weekend wrap up

 Saturday, not such a sweet day as we had hoped.  Rob had a fishing trip planned, a standing by the water and casting trip planned.  The rest of us stayed home for family cleaning hour, which turned into family cleaning blitz accompanied by family cleaning weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and things didn't get very clean at the end of the day.  It was a long long morning.  Finally around 2 Lucy went to a birthday party for Madison at the club house, Ethan went downstairs to  play with his friend the x-box, and Hannah and I went grocery shopping.  By 4pm we were all happier and went to the Martines' for Jeffrey's birthday party.  It was fun.  I made these cute groundhog day cupcakes (which I forgot to take a picture of but Darlaina did so I borrowed hers).  Jeffrey had lots of friends over and we had lots of fun celebrating with him!

Sunday we went to church, then we went to Jeffrey's baptism.  He asked me to give the talk on the Holy Ghost, which I was happy to do.  After treats and visiting R and E went to watch the superbowl and the girls and I went home.  Lu went right to bed.  She was tired, and then in the middle of the night she came to me with a fever and sore throat :(

So this morning I am not working, Lu is watching netflicks on TV and feeling kind of miserable and I am going to clean.  I spend a lot of time cleaning...

where's the sun?

Friday is  like a big sigh of relief.  No 5:45 wake up tomorrow.  No endless hours with the little cuties at school who require a lot of patience.  No walking the dogs in the dark.  Of course this weekend will be too busy.  Like every weekend.  It's okay.  I love the busy.  Tonight though I am loving the quiet. 

 Deo and Penny are playing together this weekend at their first cousin play date.  How cute are they??!

 

Today was the good citizen assembly.  Lu was awarded the good citizenship award for her class this month.  It was also Raven's day.  Our school all dressed in purple and had lots of purple decorations.  This weekend the Ravens are playing in the superbowl.  Now, I actually don't care, and won't watch the game, but it's still fun to root for the home team, and some of the staff and kids are super into it, which is fun too.

Ethan played soccer tonight.  They brought their A game.  It was very exciting.  Watching these boys play is more exciting than a pro game. They are so into it. And they are really good. 

Randomly, Adam Braverman, of Parenthood, yes a TV show, is the best husband ever.  I <3 him.  Of course it's probably pretty easy to be a good TV husband.  No laundry or anything to step over, no kids to disagree about, no bills to pay...you know all that.  The other morning I was talking with a couple of the teachers before school, one of them had just got back from a long weekend trip with her girl friends to Vegas and her husband watched their boys.  So she was grateful but the house was a disaster when she came home, and she was tired, (terrible turbulence on the flight home that got her back 8 hours late {which is one reason I don't love to fly...not that that's ever happened to me but you know it could and although by definition any flight that ends with passengers alive on the ground is a good one you know, the misery is yuck!} ) and so she was complaining through her gratitude.  We were all commiserating with her, because apparently all husbands keep the kids alive but the dishes, not so much.  Which can be frustrating.  Then I wondered what do all husbands complain about?

Speaking of complaining, I have a small one.  So working every day just really just cuts into my cleaning, visiting teaching, thinking about exercising or crafting, laying around watching TV time.  So tonight I am watching TV, on the couch, the boys are still at soccer (it's 10pm if you are interested) the girls are sleeping and the house...disaster.  And I don't want to clean it.  Not one little bit.  I thought I'd clean it tonight and have tomorrow for fun but I guess we are cleaning tomorrow.  And by we I mostly mean me. 

It is very cold outside.  It's very very cold.  Tomorrow is groundhog day, will he see his shadow?  One of the teachers is from Punxsutawney PA and every year her mom makes groundhog cookies for everyone.  So I got one today, and it was cute and tasty.  And I hope Phil does not see his shadow tomorrow :)

I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried

Tonight I went to New Beginnings.  It was a bit like groundhogs day since I also went the night before :)  Different ward, different program.  Both were awesome.  R met us on the way up and picked up Lu and brought her home and put her to bed. 

So we got home and R was out on the deck, wearing his underwear and a coat and his crocs, and a headlamp on his head, and he was practicing casting off the deck with his new reel or something.  The funny part was the kids didn't even bat an eye.  I said "where's dad" and they said "on the deck in his underwear" and we all went "Oh".  For the record that's the first time he's been outside practicing fishing or in his underwear but for some reason no one thought that was particularly odd.

