Time to become accountable...

It's Monday again, and I can't believe what's happened today. Or rather what hasn't happened today. I think I opted for the "lazy" day today. I've been thrown off the schedule this last week due to parent teacher conferences at school. And then with General Conference (which takes place 2 times a year, where we get to listen to the leaders of our church give us talks that are spiritual, uplifting, and help us to do better) I am coming off from a pretty lazy weekend. And it's Monday, and I just haven't gotten back in the groove yet.

But, I'm coming out on Tuesday morning armed with a major to-do list that consists of the following:

• Clean the kitchen. PERIOD.
• Fold all laundry and put it away.
• Clean up the living room, and place all furniture in it's place.
• Make salsa to use up my tomatoes followed by bottling them.
• Make strawberry/blueberry jam or jams depends on what I decide to do.
• Bottle the peaches for food storage.
• But before I do all this I need to take the girls to school.
• Drop Thomas off at his preschool class.
• Watch the girls perform a cheer or two at the school's volleyball game. (Take Pictures for the yearbook)
• Send out email to the yearbook committee and set up a meeting.
• Practice the piano. (since my nephew asked me to play for his baptism on Nov. 7th and I'm not very good)
• Sometime I need to go shopping for some jeans without holes in them for myself. (I don't want to go through another winter wearing the same ones I did last year with holes)
• I need to workout for at least 90 minutes. (35 - 45 of which is to be aerobic, and then do strength training as well) Time to get back in shape before the holidays.
• Try to figure out which scrapbook pages I want to get done this week. (I have a lot I can do)
• Put dinner in the crock pot before I get too busy, so I don't forget to have dinner ready after we come back from the volleyball game.
• At 7pm I need to head over to my friend Elizabeth's house for our recipe exchange night. Which reminds me, I need to gather at least 1 if not more kid friendly recipes to share.

And of course, I have two children still at home that demand a lot of attention too. So what do I do? Ignore, half ignore, pay attention to them, or just have them help (which could be disastrous). Plus there's lunch in there that half the time I forget about, because I just get busy doing things and before I know it, I have to go pick up my girls, and it's nearly dinner time.

Pro's and Con's of summer and school

I can hardly believe that summer is over!! Well almost, tonight we have Meet the Teacher night at school and then school starts on the 19th, that's less than a week now. So here's my list of things that I love about summer....

• I get to sleep in!! This is probably my favorite part.
• No scrounging for all the school clothes and having to wash them every few days.
• No doing of the daily homework, although they are constantly reading during the summer. The whole school thing during summer kind of died out back in June when my sister in law came to visit and we'd rather spend time with her instead of doing school.
• And I can continue to read a book if I was reading when 3:00 came around instead of going to pick up the girls.
• I don't always get dressed into daytime clothes right away... sitting around in PJ's is really quite comfy some days.
• I have my children home ALL day, and the older ones help entertain the boys.
• We've ventured into letting the older two girls "babysit" the younger ones, so I haven't had to take them visiting teaching with me this summer.
• I've enjoyed all the visiting with friends, and family.
• Although we haven't taken any "Cross country vacations" this year, I still enjoy the few times we've ventured out and scoped out new places to frequent next spring and summer.
• And bedtime's have definitely been more lax during the summer... but

ALL THIS IS ABOUT TO CHANGE!!!!


and here is my list of why I like school starting again:

• The kids get to be with lots of other kids, and have some kid time.
• They have constant "activity" stuff all day. And I'm not hearing them say "I'm bored"
• They wear uniform to school, so there isn't a lot of complicated choice or contemplation involved in picking out their clothes for school. It's made rather simple.
• I enjoy them coming home and sharing with me things that they learned. Because, honestly I have forgotten a lot of things since I was in school and it's a great reminder or sometimes something I'm learning for the first time.
• They have more structure at home when school is in session. And the husband is more likely to "enforce" the bedtime, because normally in the summer he doesn't even think about bedtime. (this is definitely precious time to me)
• I have more of a routine when they are in school. And I get to leave the house daily.
• I find myself actually getting dressed first thing in the morning, so when someone wants to stop by "unannounced" I'm dressed, and not shuffling to the room to put some real clothes on instead of just being in PJ's. (by the way I welcome company.... come on over..)
  

