Friday Saturday Sunday

Friday:

Everyone is well enough again, so Friday starter with  a make up day for preschool. Fly me to the moon!

I pulled some "standing toys" from storage and this cutie bug loves them. 

Sloane loves baby dolls. She giggles with delight and kisses them and pats them and says, "awwwww" before biting their arms or feet. 

I went to bed, exhausted, at 9:30. I'm an up until midnight girl. Going to bed means less tired the next day, but I also wake up to things like this: 

So it's still kind of depressing! I think I'd rather be sleepy than wake up to grossness. Before you think it, the children and Aaron do help...this is from one meal. Big family = nonstop dishwashing. I loathe doing dishes, but not as much as I loathe getting behind and watching them spread across the countertop and accumulate on every surface on the kitchen. An empty sink is my thing. 

Reese attended Madi Z's 11th birthday party. It was a cupcake decorating party, and she brought home 6 adorable cupcakes to share with very happy siblings. It was a pleasure to catch up with sweet Michelle. 

Saturday: 

I signed up for the Bentonville Half Marathon. Not totally sure what I was thinking, other than, "that will get me running again!" I should be running 3-4 times during the week, plus long runs on Saturday. That isn't happening. And it is ok. I go after bedtime one night a week, and I go earrrrrrrly on Saturday mornings--which are my favorite, except the early part.  

Even going to bed early does not make me a morning person. 

The training group meets in the Downtown Activity Center for a workshop  on all things running (fuel, pace, stretching, aid station etiquette, hills, gear, breathing, etc) then sets out in a huge group of all speeds/abilities on a course marked by volunteers for the long run as the sun rises. I ran 6 miles in 16 degrees on Saturday. It was so cold I had icicles in my eyelashes and the water in my fuel belt was slushy ice when I finished. It was not easy, but I did it and I loved it. I ran 5 miles last night with Kasey, and I think that the first time maybe since Soren was born that I put in 10 miles within the same week, let alone 3 days! Felt great. Pics courtesy of a fellow trainee on the fb group. I'm sitting on the floor, 7th in from the top left, in a Green Bay packers beanie. 

Being with a group is really fun. It is inspiring to hear everyone's stories, encourage one another, and being in a pack gives a "race day" feeling that just makes me move a little faster, so my pace is picking up, too. This Saturday marked the halfway point, and it's literally all up hill from here. February and March will be intense, but worth it on race day! Even though I have done this and much more, before, It was two kids ago. I'm in a different body and have different time commitments in my life. It's been so long since I was a "runner" that the added distance reached each week feels like a brand new victory. It's thrilling. 

Corbin lost his 2nd tooth! I will miss his baby smile. He received a quarter, a dime, and a nickel from the tooth fairy and was quite pleased. He thinks it is cool to have "a bloody hole" in his gums. 

Corbin helped me harvest some fresh spinach and kale for a smoothie on Saturday. 

Aaron took the big kids to see star wars a second time. Soren was supposed to nap, but batted his eyes at me and asked me to please make him some "spreckled" eggs. It was too cute to resist, so spreckled eggs, he had, and then I practiced making an omelette for myself. Are you an omelette master? Teach me your skills! Aaron loves them and I'm trying to learn how to make them, but usually over cook the eggs. I need help. At least It tasted good. 

We had a sitter for a long awaited date night on Saturday and went to...a baptism! We are romantic like that. ;) It really was beautiful and I'm so happy we could attend and support the Hiligrass family as well as enjoy the Spirit's presence there.  We had gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and some incredible Gouda, green onion, and bacon loaded sweet potato fries at Hammontrees after. And Aaron was stalked by a Teredactyl hanging from the ceiling while we dined ;). 

Sunday: 

Sundays are long. I told (bribed) the children that if they could make it through two hours after church without arguing, we would make homemade personal pizzas. They made it (barely! Haha) and pizzas were devoured. 

Here is Pizza Reese, pre baking. In the past, I've always used cornmeal to dust the counter surface and paddle for easy sliding into the stone. Parchment paper is the way to go! No mess, no fuss, and no deformed pizzas.

After dinner, Aaron and I destroyed the kids at hi ho cherry-o. No mercy. 

I worked on pinning down some details for our upcoming relief society retreat. 

Then went to bed early for the third night in a row--who am I???

Weekends, you are so good to us. Stay here a little longer, next time.

My Season

I think Autumn is my season. As the outdoor foliage begins to die, I sort of wake up. Projects take off, I get excited about running again, I cook, I organize, I read books just for fun again, I feel needy and grateful, stressed and relaxed, orderly and unprepared, anxious and acceptance all at the same time. Autumn is my season of awareness. I become totally aware of how every hour is spent. I'm mostly ok the things and people to whom I deliver time. This season is a time for preparedness and I devote more time to my family, my job, my husband, my callings, my friends, my body, my home, and my spirit, and as I do this I often end up needing to reevaluate and find balance between all of them. I almost always feel a like I am neglecting some area to the point of failure and it deives e crazy.  I'm taking a different approach this year. 

My best is all I can do and my best is enough. 