Last night after NB we stopped at Old Navy.  I wanted to get some leggings for Lu.  She has an aversion to clothes that are "itchy".  As a result most of her clothes have been deemed unacceptable by her and she looks pretty scrappy on a regular basis.  I thought some leggings might help the situation. Or therapy (for me)...but leggings are cheaper.  Anyway we went in and they were having a sale. Ethan found something he wanted and Hannah, no surprise, found things she wanted, and I, big surprise, found something things I wanted.  So I bought.  Val told me to buy colored pants.  She said they look good on every body and she got some herself.  There was a cute pair on sale for $8.  So I hesitantly bought them.  I even held them up in the check out (the place was empty save us) and said "am I going to hate these once I get them home?"  Hannah and the clerk assured me that I would not.  Ethan said "yes! I hate them already!"
 I bought them but now I have a problem.  It looks like I am wearing an "outfit" when I put them on.  A cute one but still clearly an outfit and so how often can I wear it??  I hate dressing myself.

lastly after work today I have a mammogram, which I don't mind I've had one before but I can't wear perfume or deodorant today.  That will be stressful.

Other news, sea shell number three has been cast as chef, and a sea creature.  The play should be fun :)

unexpected

Sometimes things don't go as expected.  Today was definitely one of those days.  I got to work, as usual, and everything was normal until lunch time when I got called away from my assignment to sub in fourth grade math...all day, all math.  My least favorite assignment.  Oh well.

I started a diet and....then I decided it wasn't the right one for me.  I am going to do something normal like weight watchers.  I didn't really blow it, I just am not trying to lose 72 lbs before the wedding. 

Speaking of the wedding.  It's off.  For now.  I wish I was in Utah with Jenna to take her out for pedis and hug her.  I think she's made the right choice, but I am sad for her, that she had to.  We'll see what happens.  Slowing down and making sure is always good.  My prayers are certainly with Jenna and Clayton today.

but you know what would have been really unexpected?  If I came home and found that the children had done their chores.  That would have been lovely.  Would.have.been.

Beehive Conference

 Today was our Beehive Conference and it went well.  Whew!  We had a fun schedule and I think the girls really enjoyed it.  We started with break the ice speed friending.  The girls were chatting and giggling and really getting to know each other.  Our stake is so big and that makes it really hard for the youth to get to know each other.  Our hope is if they become friends now they can stay friends and help each other and enjoy each other every time they get together.

 Next we had a class on personal progress taught by Sister Warner from the Bowie ward.  After that Sister Gorley taught the girls how to paint and each one made a beautiful picture of the temple to take home.  I loved that!  They did a great great job.

 After painting we ate lunch and then quickly cleaned up so that the girls could dance.  Three of our Laurels came and taught the Beehives a few of the line dances that the youth do at the stake dances.
Lastly I gave a talk about service and scriptures. 
I'm happy it's over, and happy it went well.

On the way home Hannah and I stopped at Charming Charlies, just opened in Waldorf and Ulta. 
While I was gone R and E went fishing and bought an apple TV.  Lu got to spend the day with Summer.  They went to lunch, and Summer's horseback riding lessons, and Lu got a pet fish.  A beta.  It was her birthday present from Summer.

So everyone had a great day. 

Snow Day 2

Lu and Arden playing

 Another snow day! Yay!  We had kids traipsing all over the place.  Friends in and out.  Lots of sledding and playing games and drinking hot chocolate. Lots of snow and salt dragging around.  Life is messy.  Embrace the mess.  Love the mess.  Be grateful for the mess.  I say this to myself and I believe it.  I also need to remind myself that this is what I believe because quiet, calm and clean have their appeal as well. 

Hannah spent a long time helping me get ready for the Beehive Conference tomorrow and I am very appreciative of her help and good cheer.  I am in a particularly busy season with YW stuff and it's so nice when my family helps me.  I could not do it without their help and support. 

Z and I took a long walk. 

Ethan, Abinidi, River and Eden playing Mexican Train

Snow Day

 5:00am the phone rings, it's an announcement from the schools.  They are closed for inclement weather.  Turn off the alarm, settle back in the warm covers, sigh.   Snow yay!!

6:00am a little girl comes in the room and announces it's snowed!!! and can we go outside??  It is 15 minutes past our regular wake up time so we got to sleep in!!

A snow day is fun.  It is beautiful.  A day home from school is welcome especially today since I still have not prepared my presentation for Saturday and have little time and many meetings this week. 
It holds the promise of unexpected fun.  Like a vacation you were not expecting.

So we begin...

{insert snowy fun}

and then,

8:00am  the floors are wet, the kids toes are cold,the dogs are wet,  Bub can't "find his gear", laundry is piling up (and for the record last night all the hampers were completely empty and I was feeling soooo happy about that, there is a stack of wet things by the door and cups of 1/2 drunk hot chocolate on the counter.

Snow...grrrr!

update:  Snow fun was had by all.  We ran some errands.  I get to make decorations for the blue and gold banquet so Hannah and I got those done.  Ethan is off sledding with John.  Hannah is at Alyssa's working on French day Friday and Grace is playing with Keean.  First they started at his house, now they are at ours.  They've been sledding.
It's been a good day.