BUT

This is why I don't like school ...

• I have to wake up before I'm ready to. I'm not really a morning person, so it's hard for me. And especially when the little 2 year old doesn't want to sleep in his bed, and it takes forever for him to fall asleep at night.... this makes for a very long night, and one extremely tired mommy in the morning. And trying to awake my children to get ready for school. I'm like the one doing all the work.
• I'm washing their school clothes like ever 2 days, because they don't have enough to last for an entire week so I only have to do that laundry once a week. And with this is the need for using socks on a daily basis once again. (you don't understand how easily socks get lost in this house... I swear their really is a sock monster that takes and eats socks)
• I have not only one child to help with homework... which is fine to help, but when you have three that you have to check everything on and sign ALL pieces of homework, it really gets hard to spread yourself between the three while trying to take care of your other household duties that take place in those 'after school' hours. Plus you have two other non-school age children that need attention too.
• We don't get to have a life in the evenings when school is in session. Because we always have homework to do, AND because the kids have to get to bed by 8pm.
• I don't like all the nitpicking of the uniforms, like the belt wearing, shirts tucked in, and the certain types of shoes. And like with slips, or robes, ---- uniforms seem to be only available during this time of the year in the stores around here. (This is another post)
• All the volunteer hours that have to be put in. (I'm heading up the yearbook this year, and really am wondering if it's too late to back out ;P)
• And there always seems to be a lack of communication between teachers and parents... mostly to do with the parent trying to contact the teacher, and not having success in reaching them.

So I think that about says it all. Is there anything I forgot....?

I've been really CRANKY and/or TIRED lately. So I've tried to figure out the reason why:

• Baby boy doesn't like to sleep at night.


• Baby boy likes to throw fits left and right.


• Baby boy is full of "ENERGY" ( I feel for Shantil now!)


• School is back in session and the girls have to be there by 8:15am


• School is back in session and the girls come home so that they can do their homework, which I have to make sure they do.


• School is in session and that requires me to make sure that their READING is done every evening.


• After being home for just a few short minutes it is then time to "get dinner started" if I haven't had a chance before then to do it. So that it will be ready in time for Chris coming home from work at 5pm.


• After dinner - I like to try and wash up the dishes but for the last week and half, I haven't been able to get to the dishes (LIKE AT ALL!!) I only wash the dish I need to use if it's dirty. Actually on Sunday at the begining of the week I did have all the dishes washed, but it was short lived due to BABY BOY!!


• Baby boy doesn't like to sleep, we took down the crib so I can't just leave him in his room and know that he will stay, so it takes major cuddling, rocking, back rubbing, or if I'm completely desperate and have $$ to "WASTE" I'll put him in the car and take him on a car ride to "KNOCK" him out. ( IT WORKED THE LAST TWO NIGHTS!! -- WHO CARES IF GAS IS $$$$$ -- I NEED SOME SANITY!) Of course, I don't resort to it until the last thing and by then it is already 10pm agghhh.


• The laundry is piled up because I can't keep up with it, or I go on a marathon washing day and then I have to do a marathon folding it and putting it away but because of BABY BOY I don't get too much done while he's awake. EVER!! I try but get interrupted at every turn. So I do take advantage of the few minutes I might get in a day for the top priority things like get a shower/take a bath, get dressed, eat. I fit the rest in as I can.


• I've had a "hoarse" voice for over 7 weeks now, which I need to be taking some RX for but haven't gotten the medication for it because it too costs $$ I don't want to spend. OR better yet don't have it to spend.
• I've also been having some major "cramping" that feel really close to the cyst pain I experienced back in February and I don't know whether to go in or not. Because there isn't much they really can do about them. I just know it doesn't feel very good.
• I have so many things on my agenda and I don't really get any of them accomplished. Because I'M SO TIRED.

