Avoiding Incriminating the Guilty at All Costs

When will I learn that you don't hit enter when you finish composing the title? Granted, I'm only less that two weeks and four entries in!
This week has been the craziest and busiest in memory. Being the YW president and momming 7 kids is more time-consuming than I am usually willing to admit. Although, if you reference my profile, they are the most beautiful and brilliant (yet not always the most obedient or productive). Heidi asked a date to Winter Formal the same day Tucker answered his date, Ben has wrestling and football and jr. high honor choir, Lily has tumbling and gymnastics, plus maneuvering to 3 different piano lessons and assisting with homework (even Micah, and he's only 4). A (our darling and mostly easy foster son) has visitation with his mom once a week, and you can depend on Hyrum to be throwing A) a ball, B) a stick, or C) a tantrum at any given moment. But, I wouldn't trade this time for anything. I'm already beginning to lament Heidi graduating and leaving in May (she's applying to the BYU schools this weekend), and then I know Tucker's not far behind. I just wish I could recognize and enjoy these little moments more readily.
Speaking of little moments, yesterday was a doozy "little moment." Micah's friends John and Brayden were here playing in the back yard while I was doing the dishes (a glamour moment not to be missed). I was on the phone with my best buddy Karen, when Brad came in and asked if the boys were supposed to be in the irrigation mud. I wrapped up my call only slightly faster than I otherwise would, and then I headed outside. I don't think I have ever seen muddier people in real life (maybe on a Survivor challenge, but that's for a chance at a million bucks!). I wish I'd had the presence of mind to take pictures, but I still am such a novice that posting them would be unlikely without Brad's help, and even then I'd probably forget. The irony of the situation was that Micah and my "twins" (Hy and A) were completely clean. The friends had just decided to throw caution to the wind (which preschool boys are able to do in a way impossible for the rest of humankind). I must have mellowed in this mothering role, because the whole thing didn't even really bug me. I made them strip down to their Lightning McQueens and hosed them off then and there. Now, for those of you not living in AZ, who incorrectly assume it's always a balmy 95 degrees here, it wasn't yesterday, and even then, the hose temp is not equivalent to a sparkling AZ pool. The boys were quite patient with the cleaning process, even when I sprayed around their faces. Then, they proceeded into the house to change into some of Micah's clothes. This made the situation even funnier, because, although he and Micah are the same age, John is a head taller than my boy. Seeing him in Micah's sweats-turned-capri-leggings was quite a sight. It will be one of those things we'll talk about when the boys go on missions, sans a picture to complete the story. Alas.
Currently, I am struggling with the decision whether or not to buy a new suburban. Having two teenage drivers has shortened the life of my car. I better leave it at that, so as not to incriminate the guilty without their consent. My dilemma now is whether to sink $5K into a truck with 130,000 miles, which is only worth about $5K anyway, or do we buy new. It's such a scary time right now, and . . . I've done some legwork on a new one, and the wild thing is that a new '08 is about $6K LESS than my 2002 when it was new! My question is . . . are we missing an unbeatable opportunity--opinion of the housemom/wife who currently drives a hideous, bumperless, side-swiped, taped-up headlight (I KID YOU NOT! there I go incriminating the guilty), or will there always be another suburban, another deal, a better financial time--opinion of the breadwinning husband who currently drives an albeit 7-year-old car, but it IS an unblemished TT for heaven's sake? What to do, what to do. The age-old question.
Otherwise, all is good. Brad had an epiphany this week that is inappropriate to post (again, incriminating the guilty!), but it validated me a little. I was in charge of Evening of Excellence this week, and I learned some slightly painful life lessons about leading others. Maybe for another post, maybe just too embarrassing for the 4 of you who read this to know about me! We all have to grow sooner or later. Guess it's my turn.