So far, it's working and this season of mine has still been too busy, but as long as I keep my family's needs and my spiritual needs met I have the capacity to do the rest and still love it all. My garage is a mess and that's ok. Corbin needs a haircut and that's ok. I still have a primary program and annual budget to write and 28 more primary workers to do training with and that's ok. Aaron and I managed to make our 2 dates a month goal happen this month and that was awesome. I went to pe with my kid and a baptism on Friday and those were awesome. We got our car fixed and that's awesome. I call my mom nearly every day and that is ok. Things are awesome or at least they are good enough and I am ok with that. 

An update? Here we go: 

My job is awesome. Preschool is the best. The children are great, every week is more fun than the week before and every week I wonder how that is even possible since every week is totally awesome. 

The kids are already growing and learning new things from their experiences here and I love being a part of that. I am teaching them and they are learning from me. I've always loved my job as a hobby, but only recently have I recognized teaching as a spiritual gift. Sometimes when I am working with a child, I actually feel prompted to approach a concept or skill in a certain way and I recognize God's love for that child and my gift to be His instrument in aiding their development. It's an amazing feeling that really has set this year in teaching apart from previous years. 

I visited my old ward's primary program today and it was fun to see so many former and current students perform their parts. Some were hilarious, some were precious, and some read from the pulpit with great confidence and each word felt like a pat on the back, knowing I helped them not only become literate but I also helped one of them learn how to function in and learn in a classroom setting. Something like thus program would've been really difficult for him years ago, and today he managed with total self control. Growth is what it's all about. Today was a chance to see many of "my" kids bloom. Anyway, preschool is going really well and is one of my highlights every week. 

Who doesn't love a pajama party with seven 3-5 year olds? Popcorn, shadow puppets, lullabies, bedtime stories, and dramatic play. Winning. 

So far, we've done a name unit, a summer unit, a house unit, and a bedtime routine unit.  Preschool really deserves its own post, but that's all I've got tonight. 

Onward:

Baby guy had his 1 year checkup and is a whopping 18lbs. My little buddy is in the 5th percentile. I think I will use it as an excuse to nurse him another month or two. Neither of us is ready to quit. He had 6 shots on the big day and is my first baby to have bizarre reactions. Here we are back at the dr to check out his lymph glands in his groin that swelled up like ping pong balls and the rash from head to toe. He was pretty miserable for about 10 days but is finally feeling like himself again. He's such a sweet and happy baby and people stop us all the time to comment on what a happy little lover he is. 

My life is like an upside down repeat of what it was 5 years ago. I have two littles at home, except it is all boy! The days of tea parties in Tinkerbell dresses are replaced with pirate and robot talk, a LOT more noise, broken stuff, and more physical activity. We get outside more. I answer less questions and give less instructions. Days are shorter with these two. Corbin is a very sweet and loving big brother. Soren is a very loved baby. 

Arrrgh! Free donuts on talk like a pirate day to all who come dressed in pirate garb! Surrender the donuts ye scalawags or it'll be Davy Jones' Locker for ye all! ("Ye all" Not to be confused with "y'all"...which us what we say the other 364 days a year) 

Yeah we totally scored! We pillaged Krispy Kreme and were given a bounteous treasure of 5 dozen donuts! 

Wii dance party on a rainy day. Can't beat Quincy's moves or her crazy 80s fountain ponytail on top of get head. These two are the greatest! 

Corbin's best buddy had a build a bear birthday. Corbin named his doggie "Caca". Correct son. That is exactly what doggies do. Duke might've been a more appropriate name, though. 

Soccer is in full swing. Corbin is surprisingly non aggressive and runs away from the ball when it comes near him. He does love to chase the other kids though. Yesterday's game finished minutes before a huge storm rolled through.

Fall decorations are up and Halloween party invites are making their way to Primrose Lane via balloon owl

Lately, I've celebrated the changing season by spending a great deal of time in the kitchen. I busted out a few masterpieces. 

Ok so I didn't actually "make" these, but it should be noted that the hens are no longer molting and are finally laying again after several weeks off. 

Cheddar and Gouda 

On Sundays, Aaron makes waffles with the children. I love this tradition and I love getting waffles in bed by a sticky fingered little boy. 

This one is such a peach these days. Sweet and sensitive and just a lovely treat to have around. I'm so thankful for her kind heart and her help around the house. She is the most obedient child ever and sets a perfect example for her siblings. 

I had a girls night the other night and my friend, Jeddi, did my hair. I came home with a few of Jeddi's sparkly pins in my hair and Aaron said, "Jeddi made you her!" Haha it's true. My hair did look like hers. I might just have a new go-to updo.  I love me a messy bun. 

Can I get an, "amen" and a "hip hip hooray" for the fast approaching end of swimming lessons? I have major regrets for signing up for this session. Our lives are over booked and with soccer and Activity Days on other nights of the week, I find myself craving more afternoons home with the kids playing carelessly in the yard. I like having a schedule, but too much "planned" activity is starting to cut into our imaginative allowance and I don't like when that happens. The absence of swimming lessons will be filled with simple afternoons with me in the kitchen, homework at the table, lengthier and more meaningful dinner conversations and creative dramatic playtime on the island. 

 Reese and Quincy turned their bikes upside down the other day for the first time and as they cranked the little pedal "factory" I reminisced and smiled at the feeling that my kids are getting a good childhood. Mud pies for everyone. Cheers.