What can happen when mom sleeps at night?

A successful day

Yesterday was such a success, very productive. With the exception of telling the boys we won't go to the park today, everyone was generally happy all day. Thanks to my darling hubby for letting me sleep.

I completed a homework assignment with 95% correct. I was able to practice the piano and convince the boys to practice. I vacuumed two rooms, gave all six kids haircuts, harvested the cherries and thinned the peach tree. We went to the park for lunch. I found the kids that were chasing the seagulls, then disciplined them intensely. I had story time with the kids, made dinner then had pizza instead (it didn't quite turn out the right way. I am so glad there is a $5 pizza place on the way home from work. Thanks Steve! You are my hero again.)

I also made it to my teaching class at church and visited a few minutes with friends there. I was uplifted and inspired. I squeezed in a good hour phone call with my dear friend, exercised for a while, found bugs and worms, and got soaked in the rain with the kids… It was a great day!

Anything can happen with a good night's rest. You know you are loved when your husband says, "When Dallas gets up tonight send him to me. If Lily gets up send her to me too. You sleep tonight." Thank you Steve! You are the greatest!

Today the sun is shining. The only day the sun shines for a week is the one day we are not going to the park (part of that intense discipline yesterday) This morning I hear nothing but loud angry voices. "I am not going to get dressed! We aren't going to the park today so I am not going to do anything you want! There's no reason for me to get dressed! I want to go to the park!" and so on. Does it matter that I want to go somewhere else? Come on! The sun is shining today! I guess I will mow the lawn.

Cookies with Grandpa!

My brother is getting married this Saturday! That's actually tomorrow. Grandpa Howard is here from Ohio and he's staying with us for a few days. Yesterday, he made cookies with the kids while I mowed the lawn. Stephen was at school and Dallas was outside finding bugs. He must not have noticed the call for cookies.

Grandpa was a little more lenient with the kids than I would have been. That's one reason why grandparents are more fun than parents. I came back in the house just as they were getting the cookies in the oven. He was offering the kids a taste. "Go ahead, eat it. Clean the bowl." Unfortunately for Brenden, he fell asleep and took a once in a lifetime NAP!

Lily had been sampling and helping from the beginning. Raw eggs, sugar, a bite of the butter cube... She didn't take the offer to taste the completed dough. She got some water to pour into the bowl. Evan was too busy at the sink washing the dishes. Meanwhile, Marek was trying to taste it. He got a bit that was soggy and said, "Eeww! Yuck! This is disgusting!"

Don't worry though, all the cookies were eaten!

Then we went to the Great Salt Lake to collect some sand as a souvenir. It was great till the bugs started eating us. We ran away in a hurry!

A day off!

This is what I woke up to find in my bed. I guess I was tired enough not to notice the boys getting there. This is a great start to the weekend! Steve has the day off work today too. After Dallas gets home from school we will go camping. My friend invited us to go with them. She laughed and said, "That's the same look that Steve gave me when I asked him! There will be lots of adults there and we miss you! Let's do something." So we agreed, for one night not the whole weekend. We will test it out to see how the kids do, and how well we can handle the idea ourselves.

So I am finally forced to empty some of my camera, as the memory is full. You know I am not very good at this posting pictures thing. They are a bit jumbled, and I couldn't get everything here that I wanted to. I don't have all day for this! So here they are. Good luck figuring out who is who. We have been experimenting with Lily's hair-dos, playing soccer (both boys, not a once a week commitment!), piano recital, weeding our yard (Some of it), the older boys went to a car race, we "rescued" a butterfly, and just been plain silly. Some of the pictures are missing/doubled. sorry. Now I am off to our next adventure, Camping!

Oh no! Don't spill it!

This must be a brag about Lily month because the last post just happened to spotlight her too. Oh well. She is my girl after all!

She will be the flower girl for my brother Bryce's wedding in a few weeks. We took her to the rehearsal - so cute!- then we went to a dinner. The restaurant was on a street with construction going on. They were actually doing the work, not just the equipment sitting there. While we were waiting for the rest of the party to arrive we watched some of their work. What can I say, she has brothers right? So that being said I was surprised to hear her telling the dump truck, "NO! Oh no! It's dumping out! He's spilling it!" Heaven forbid someone other than Lily could make a mess.