So maybe now that I've worked this out a little and both of my boys are asleep on the livingroom floor and I have to pick up my girls from school in a little over an hour and half, maybe now I can go fold some of this MOUNTAIN of LAUNDRY that HAUNTS me WHILE I SLEEP. So after going down this list I'm not sure I can really say WHAT is causing me to feel this way. But I do feel slightly more energetic (NOT A LOT, JUST SLIGHTLY) after typing this. As my husband says, " I'll do it, but I'm doing it grudgingly!" at least for the moment while I'm bitter and in a FOUL mood. Really I'm not going to HURT anyone, I'm just going to get really annoyed if they push my buttons, and yes, I have buttons and my HUSBAND knows every WRONG one to push.

What did you do today?

Do you ever get that question asked of you when your husband comes home? Well my husband didn't ask this of me but if he had he would have had a mouthful coming right at him, I didn't even put everything on here.

Okay so today .....

1. Rotate the tires. check
2. Buy a tripod. check
3. Get the oil changed. check
4. Get all the kids hair cut, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK (And I might add that the haircuts all look WAY CUTE!!! )
5. Find the last bag to use for clothes on the trip. check
6. Wash more laundry ..... C......H.......E......
7. Make dinner --- Check
8. Get kids to bed ----- oh yeah, I should be doing that anytime now.
9. Pack First Aid Kit. Check
10. Make reservations for our stay in Indiana. CHECK (took a lot of calling and checking but found something where we can all stay in the same room -- who cares if the kids will have to sleep on the floor.)
11. Finish packing the clothes for Heidi, Thomas, & Ethan. And make sure Katherine and Kaylee have all their stuff packed.
12. Take a breather and eat some ice cream after the kids go to bed.... oh wait -- I finished that off the other night maybe I'll be running to get some more when Chris is home from his class. Hopefully the kids will be in bed by then.


So as you can see -- I've been really busy today and I managed to get all this done while tending to the cuts and scrapes, and the fighting, and phone calls, and trying to make food, and cleaning out the laundry room shelf. I just always seem bombarded with kids while I'm really trying to get projects done. Somedays it just doesn't seem very FAIR!!! Yes, I know, not many things are but hey --- once in a while is that really too much to ask for??

I really am ready to get out of Utah !! A nice change of scenery will do me GOOD!!! Make me come home all refreshed and feeling like I can tackle a birthday a week later (Heidi will be 6!) and then school will start on August 20th!!! Then I'll get crazy busy with the school happenings again. I need this break away from my everyday happenings, even though I'll still be the MOM and have to do my motherly duties. aagghhh!! Someday I can take a vacation and not have little ones to totally tote around and change diapers on. I mean come on... I need to be patient he's growing up so FAST!! He's already almost 16 months old!!!!

What if it's UGLY??

Just last night Kaylee was asking Chris if he had his "stuff" ready for work. Chris being confused by the question asked her what she meant by "stuff". She came back with " Your clothes, do you know what you are using for work?"

Chris said that he just takes his shower and then pulls something out of the closet. She said, " But what if it's an UGLY shirt?!" He said, " well that's the good thing when you are an adult you don't really care if it's ugly or not you just care wather it has stains or not."

So I thought : That sure is the truth !!! Now that I'm a mom, there are things that have changed since becoming one.

I used to always want to wear "white shirts and even white shorts or pants" now that I have kids all my white things usually have "stains" on them. So they rarely get worn anymore.

I used to care about how much time I spent on my hair and now that I rarely have time to do anything "Fabulous" I brush it out and throw it back into a ponytail.

I used to have a clean house when it was just Chris and I and our few things. Now that I have kids ( 5 to be EXACT!!) My house is rarely clean!! Sad thing to admit but -- it's true!! And I try to have it "picked up" but when illness and sickness have plagued me or my kids even less gets done. One day though .....

