Write it Down, so It's not Forgotten

A day I wanted remembered.

Everyone had a really nice day, except.....I made my kindergartener cry.

It was Friday and the girls were buying hot lunch(pizza day) and so no need to pack lunches.  Only I forgot that they would still need their morning snack.  Gracie came home in a huff.  "Mom, I had to sit at my desk alone while everyone else got to eat their snack!" she hollered at me.  I could see little tears starting to form and I imagine there were a lot more tears earlier that day during snack time.  I felt really bad, but not bad enough to take all the blame.  I made her a deal(deals are mine and Gracie's thing), if she reminded me about her snacks on Fridays, I would remember to pack them.

Ellie had a friend invite her horseback riding.  She still loves those horses.  Maybe, just maybe, we can let her do a little riding this year.  She will have to earn half the money for the weekly lessons and that would mean working at least three hours a week at the warehouse cleaning or filing.  I think she is up for it.

Emma was annoyed that Ellie had somewhere to go after school and she did not, but I made her favorite meal(baked mac and cheese) for dinner and her favorite babysitter came over that evening.

Cayden cried like a banshie when Adam and I were trying to leave for our date.  He kept yelling, "I hate Jessica(our really, really nice babysitter)!"  Which is ridiculous, he loves her, and has told us so many times.  He just doesn't like to see Adam leave without him.  It breaks his poot little heart.

Adam and I had a really nice date.  We hadn't narrowed down any plans before leaving.  I had a meal to drop off for a gal in my church that needed it and then we had rough idea about dinner and maybe a movie.  But I think we are kinda over "going to the movies".  All that money to sit and stare at a screen when really we should be spending out time talking, informing each other about our thoughts and worries and just general news. There is not a lot of time for that in our busy lives.  But after dropping off my meal, Adam got a call about a family in need and it was off to the grocery store for us daters for some neccesities for them.  He serves as the bishop of our congregation and one of his main responsbilities is to look after the welfare of those in his charge.

*More on how service in done in our chruch here in this link. 

So we flirted in the grocery isles, snuck in a kiss in the parking lot after checkout and headed over to deliver our goods to the family.  After a short visit we were ready for dinner.  The closest place was the Waterbury mall, but after getting out of the truck we just weren't feeling the vibe of the place-especially since Adam couldn't get his toolboxes to lock and the base music of the parking lot was making the earth quake.  We jumped back in an headed to our little hometome, stopped at the warehouse-cause we always have to stop and the warehouse for something- and dropped into the "Tavern" to have a great meal.  I am never driving to eat out again, the food was that good.  We had to wait a bit for a table, but we used that time to stroll down main street just talking about how much we have grown to love this town.  We've spent nine happy years here and plan on spending quite a few more.

Our Doggie Days

I don't know where to start with this post.  

It's not my usual "my life is so fun" post.

This about a mistake I made.

I let "my emotions/my wants/my do what everybody else is doing" get the best of me.

I have a few theories to why I wanted to get my kids a dog. Some are deep and others are shallow.

1.  They have been asking for years and they are getting better at arguing.

2.  I have two little boys and dogs are a boys best friend and my boys need some rough and tumble friends.

3.  I see "busy" families(with two working parents) managing their dogs and I don't like feeling that my kids are missing out just because our family is larger than most.

4.  Since buying the company earlier this year, I have felt the need to create our permanent life here.  To  secure our traditions and fulfill some dreams.  No more putting stuff off.  A dog was always in the "plans" but it was supposed to be in the next house.  And since our "next house" got pushed down the list a bit to after "paying off our business" I figured a dog could fit in this house just as well as any other.

5.  When your baby is almost two years old, some women start feeling the need for another baby.  I wasn't going to let that happen to me again and hoped a puppy would push those potential "I want a newborn" feelings away.

Anyhow, with all these things going on in my mind I somehow convinced Adam that we should do it.  He was against it, firmly, but he listened to my wants and the kids' and made us jot all the consequences and the initial expenses(adoption fee, crate and food, and fence) up on our blackboard.  He showed the girls how their entire summer earnings would be spent on the dog and tried to convince them with other enticing purchases that they could make.  When he saw that they coudl not be swayed he agreed.

And the next day, the girls and I picked out Penny at an adoption event.

Can I tell you what an angel this little dog was?

I had no idea dogs could be this good.

Right away she was loving and playful and patient.

But the poor girl was still a doggie, and she was a lot of work.  Work I am OK with.  I have 5 kids, I can clean up after living creatures-no problem.  The real hang up for me was, that while people warn you that adding a dog is like adding a family member, these specific types of family members have a whole new set of demands.

You can't take them everywhere with you like a kids, but you can't leave them home alone for too long either.  You always have to hold onto them when you do take them out, and its best to take them for a walk at least once a day.