Spring is here

My injury to the finger is healing well and I can type now, but time doesn't permit for all my thoughts to be here. School is nearly over for the year. Like most things lately, it came suddenly for me. I have nearly missed all the holidays this year until Stephen insists we decorate for whatever it is next. With spring here he is taking up catching butterflies, along with the bugs. Marek is afraid of flies - deathly afraid of flies, and Lily is afraid of ants.

We did some weeding and planting in the yard yesterday and we found a worm. Lily was so pleased with HER worm, "It's cute! It's cute? It's so cute! Look! Mine worm! Mine worm! Look, it's cute? It's so cute!" Then she went over to Daddy and pulled his arm. "Yes, Lily. I saw your worm."

"It's cute! Dare he is. I found it." Then Lily carried it over to Daddy in a shovel to be sure he saw it. When he still lacked enthusiasm, she picked it up with her fingers and shoved it close to his eyes. "It's cute? Mine worm!" Then she ran over to show her brothers. They were moderately interested but not as excited as she wanted them to be. About 3 minutes later I hollered, "Boys! Look at Lily. She is trying to show you her worm." Of course they had seen it but she was too excited about it to stop shouting.

The boys were devising a race course for the curl up (potato?) bugs. Using extra pipes from an old Christmas gift they were getting ready to study them as scientists to see who was faster. Lily's worm joined the races. She had to tell her worm (long dead by now) good night, night night worm! After she was into her bed she wanted to get out and check on it. "Mine worm! He's so cute! Night night worm!"

warning!

They should have a warning label on potatoes: "Slippery when wet! Use caution!"

I shredded a piece of my finger yesterday. It looks worse than it is. I got out of making dinner last night, dishes are not for me, and Darling hubby made enough waffles last night that there were some for breakfast this morning! He told me not to make a habit of this. I got a great large red bandage on the appropriate finger (middle tall one) a tetanus shot, and a two hour break from the house while I waited in the doctors place. (wish I thought to take a book with me) I will have my finger's bandage checked on Saturday and I think we will all live through this, but my typing is suffering. I will post pictures soon. I have several from Lily's dress, the new beds for the kids, making our own lotions that seem to be doing great for Dallas' super sensitive skin, and there's more to be said about gravity and how many times must we test the theory that when we pour salt/cereal/water/etc... it will really cover the ground/table/etc.... and how many times will we be able to get away with responding, "Um, I forgot." when a parent reminds us we know not to do that?

Sick, sick, sick!

We have been so sick here this last while. Dallas is finally feeling better, but the rest of us (not me thank goodness!) have had or still have the sickness. Lily had it the worst, but Dallas had it the longest. Hubby got it the other day, missed two days of work for it. UGH! I was enjoying the loves and no yelling for the first few days, but after a week I am ready to get some more work done! We are still recovering. Stephen has been a big helper. He did not get sick until a few days ago. He helped take care of the other kids while Steve was at work. I will post more about that later. I would rather talk about Stephen.

One day he walked out of class with a girl whose mom tends for me on the days I volunteer at the school. She offered to drive him home and he didn't want to until he asked his mom. He walked himself home that day, but after getting permission to go with them he has walked out of class with her often. Then they stopped at the park on the way home to play (the other mom called me to ask if it was okay first) and yesterday, she whispered to me that her daughter might want to marry Stephen. They are so cute! I can't believe he is getting old enough for crushes! He hasn't said anything about her other than they are friends. I am so glad he has friends! The mom says that everyone at school likes Stephen.

Well, that's all I have time for today. Hopefully we will be getting the beds for the kids this weekend along with our shipments of plants for the garden (Strawberries, blueberries, grapes, apple trees, and a peach tree to go along with our other peach tree and the cherry tree we already have. I had better get learning how to bottle things!) In a few weeks we will be shopping for tomatoes and other such things to be determined later.

Happy Easter!