I used to be more involved with "weight-lifting" and working out!! I used to play sports all the time and now that I have kids I still get to play once a week with the women in the stake. Although I haven't been able to for the last 3 weeks or so. It sure feels good when I get to.

I used to enjoy cooking!! But now that I have kids --picky ones most of the time, the foods that I once enjoyed to make rarely get made anymore. Sometimes I feel like I'm a short order cook. But we've tried to put an end to that by saying that if you don't like what "MOM" made then you can find something to make yourself, but you clean up your own mess.

I used to have some "SPARE" time where I could scrapbook, reading, playing games, visiting with friends/family, baking and even occasionally time to actually organize parts of my home. Not anymore!!! I do have time to wonder when I'm going to get the next load of laundry folded and when will I have time to make dinner. When I'm using the bathroom I try to read then. And I try and scrapbook even though I love it -- I don't make enough time for it. Hopefully that will change real soon.

I used to go see movies at the dollar theater when I didn't have kids, now even that doesn't happen very often. We're lucky if we rent a "NEW" movie to enjoy once in a while.

I used to only do laundry 1 day a week and only have on average 3 loads of clothes, and then 4 when I washed the "bedding". Now I have about that many loads of clothes to do a DAY!!! It's insane !! I want to tell my kids that they can't wear clothes anymore and that were going to get rid of everything that we have so our "clutter" becomes "uncluttered" -- but really is that a reality?? Probably Not!!

I used to stay on top of "Everything" I have to do: dishes, laundry, cleaning the various rooms, making the bed, making meals, working out, reading scriptures, saying prayers. But now -- I always have the desire but for one reason or another they don't always get done.

I've come to the conclusion that my life was more simple before I had kids and I really didn't have "ugly" clothes to wear, but now the ugly clothes aren't so bad because they are the only things that don't seem to be "stained" because I always tried not to wear them before.

But I wouldn't trade anything I have now for things that I was enjoyed on a daily basis. I know that my children will not always be this young and they won't always prevent me from going to the store but for now I get to go with kids that are whining, begging, running, screaming, hiding and 2 minutes after we leave the bathroom the last one hollers that they have to go so I have to go clear to the other side of the building back to the bathroom, kids hollering for "POPCORN CHICKEN" or "a COOKIE" -- or the "CAN I ... Can I ..... Can I..... I want this .... I want that..... I wish I wish I wish..... my favorite of all being the I don't feel good and and I'm tired and then the baby projectile vomits across the store, and then he's leaking out of his diaper and I forgot an extra outfit and don't have wipes and already used the last diaper earlier in the trip. These days will soon be behind me and I'm afraid that I just might miss this time in their lives because it really makes me FRUSTRATED, but that I also know that they depend on me for EVERYTHING!! I know that they love me and genuinely want to "please" me when I'm at home.

I love my kids, and really try to see something good out of each situation they decide to throw at me everyday. These days of I used to.... will once again become a reality they just are hibernating for now while the children are busy learning and asking lots of questions.

It's amazing how one little comment can provoke such crazy feelings and thoughts.

My 100th POST!!!

So I've made a first big milestone in keeping track of events in my life that I want to remember!! I can hardly believe that this is number 100 !!! So Happy 100th to me!! A big weekend coming up, and time is winding down fast!!! My sister in law is getting married on Saturday!! WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR THEM!!! Of course, this means that we get to help with the reception and things like that so starting tomorrow afternoon and evening we'll be focused on that crazy event.

But I want to let all know that I am feeling much better!!! Thank you to everyone for your prayers and thoughts and the kind words and deeds expressed to me and my family this last week. It has meant the world to us!!! My energy level is still sluggish but time will help restore that!!

Things I like or want :

** eating ice cream after the kids have been tucked into bed.
** getting the kids to bed on time.
** being creative with my stamps and papers
** developing my talent for sewing
** A clean house -- which mine is far from right now.
** Spending time with Chris doing family history research
** Going on a date to get time alone with my husband
** Getting reacquainted with old friends
** Brownies, Pizza and Ice Cream OH MY!!
** A Piano to develop that talent more too!!

