10 on a Thursday

1) 

I got my hair done and like always, wonder why I waited 6 months to make an appointment. I haven't had bangs in 3, almost 4 years. Feels good to have them back. Yay for change. Now that my hair is done I almost feel like I should go put on some makeup and cuter clothes. Almost. 

2) 

There is a mouse in my kitchen. He is small and has light brown patches, is not afraid of us at all, and looks like a house pet. Except he is not a pet. He is disgusting and I'm wearing shoes everywhere, bleaching my floors, carrying the baby (because crawling baby on mouse-touched floors = ew.) and setting a million traps. Excuse me while I burn down my house and throw everything away. Gross. 

Update: got him! 4am was an exciting hour in the Willardson kitchen! Be gone, pest!  

3) 

Aaron turned 40 yesterday! (More on that later). He is traveling with several coworkers in Virginia this week and didn't even tell them it's his birthday. He said, "oh I hate the attention, Meg." 

I love birthday attention. I want a huge party for my 40th with everyone I love having a fun time together, but true to Aaron's selfless fashion, he told no one, and requested zero presents (we still got him some), and no party. Instead, he bought the new Star Wars movie for the kids and told them "happy birthday to your dad! Here's a present!" I am so lucky to be lived by him. 

4) I got hit with a 6 hour stomach bug or food poisoning or something yesterday morning during preschool. It was awful and embarrassing and I had to text the parents to come pick up their kids early because I couldn't even leave the bathroom. My neighbors brought the kids home from school for me and Reese and Quincy babysat after school while I lived on my bathroom floor for hours. Whyyyyy why when Aaron is out of town?  I had even made arrangements for someone to come stay at the house with the boys and baby after bedtime so I could go with the girls to their mother daughter activity days event and maybe even slip in to hear 15 minutes of the Loveland's youth fireside. The girls were disappointed when I had to cancel and keep them home. This is one time when it stinks to not live in a subdivision right near the church, or I might have sent them in a carpool with peers. Probably better that I kept them home, though, just in case anyone else was getting sick. (Update: No one else got it! Lucky me!) I never used to get this kind of garbage and it's happened twice in 3 months. Yuck yuck.  Glad it was fast, whatever it was. I feel great today. What a blessing! 

5) 

 Spring is here. Hallelujah. Bring on simple, grilled meals, and warm afternoons on the porch swing. We made it, you guys. 

6) 

What is it about tulips that make any space so much prettier? I need to buckle down in that happy space and do my taxes. But but sunshine...porch.... 

7) I have a new church calling. Young Women personal progress. Super stoked to be with the youth again. I really love those girls. It will be a pleasure to serve them.

8) 

Because the romper is just too cute.

9) 

A slingshot in his pants, whistle in his mouth, pajamas and a fireman hat. Being 3 is a good life. 

10) I need to find a way to clone myself to be in 2 places at once.  Working on it! 

I had so much more time when Reese and Quincy were the ages Soren and Sloane are. I'm still trying to accept that the days of 2 or 3 hour naptime in the middle of the day to work on projects are long gone. Kids go to sleep, other kids come home 30 minutes later. Homework and piano lessons and soccer practice and then we are on to the next thing. I truly cherish moments I can just rock Sloane in the sunshine and watch the children play. Soren and Corbin are covered in scabs from taking spills off of bikes and scooters and I've been playing mother nurse to many road rashes and head bonks lately. Soren has a fat "goose egg" hematoma right in the middle of his forehead that I iced with him on my lap a couple nights ago.  I'm busier than ever before, but so grateful to live in a part of the country where family time is still valued. I want more quiet hours to do everything that needs to be done, but I sure love my sidekicks.