Continued....

Monday, March 19, 2012

This morning we woke up late...again. Ever since the time change last week we have struggled to get back into our morning routine. Normally (since September 2011 so we're still trying to make it consistent) we read scriptures at 6:45am. We finished the Book of Mormon in December for the first time as a family. We started probably 2 years previous. This year we are reading the Doctrine & Covenants in preparation for our trip to Nauvoo and Palmyra this summer. Anyway, we woke up late so scriptures had to be moved to a few verses while the kids wolfed down some sugar cereal. I am happy to say that my kids (and me) really miss it when we skip the real scripture study upstairs. It's only 15 minutes or less but it's pretty meaningful to us.

Jeff left for work at 7:30 so he could be on time for his Monday morning staff meeting. Usually he drops off the kids at 7:45 (or 7:58) and then heads to work but Mondays it's on me. So I dropped the kids off at 8:02 ish while I left the two little boys home watching Little Einsteins. I know it's not ideal but sometimes I do it. Then it was back home to wrestle and fight with Mikey and Isaac to get ready for school. School starts for them at 8:30 but you have until 8:45 to drop off. Guess what time we usually drop off? 8:44. For some reason it is always a fight with Isaac. Not because he doesn't love school. He does! It's just always something. He doesn't want to wear the shirt he has on, or he doesn't want to brush his teeth or stop playing or buckle his seat belt or wear his coat. Or he has to bring some random item for show and tell that is at the other end of the house (which is now a little different than our old house). So I dropped the boys off at school and then I get 2 1/2 hours all to myself! I won't lie. I pack those 2 1/2 hours with everything I can think of to get done or enjoy doing ALONE. I went to Good Earth to buy some Ezekial Bread. I've heard that is a "good carb" so I wanted to try some. Then I filled up the car and headed to Draper to meet Jeff for our walk. We try to walk at least once or twice a week if our schedules work out. We usually walk on one of the trails by his office for an hour or so. We try to get in 5 miles. Today we got in 4.25. It was pretty cold but still worth it. It snowed on us for a few minutes but it was kind of romantic. I have to say I LOVE these walks with my husband. We get to talk about the kids, business, ideas, hopes, dreams, church callings, church doctrine, future plans, trips we want to take and even just say how much we love each other. Cheesy, I know, but it is the best hour and a half of my week!

Then it's off to pick up my boys from school. I had been avoiding housework all morning but now I decided I'd better get to work. So I did my duty: folded 7 loads of laundry, cleaned my bedroom and bathroom, wiped down the kitchen, picked up the kids study and random stuff around the house.

Since it was early out Monday it was quickly time to pick up the big kids at 1:25 at school. We picked up a neighbor as well at her school and then dropped Isaac off to play at a friend's house. Then it was time for homework and the kids had to do their chores: clean their bedrooms and bathrooms (just a wipe down of the counters, etc) and put their clothes away. That chore is MUCH easier for the boys. I think my girls had a crammed full basket, Kira had 1 1/2 and Calvin probably had less than half. Maybe he needs to change his clothes more? Kira only has 2 weeks left until she gets to do all of her own laundry! She is so excited! (Oh wait, it's ME who's so excited).

The kids "fiddle-farted" around (as Grandma would say) and it took them way too long to do their stuff but they eventually got it done and got to play with friends. Kira and Kate made cupcakes at their friend's house and Calvin played basketball in the basement with his friend.

I decided to go for "Mother of the Year" and make their favorite dinner: homemade macaroni and cheese. It was a nice bribe to get the kids back in the house at dinnertime. Then I even went the extra mile and made sugar cookies for FHE.

After dinner Calvin helped Jeff do the dishes all by himself. The best part is that he didn't even complain about it or even realize he was the only one until he was drying the last dish. Somehow music makes chores way more fun. So does Jeff.

We did the prophets game I had made for sharing time at FHE tonight. The kids loved it. They had to put a picture of one of the twelve apostles or first presidency on their forehead and then read clues and guess who it was. Isaac guessed President Monson after just one clue. While they took turns, they frosted their easter sugar cookies and made a huge mess. But it was fun.

Then it was off to bed. I was so tired but Jeff and I still stayed up a little too late watching documentaries about Washington DC, the White House and Arlington National Cemetery to get ready for our trip next weekend with Kira & Calvin. At about 10:30pm I had gall stone pain again. I haven't had any pain for over 5 years. In fact I was just talking about it with a lady in the ward who had just had surgery last week saying that I don't have any problems any more. Guess I spoke too soon. I hate that pain. I hope it was an isolated instance. But I didn't sleep well. It went on all night. So did Jeff's snoring. That didn't help with sleeping either. Finally at 5:45am I crawled into bed in Mikey's room where it was dark and quiet. Unfortunately Mikey was already wide awake wanting cereal. I snuggled up with him and he eventually fell back asleep. Which meant I slept in AGAIN! But it was much needed.