My Election Day Minute By Minute (well not really)

7:14 a.m. Girls come bouncing in my room to wake me up because they are dying to get to the polling station and vote. Not really. They bounced in my room, announced they had to pee and wanted to snuggle and watch cartoons.

8:30 I tell them to stay in bed and watch one more cartoon so I can pick up my bedroom for the house cleaner Little Luz who is coming at noon.

9:00 Cereal. Mike calls and tells me Happy Election Day but not Happy Democrat Day because he's still a Republican even though he voted for Obama and he wants to make sure I know that and this election isn't starting some crazy trend of us being politically united. He tells me to fill out my sample ballot before I go. I ask him what sample ballot? And he yells at me to open the damn mail instead of sticking it in a box because there is important stuff in there like my sample ballot and they probably won't let me vote today unless I find it. I tell him I'll take my chances.

10:00 I sing Santa Claus is coming to town multiple times for the girls because Jessica isn't behaving at all today and I want to maximize as many days as possible of using Santa as leverage to get her to do what I tell her to do.

11:00 Jessica goes to time out for like the forth time this morning. I chalk it up to her practicing civil disobedience and her right to be heard on election day. But my house is not a democracy so this behavior is not going to fly thus the clocking time in time out.

12:00 We leave before Little Luz gets to our house. We stop at Jimboys and get a Quesadilla for a snack for the girls even though we are having Mexican tonight. I pick up my vacuum cleaner at my Mom and Dads.

12:30 I drop off the girls at preschool and they discover their teacher is sick and they have a sub. Jessica is very unhappy about this because she LOVES like in hero/idol worships her teacher. I do not care. I sign them in and hit the road.

12:32 I debate about possibly not voting because I need to get my nails filled.

12:40 I arrive at the polling place and it is uncrowded and I have to wait for like 5 minutes. I take this as a sign that I am being blessed for doing my civic duty and think about what color is going to go on my nails while I am in the booth. I get distracted and almost vote for Ralph Nader. Not really.

12:45 I vote for my O'Boyfriend or as my Grandma calls him "BAMIT" because she can never remember his name and I vote Yes on 8 and a few others and I get choked up because I am so moved by the little gymnasium and the volunteers and the Styrofoam cups of coffee and bake sale going on. It's all so Americana and I'm proud to be a part of it.

1:00 I get my nails done and read about 5 chapters of the Gold Coast by Nelson Demille. One of my favorite authors and books of all time. I've read it 2 times but I'm rereading it because the sequel just came out after 20 years. It's the best of Demille's books with the exception of Night Fall or North Country and well, he really knows how to spin a tale. I get a french manicure in case you were wondering.

2:00 I go to the doctors because I get bronchitis every Fall and I got what I thought could be bronchitis this past weekend and I wanted to be proactive rather than get sick all winter like last year plus I wanted to talk to her about my major anxiety levels since the whole scary neighborhood beer bottle busting people in my backyard incident. She told me to get a gun and that she could give me a referral to a good dealer in town where she registers hers. Ummmm....I was looking for some Xanex Doc. Do people really have gun dealers in 2008? I think an alarm and Xanex are still my best bet given 2 three year olds and the fact that I have ANXIETY.

2:45 I run into Ulta and throw more support at our fledgling economy by buying a new eyeliner brush and some Buxom lip gloss.

3:30 Pick up girls from school. Have an in depth conversation with a 7 year old about the advantages/disadvantages about the Leapster 2.

4:00 go to mom and dads. Have snack. Mom packs toiletry bag to come back to my house so we can have a girl party while we get ready for dinner. Not really. I just wanted company and help getting the girls ready.

5:00- 6:00 we all primp, do our hair, make up and get gussied up for our dinner on the town.

6:20 I show up to pick up Grandma Bea for dinner. I bang on her door and ring her door bell and call her on my cell phone and bang on her windows for 10 minutes while I am debating whether or not to call the Fire Department because I am sure she has fallen while trying to get ready for dinner. Her neighbor Nadine who I am sure just watches out the curtain all day nosing into the neighbors business comes running out of her house after I've been knocking for like 2 minutes telling me to bang on the door and demanding to know who I am. "It's Amy Nadine. Isabel's Granddaughter." "who?" "AMY, ISABEL'S GRANDDAUGHTER." "You need to bang harder and call her." "I'M CALLING HER ON MY CELL" "Who are you and what are you doing?" Oh brother. I just keep banging and ringing and calling and starting to worry.

6:34 Gram comes to the door. She had been on the phone with my Aunt who is upset about the election and was simultaneously watching her Spanish Soap Opera and lost track of the time. I tell her I've been out here for a long time and she acts like it's my fault that Nadine called her to tell her "someone" was outside trying to get in her house. ugh.

7:00 We arrive at Ernestos for dinner with my awesome cousin Susan who just married awesome Kevin and who my girls worship and adore because she was the bride/princess and they LOVE her and she is so beautiful. She is also nicer than she is pretty and she's the prettiest person I know in real life. So you can guess how nice she is. My girls run in and tell Susan hi and that they love her. Kisses, hugs all around. I wish my extended family lived closer.

7:30 My carnitas arrive and I remind myself why I love living in California. They cook the pork with oranges and cinnamon and onion.

8:00 John McCain comes on the television at the bar to concede the Presidency. The restaurant got quiet and they turned up the volume so all could hear. It was a great speech. He is a great American and looks so tired. I find myself sad for John McCain even though I am happy about the outcome. The cut to Sarah Palin tearing up and my carnitas almost come up on me.

8:30 Hugs, kisses and good-byes all around and we head home.

8:50 I pick up my previously ordered groceries at our local grocery store that has online shopping and the guy brings all of it out to my van and I don't even have to get out of the car. I am so thankful to be alive and parenting in 2008 and not in 1908 because I do not have to bake bread, churn butter, milk cows or chop wood. Or sew. And they have carnitas in 2008. And a great new Presdient. Life is good.

8:55 I talk to my mother in law about Prop 8 and her election day activities of volunteering at a yes on 8 working station and I am proud for her work and for getting involved in the community.

9:20 Katie's Prayer: "Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for this bedtime. Please bless Daddy on his trip to come home soon. And Heavenly Father, please help me not to cry. And help me not to pout. And Heavenly Father, I am going to tell you why. Because Santa Claus is coming to my town. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen." I silently pray Jessica is listening and am glad for whoever made this whole Santa thing conditional on good behavior.

9:30 I watch Obama's speech on you tube. He's a great speaker you guys. And he's going to be President. Mike calls me to tell me Happy Election Day again and that he's happy about the outcome and he loves me. We laugh about life, the kids and share just a moment of togetherness while the house is quiet and the kids are asleep and I miss him the very most.

10:00 My Dad comes over because I realize I have no Ambien CR and I can't sleep without it since the whole incident. I go to Walgreens and rush back. I love you Dad.

11:00 I talk to Susan to tell her how glad I was to see her, we chat about the election again and Grams and life and I just love Susan and I'm so glad she's my cousin.

12:03 Here I sit, election day is over and I'm going to bed.