October 12, 2014

October 12, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a busy week.  M has been working extra hours so that he can take off a few days next week while I am out of town.   It always seems like a busier week if M is working more...even if I don't do one thing extra.  Monday night we had FHE and talked about conference while eating ice cream.  The kids seemed to like it. 

C loves sitting in random things right now.

Tuesday I had a presidency meeting at my house.  That afternoon I realized that RM had pink eye.  He was pretty uncomfortable.  He even fell asleep in the middle of the study floor.  I think the nap really helped him.  That night B-man had football practice.

RM fell asleep like this while I was distracted.

Wednesday I did some  last minute errands preparing for the Relief Society trip to the temple.  I made dinner for everyone, and realized that there really wasn't quite enough dinner.  M and I had to hold back a little, and thankfully I had a fresh batch of bread, so the kids weren't hungry going to bed.  I left right after dinner and met at the church with the other women going to the temple.  We had a group of fourteen total, which for the time of the day was a decent turn-out.  We took the northern route to the temple and had a beautiful drive.  When we hooked up on the 495 there was no traffic and we made it in plenty of time for our session.  Being back at the temple was fantastic.  I am getting excited that I can go more now that C is getting older.  M reported that things went well while I was gone.  He was sleeping by the time I got back to home.

Thursday RM's pink eye was gone.  I'm so grateful that it went away on its own and that no one else seemed to come down with it.  That morning we had several friends over for the boys to play with.  They had a great time.  That afternoon was crazy.  I forgot that I had signed up to feed four missionaries.  I was rushing to cook dinner so we could eat before a scrimmage for B-man, and the missionaries called to say they would be late.  Great!  That gave me time to figure it out.  M wasn't even home yet.  In the end I took all the kids to B-man's football scrimmage, and M got home just in time to feed the missionaries toasted peanut butter and raspberry rhubarb jam sandwiches.  I'm a little embarrassed.  Some missionaries go to their Bishop's home to be inspired, but when they come here they just get a taste of what their lives will be like in ten years.  I'm not even that worried about it.  They had a pleasant QUIET dinner that filled their bellies.  When we got home, they were just finishing up.  I then finished assembling dinner, got everyone fed, and then up to bed.  That night M took B-man to a court of honor for two young men in our ward.  It seemed like they had a great time, and that M' talk went well.

Friday was a pretty low key quiet day.  We had pizza for dinner and watched a movie afterwards as a family.  The weather was cool and rainy so no volleyball. 

C loves her bath time.

Saturday morning a friend and I went to a community garage sale nearby.  It started early and the first house we went to I got a bunch of great stuff.  I love getting Christmas presents at garage sales!  The weather was rainy, but there were lots to go to, in fact we had to cut it early so that I could get to a baptism.  We both had a great day.  The baptism was wonderful.  Two children were baptized.  One of M' counselors had a son getting baptized, and a friend that lives on our street had a daughter get baptized too.  They were so cute.  I ran B-man home quickly to get to a birthday party and then went back to the church.  Eventually we all made it home.  M needed to get back to the church with all of us so he could meet with a sister.  (By this point everyone had left, and he needed me there in the building too)  At the same time someone was test driving our old van to see if they wanted to buy it.  They were taking forever getting back.  In the end he left, finished meeting with her in the hall, and then came back just as the couple were getting back with the van.  We had a few hours of quiet in the afternoon, and then did an early dinner and rushed to get ready to go to a training meeting for fifteen stakes led by the second counselor in the general Sunday School presidency Brother Duncan.  The house was pretty much a wreck when we left (and when we came home) but the meeting was fantastic!  It was a great meeting, and really effectively communicated what they want the teachers for everyone to be doing.  On the way home we stopped for a quick bite to eat and dessert before getting home.  It was a much needed date night!

C showing off her standing skills at the scrimmage.

Today has been another wild and crazy Sunday.  C was crazy during Sacrament meeting, and really all of church.  But we made it through, and hopefully everyone felt the spirit at some point.  We are at home now, and hope M will be home soon.  RM has really adjusted to life with a cast and is doing almost everything he could before he got hurt.  He is most bothered by the lack of bath time.  He really misses it.  That and not being able to ride a bike.  C has been perfecting her free standing.  She can stand up in the middle of the room for quite a while now.  I even saw her standing on our wood stairs!  Yikes.  That is not encouraged.  J spends almost every dinner practicing his writing.  Whenever I ask what his "word of the day" was he immediately runs to find the supplies to show us.  B-man is loving fifth grade and still works to spend most of his time with friends.

J modeling a garage sale find that day.

We love you all!

