my kitchen another day) and I ran across this note from my 7 year old. She wrote this on the last day of school before Christmas because we were punishing her for some reason that I'm sure she deserved. So much for the fear of coal and no presents from Santa for inducing good behavior! Anyway - Evie was sent to her room, and a little while later I found this note on my bathroom counter. I find it funny on so many levels - there's the anger that comes through for us 'bossing' her around, and then there's the love - 'but here's a Christmas present...I love you'. And then the closure - she really obviously wanted to write hate. I remember writing notes to my parents and sneaking them to them when I was little and I'm pretty sure I was apologetic in them. I have other notes from Evie that run in the same vein.

I think one of the hardest things about having 6 people in your house is all the different personalities and individual agendas that go along with it. Very rarely does everyone want to do the same thing together so that we can all have a good time. There's always an element of ying and yang going on with Evie and William; when one is pleasant and cooperative, the other one is angry or miserable somehow. I'm hoping the holidays next year are a little more relaxed, but I'm not counting on it. It's probably going to be more like Mr. Toad's wild ride. Should make for some good stories.