Glimpses of Today

This shot taken within 2 seconds of Kate opening her eyes this morning. She sleeps until 6, wakes up, comes in our bed and sleeps for another hour or so. I usually just watch her until this moment.

Ali saying- Don't take my picture! Taken at 7:15 am. By this time, she has already been to her early morning seminary class, and come home for 40 minutes before leaving for high school. Maddie is at high school by 6:45 straight after seminary for 0 period p.e. Brett is handing Ali money, because super nice senior friend Scott Gray is taking Ali and Maddie out to lunch today.

Brett also made his famous waffles and orange julius because it's Friday and the girls went every day to seminary. Kind of an 'I'm proud of you breakfast' from dad.

I realized that I did not talk to another human (who can talk) from 8 this morning until 4p.m. All alone in these trees. On the positive, I exercised, read my scriptures, steamed the floors, went to the store(oh so I did say thanks to the check out guy), cleaned, pushed Kate in the swing, read books. On the negative, well, dang, it is so counter to my nature to have a house where there aren't teens and kids running in and out grabbing a cookie and saying hi all of the time. Not my kids even mind you, everyone else's. I'm used to Misty's kids just showing up because they want to play at Aunt Erin's. I'm used to sitting on my front steps and waving at my neighbors driving by. I realize from my past posts that I am happiest running to stores where I know the people working there, going to school events and hugging every kid I know there and that was pretty much all of them. I am used to going to lunch and playing with my band. I miss that the most right now. No creative outlet for good old mom. It's ok. I know it will come. It probably won't be in the same form, but in some way. I think I need to be more proactive. If people described me, they would probably say I am outgoing, but really, I am rather shy. Must work on that.

Good Husband Moment of the Day: Around 2p.m., I was craving chocolate. I know I know. Listen, for some reason I am skinnier than I have been in a long time. I am exercising every day with the girls. SO, if I go to the store, sometimes (every time) I will sneak a candy bar home and hide it so they won't be tempted, but I can enjoy it. Well, today I was opening the cupboard, closing the cupboard, looking here, looking there, trying to find anything that had chocolate in it. No luck. Then, I had to get some butter for some reason and I found this..

Brett must have seen it half eaten when bringing in the groceries. He didn't hold it up and call me out to the girls. He didn't eat it himself. He just quietly must have put it in a place that only I would find it, which I did.

Things going the D.I.:

1-The doo rag that Spence, Tanner, and DJ bought on the way to Lake Powell so they could wear them while playing cards on the houseboat.

2-The sweater I thought was so nice and bought him for Christmas that he never wore.

3-His "lucky" shorts he bought at the D.I. and insisted on wearing at church basketball games and swimming often. Notice how big the leg openings are. Scary.

4- The shirt we got at the D.I. for Trek. He got to go with both Maddie and Ali and it was an experience they will never forget.

His room is clean, bare, clean.

As I put the last of his things in the big bag, I took Kate to read books. We went into her room and she pulled out a book. We opened it and this is what I saw.

Ouch. (Cue Sunrise Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof. Mentally listen to that during the rest of your reading.)

Young moms, enjoy every single minute of your kids while they are at home. Have scripture study every single day even if it is hard. Do it when they are young so it is a habit ingrained in them. Don't skimp on Family Night, on family meal times and on taking quiet moments to teach your kids the gospel. There comes a time when they are an adult and from then on, your role shifts to a supportive role. You just get to watch and pray and love and counsel and hope and that's only if you can reach them and if they let you. It's still an important role, but a time when you hope what you taught them will carry them through. I'm so grateful to Brett for leading out when our kids were young. We are trying to find out when in the world to do it with this new schedule. We can't really do it before 5:45 in the morning. We are trying to read at 9p.m. and whoever is here is here. It's not the most effective, but we're just hoping the obedience factor will carry us!

Finally, even though I said enjoy every single minute of momhood, make sure you still retain what makes you YOU. Always find a little time each day to do whatever your passion is or you can get lost in the shuffle of it all. If you are happy, everyone's happy. Isn't that true? The wife and mother sets the tone of the home I think. If she is positive and happy, that feeling seeps through the entire family.

Wow. This sounds like an advice column. That's it for today. I have to go cook 3 items off of Si's blog before bed. I am in charge of a Relief Society luncheon tomorrow and I am making 2 salads and dessert. I'm also going to sneak a red vine from these girls who just finished swimming and are now watching Paul Blart Mall Cop for a late night....