greatgrandpa and E playing chess

abba and bubba finished first in our family

culinary knight

R and Abba went on a bike ride this morning, then they went to pick up our turkey trot tee-shirts for tomorrows big race.  The rest of us headed out to do some shopping.  E got bored and started playing with the kitchen tools.  He became a warrior :)

We also went to the book store,  heavenly, and out to lunch.  Very fun.

the road to Ohio

We made it,
what should have been a nice days drive turned out to be more of an ordeal.  On Monday we took the suburban to be checked out.  R had a list of things he wanted to be checked.  At the end of the day we got it back with an oil change.  We spent the day packing and cleaning and then the evening at a very fun pie party at the Marshes. 
Tuesday morning we woke up early and got everything in the car by 8.  We were on time.  The car didn't start.  We did get it going, then headed back over to Mr Tire, with a packed car and all the kids.  They fixed it, although we got to enjoy 3 hours in their lobby to do it.  I did walk over to Food Lion for a few things we "needed" for the trip, in the rain.  Our start was not  promising.
The rest of the trip was okay. The kids did well.  It rained the whole time, and the visibility was poor so we added a lot of travel time. 
We had a pleasant dinner stop at Cracker Barrel and pulled in the driveway a little after 10.  14 hours, should have been 9. 

strangely tired...and worst night sleep ever.

We've been busy, staying up late, doing things, working.  Yesterday I had  to get up early for ward council  and the children fell asleep during sacrament meeting, well Hannah did and Ethan almost did.  Lu was too busy sticking candy cane stickers on her face.  Tired was catching up with us.

After church Maggie and Daniel came over, Miss  H went to the McCombs.  I fixed lunch then sat down on the couch and fell asleep.  When I went to sleep the four kids were playing beyblades...when I woke up 3 hours later they were playing hide and seek.  Somehow they survived my negligent care.  I am not normally a napper and was very surprised.  In the meantime R had gone upstairs and also took a long nap. 

Around 4 he left to go visit his friend Clint, who recently got out of the hospital and I went to meet with KT about her personal progress and to trade kids back.  We got home and made dinner (chicken taco salad) put Lu to bed (she was playing at Maggie's house until 10 the night before while R and I went to see Breaking Dawn and was grouchy) and then Pete and Joey came over to HT us.  When they left we cleaned up the kitchen and put in HP7 to watch.  R went upstairs to bed around 8.  Very very unusual.  Before 9 we turned it off and went up as well.  I turned off all the lights and neither H nor E switched them back on to read...very very unusual.  We were all in bed by 9 ready to sleep.

I fell asleep pretty quickly but had the most interrupted sleep.  I kept waking up.  I kept having strange dreams.  At one point I dreamt that I wanted to take the kids to DisneyWorld and was trying to convince R and he was saying no it's too expensive.  Then he suggested we go camping in Orlando instead, that would be just as fun (he doesn't do camping) and I agreed (what?? clearly not the same thing), once we got there our friends the Harts were there and said they had 2 extra tickets so R said "great, I will take Lu" and I was so  mad and thought that was so unfair...he doesn't even like Disney!  Then in real life he moved toward or touched me or something and I went flying out of bed.  Landed on Millie and hit my eye on the metal frame, cutting it.  Strange.  I have not fallen out of bed since forever. 
I continued to sleep fitfully and was happy when my alarm went off (never happens). 

So I feel rested...but what a weird night.

tournaments

 We had a soccer weekend.  Friday night Big played in a charity soccer tournament dubbed "Claire's Cup".  A little girl in our community is battling leukemia and she is a soccer player from a soccer family.  E went with him  ostensibly to watch, however he and the other sons all spent the three hours playing soccer in empty fields, getting muddy and running in the woods. 
The girls and I went to the ward service project so we didn't get to watch but I heard everything went well.

 Saturday was the Kohl's Cup.  Our team split into 3 teams of 4 to play against each other and the other teams in short field, fast paced, jungle ball style soccer.  E's team won 5 games and ended up the champions in their age bracket.  E himself scored 5 goals.  The boys had a "best day of my life" kind of great time.  E came home as dirty as I have ever seen him, and sporting a new trophy for his collection.

The weather really was lovely and we all had a nice day.

Breaking Dawn

Yesterday I got called in to work, I wasn't going to go because I  wanted to clean the house and get everything done for the busy weekend ahead...but then I did.  5th grade.  It was a good day.  When I got home we went to piano lessons and home to try and do all the chores that were being neglected. 

Then I met up with Johnna, Paige, Cristianna, Lexi, Robin, Michelle, Sarah, Carolee, Heather, Liz, Debbie and Dari, Christian, Christian and Alex for some midnight movie fun. We had a great time waiting in the theater for 2 hours, eating popcorn, laughing. 

Then the main event:  Edward.  Even though the movie is so cheesy, with a rated B horror movie style birth scene, silly talking wolves and vampires I love it.  I loved the wedding, so beautiful.  I love Edward's tender care, unconditional love and total acceptance of Bella.  I loved their honeymoon get away and really the whole thing.  So next week I will go back with R and see it again. 

We got home at 3:30 and I was in bed by 4ish.  But couldn't sleep for awhile.  At 5:45 my alarm went off.  groan, yawn.  I had intended to go back to bed and after I got everyone out the door I went back to bed but only slept an hour, I felt like I was wasting time so I got up, went shopping, did some clean up, and now I am making 100 cupcakes for tonight's ward service project.