I'm Thankful for .......

I thought that it would be fun to do a blog where I went through the Alphabet to name something that I'm thankful for in honor of Thanksgiving coming up. So here it goes

I'm Thankful for :

A- Autumn ( The season I can finally pull out my sweatshirts which I love to wear, and I love seeing all the colors that autumn time has to offer)

B- Babies ( They are the most sweet, innocent human beings and they love everybody, and they don't judge)

C - CHRIS -- He's my best friend, my lover, my everything I know he'll always be there for me and that he'll always love me and that definatley makes me grateful for him.

D - Dad and Mom -- because without them, I'd not be who I am today -- heck I might not exist.
E - Ears and Ethan --- I love to hear the birds sing in the mornings or whenever during the day, my ears allow me to hear those beautiful sounds. And Ethan --- well he's my baby!! Do I need to say more??

F - Flowers -- I love the bright colors and fragrances, and they help bring a bit of heaven to earth.

G- Gardens -- Because I love the harvest of a season full of hard work and waiting. The "fruits" that are harvested are just mouth-watering.

H - Heidi -- She's so vibrant, and lively -- full of energy and she's my baby girl even though she's 5!!

I - Intelligence -- The ones with which I've been blessed with, not to mention the intelligent children that I have also.

J - JUICE -- what a great alternative to water. Especially when it's fresh squeezed !!

K - Kaylee & Katherine -- Kaylee is my first born and amazes me more and more everyday - from seeing her as a little baby, then a toddler now she's nearly a tween!! Katherine -- my second born child is such a great helper and she's gifted in many ways.

L - LOVE If we didn't have any love, there would only be Hate!! And we already have too much of that in the world. I love my family very much!!

M - Miracles -- Theydon't happen often but when they do, I know that it is because of my faith in Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father that they happen in my life.

N - Night time -- yes, because that is when all the little people go off to the land of NOD, so that I might enjoy a few minutes of peace before I go to sleep myself.

O - Orange Juice -- It's my favorite juice!! I love Oranges also, and I just don't know what would happen if these two things didn't exist.

P - Plumbing -- yes a very much needed modern invention!! I used those "fairy castles" at girls camp and well frankly they STINK!! So I like the convenience of flushing a toilet and having water at the turn of a knob.

Q - Quiet Time -- those moments that I get wheter in the temple, during naptime, or just when I don't hear the noises of the day and can relax in quietness.

R - Ricks College and the Randolph Family -- Where I met my husband and then eventually his family, who are good examples to me of how a family can be.

S - Spring!! Because you know that new life is about to start all around you. The flowers start to bloom, it's almost time to plant the gardens, the grass is turning green again. I can go around without a big huge coat on. It also usually means time for outside walks again without the worry of freezing to death.

T - Toilet Paper -- Whatever did the Pioneers ever do??? There again it's one of the convenience items.

U - Umbrellas -- what a great invention!! They have multiple uses. Keep you dry from rain or snow, and block the sun and shade you.

V - Very Special Friends -- Everyone needs someone they can talk to about almost anything, someone who doesn't judge them, but will let them know how things should be, but love them anyway.

W - WATER !! Come on and think about it -- you use water to clean with, shower in, you need water to flush the toilet. Besides the uses for cleaning, I love a nice drink of Water, keeps one hydrated. You can also swim in water -- I love to swim !

X - x-rays -- crazy I know --- but they've been so great in diagnosing various medical conditions.

Y - You !! Whoever you are reading this, I'm thankful for you!! Because you've taken a few minutes from your day to read what I have to say. Thank you.

Z - Zoo! I love being able to go to the zoo and see a lot of the wild animals that have been created and see the excitement on my childrens faces.


So there you have the list of things I'm thankful for -- of course this isn't all but it's a start. So what are you most grateful for this time of the year?