The C Crew

October 5, 2014

Dear Family and Friends,

Here is a our week in a quick review...

Monday RM had hurt his leg on Saturday and had not been putting any pressure on it.  That meant a lot of carrying him around and finding a comfy spot for him to sit and read or play with legos.  That night he did start putting a little weight on his leg, and limping around.  That at least made my job easier.  That night we had FHE and focused on preparing for conference.

Tuesday I had a presidency meeting at my house in the morning before John went to school.  That night B-man went to football practice.

Wednesday is always a slightly busier day.  I made it busier by making a last minute dentist appointment.  The morning was surprisingly quiet because a neighbor called to see if J and RM could come over and play.  I happily sent them over, and then squandered the quiet time trying to figure out what to do with it!  Matthias got home from work just in time to take all the kids over to B-man's piano lesson, and I went to the dentist.  By the time I got home they were back so I started working on dinner.  After dinner was scouts/mutual so M and B-man were gone.  They both had a good time.

The boys begged for Halloween decorations.  I managed to pull this little banner together.

Thursday morning the boys went over to the Palmer's house.  We did preschool together last year and are doing a swap one day a week this year.  The boys always have a great time, and I used my child free time much more wisely!  It felt so good to check off a bunch of stuff.  One of the things was making an appointment for RM to see an orthopedist.  He still is limping and had been waking up in the night complaining.  That seems like a bad combo.  I had just enough time after running some other errands to pick up his x-rays before going to get the boys.  That afternoon was nice and relaxing.  We enjoyed the weather outside after school and the boys with the neighborhood gang played football in the cul-de-sac with M.  M was the MVP.  Ha!

J and C at the part waiting for B-man to finish his lesson.

Friday was a busy day.  RM appointment was in the morning.  I took all the kids with me, thinking it wouldn't be a big deal.  I realized how foolish I had been just trying to get my double wide stroller into the building.  (I didn't think I should have my son walk into the appointment!)  We survived.  Mostly it was fine.  The only awkward moment was when J informed me that he had to use the bathroom, and when I asked the doctor, he informed me it was out of the office back by the elevators.  I let J know he was going to have to wait!  There was no way I was leaving RM by himself to take him, and it was too far to let him go by himself.  Eventually the need became more urgent and they took pity on us and the PA let him use the employee bathroom.  The doctor examined RM and the x-rays that were previously done, and thought he needed a cast.  I was surprised that they didn't do additional x-rays, but if they don't need to I'm glad they didn't.  By coincidence the person putting on the cast is a member of our ward.  He was so great with RM.  J was terrified of the cast process and was hiding behind the stroller until he realized that it wasn't scary or loud at all.  RM had a great time holding the fake skeleton leg, and choosing the color of his cast.   C was her usual easy self at the doctors office.  We rushed home from the office to get lunch (a rare trip to Chick-fil-A) and then we dropped J off at school.  He was so excited.  The rest of the afternoon was pretty quiet.  At first RM loved his cast.  But after about an hour he started crying and begging to have it off.  It's going to be a long four weeks.  Hopefully he will get used to it, and it will help the leg to stop hurting.  That afternoon M got home a little early and was there when a fellow came to inspect our attic.  We have a little project in the works for Christmas that we are hoping will work out.  He was really nice and didn't even charge us for his time.  That night we played outside, had pizza for dinner, and then watched Justice League to end the evening.  The boys love that right now.

Football!

RM with his brand new cast.

Saturday morning I went out with a friend to shop at garage sales.  We had a good time, and finished very early.  Once home we worked on getting our chores done before conference started.  The rest of the day was spent enjoying conference.  I have a fantasy at the beginning of the weekend that I can sit and listen and the kids will play quietly in the background.  That didn't really happen and it was frustrating!  But we are trying, and I will try to be more clear with my expectations for next year.  Someday...  In between sessions we always try to get outside and get some wiggles out.  Matthias worked on vacuuming the cars and I ran a few errands to make sure we had food to eat.

Organizing postcards during Conference.

Today has been another great conference day.  Also another day where I wish I could just sit and absorb and receive inspiration, but instead I am part referee, part "shusher", and part happy mother.  I need to focus more on the positive.  The boys were in the room, and B-man even took some notes this year.  We ate dinner in between sessions, and it ran a little long so we listened to the first few talks of the afternoon while we were eating.  Then just like that conference was over and it was time for baths and bed.  RM is really missing his bath time.  Hopefully we can get that figured out this week.  M is at a viewing for a fellow in our ward that passed away, and should be home soon.

RM fell asleep while M was working outside.  He hasn't slept well since breaking his leg! 

Early morning snuggles.

We love you all!

The C Crew