They are potty trained but it happens outside, rain, shine, or snow.  This concept was really causing me anxiety as I knew our kids were not going to be at all helpful with this when it was too cold outside.

And don't forget the dog sitting we would need on our vacations!

I was feeling completely trapped as I imagined how our life was now chained to this (cute)four legged creature.  How could I have sacrificed so much of my freedom(since 5 kids leaves me almost no freedom already)?

On the second school day afternoon after a very long day, when I was corraling the homework and piano and keeping the baby from escaping the backyard and chopping up dinner ingredients, I found little Penny in the basement with the smitherings of a nerf football and I had my second official panic attack(the first was when we found out we were pregnant with #2 a bit too early after #1), tears and all. With a quick call to the shelter we had an appointment to take her back the next evening.

Thankfully my kids took it so well. We had been talking about how much work she was and how worried it was making Mom.  Emma summed it up the best that night at bedtime, "Mom, dogs are a lot more work than they are cute and cuddly."

We hope the very best for our Penny, the kids still talk about her with love.  Adam was a bit dissapointed in our flaky-ness especially since he had really started to like her.  But overall, I am grateful for the experience.  We all learned a great lesson that will stick with us.

A Sisters Weekend

It all happened kinda of suddenly.

It may have started with a bit of Mom feeling overwhelmed after a long Coverstar summer that hadn't ended yet and the never ending needs of her adorable children getting to her.  There was also a bit of homesickness in there too.  With three new babies in the family(all within the last three months) and her littlest sister playing her last year of volleyball, she was feeling a bit left out.

So she booked a trip to see them.

And she is so glad she did.

And so is her husband.  She came back a lot more cheery.

Thank you Adam for seeing that I needed to go and making it happen.  He got the girls out to school each morning and then drug that lovely 2 year-old we have around to his jobs sites during the day.  He made it home in time to get the girls off the bus and did the whole homework/dinner routine.  And he did splendidly during the weekend too with a trip to a corn maze and everybody dressed for church.

I really do love him.

It was officially a sisters weekend.  All the sisters and sister-in-laws were able to make it to my mom's house.  None of us could get away from all of our kids but we still did pretty well.  I took Cayden as my traveling companion.  He had been asking for months to ride an airplane to Papa's house and since all the other kids had had special trips to AZ(Ellie and Emma this summer and Seth and Gracie a year ago for my brother's graduation) it was his turn. He turned out to be a great little traveler and I really enjoyed our time together. 

First stop: Antelope vs Phoenix Christian

(Shanna is number 8 as the middle hitter)

I loved watching her.

It brought back so many memories.

I used to play that same team in that same gym.

They were a tough team back then too.

(My old camera hates to photograph in gyms)

Now for a girls get away you might be expecting lots of spa pictures or manicures or shopping, but surprise; this basement room of my mom's house is actually where we spent a lot of our time together.  This is my mom's craft room.  It is amazing.  She has anything your little crafty heart could desire.  Even my smallish crafty heart found some projects to do.  I commandeered her sewing machine and serger to sew Ellie and Emma some skirts and a super hero cape for Seth.  Lisa hemmed some shorts, made some cute little doll blankets, and glued up some hair bows.  

Then Mom got out her vinyl cutter and we never let that thing rest.  Everybody got a few iron-on Super Hero insignia's to place on capes and Halloween costumes. Christine made some cute monograms for above her kids' beds and a larger quote about big and little brothers for the boys room.  She had some Christmas ideas too that she worked on.  I was instructed by Ellie to get Grandma to cut her and her friends all the stickers they would need for their Halloween costumes- they are going as American Girls in the doll boxes.

You could tell it was pretty neat to my mom to have all her girls together doing things.  Things that she enjoyed too.  She is so happy to share her talents.

Even with babies napping or being fed by their mommas there were still a few children wandering around that needed looking after.

Here is how Uncle Eric watches children.

Coming from a time zone so far away is a bit of an adjustment(always waking up so early), but at least we got to see Shanna and Mom doing early morning seminary and then take her to catch her bus.

That there is the only "convenience" store within 30 miles.  Little Shan is about to hop on a bus for a 60mile ride to high school.  Shocking huh.  

And there was plenty of wrestling around even without the wrestling brothers here;)

I tried to get Cayden to hop on with me, but he's developed a bit of a fear for those loud noisy things.

And NOW for the babies.

Those handsome men I was just dying to see.

Mark named after his two grandpas is just as chill as could be.  He's a chubster and a happy one.

Dallin, the cutest little screamer ever.

He is a tough one, but if you hold him just right he'll be good for you.

And little Landon, the smallest of the bunch, but he's got the most hair.  He still loves to sleep alot.

Holly and Amy were feeling a bit left out.

(my poor little flash was pooping out on me)

And some Sunday looking cute pics.

Thanks mom and sisters for the weekend.

Sign me up for next year.