The countdown is on...

5 more days and we're flying out to Newport. First and foremost, I am SO excited!!! The countdown is getting me a little nervous as well however. I hate packing. I hated packing when I was single and only had to pack for myself, so silly isn't it? I would procrastinate it down to the very last second that I could, then hurry and throw all my stuff in a bag, generally taking way too much because I was just in a rush and wanted to make sure I covered all my bases (kind of like when I grocery shop in a hurry. I throw all kinds of crap that grabs my attention on the ends of the aisles and don't bother to check cost per ounce, etc. Usually I end up with buyers remorse on the way home.) Now that I have to pack for 7 of us, it's a much scarier process however. My kids are staying at my mom's house. RaeLeigh is thrilled because now she'll be able to swing to her hearts content (I REALLY need to get that girl a swingset, she's obsessed since she learned how to pump.) Unfortunately, soon it's going to be hot enough to fry an egg on the seat of the swing weather here, so she better get her fill of it for a while. My mom and my sister-in-law Taryn are my hero's. Words can't describe how grateful I am that they are willing to take on my kids for 4 days. It's going to be fun trying to get everyone organized to the point that they can easily see what goes for who. My husband doesn't know who wears what around here even :) Needless to say, I've got to get packing. Have I mentioned, I can't wait to have 4 whole days of adult time in Newport??

It's official

So I bought airfare yesterday, I am officially going with Roger to his next marathon in Newport, OR. Yeah!!! We've managed to pull off at least 1 overnighter every year since we got married (2 or 3 each year a long time ago when my younger siblings were newly marrieds and thought it was fun to have the couple kids I had at the time overnight.) Last year we actually went for 2 whole nights on our anniversary, but we took Mallory since she was still nursing. This year we are actually going for 4 nights away with NO kids!! Holy cow, I can't even comprehend it. I've been so stressed thinking about how I can manage someone to watch the crew for that long, if they can handle it, if it's too much, if I should be spending that money on something else, etc, but just sitting here typing this out, I have this overwhelming excitement building. I CAN'T WAIT!! I can't even remember the last time I had a whole day of no kid-reposibilities, it's been so long that I can't even comprehend it, but needless to say I'm excited for this much needed time together. Sometimes the daily hussles of kids makes you forget about the person you are married to, it will be fun to actually be able to have a conversation that isn't constantly interrupted by someone needing something. After some of the tantrums I've had to calm today, May 28th can't come fast enough!! Maybe I better get the watercolors out and crank up my playlist, I need a reminder of the good day that started my week :)

Having a good day :)

So I just wanted to jot down that I am having a great day. My house is a mess, but my kids and I are hanging out painting with watercolor's anyway, and it's great. We were listening to Alecia Keyes No One on my playlist and my kids were all grooving along, Mallory loves dancing and actually has really great rhythm already, it's kind of funny. My kids know a lot of the words and I just couldn't help but be hit by the phrase "I don't worry cause everything's gonna be all right." as my kids were belting it out. I worry too much sometimes, and I'm glad that I didn't care today, because everything really is going to be all right. I have fabulous kids, a wonderful family, even if my house is a sty, I love my life. I'm grateful for my belief in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I'm grateful for the joy that comes to my life because of it.

Aaaahhhh.

So, I think as my first official blog post, I'll just mention how grateful I am for bedtime. While I love my kids dearly, there is just something that happens to them every afternoon that makes me start counting down the hours (or minutes if they are REALLY on one) to bedtime. On a bad day it starts about 4, normally around 5, and sometimes I get oh so very lucky and it doesn't actually start until 6. I don't know why they all choose this time to get all cranky. Maybe a lack of food and the smell of dinner cooking sends them into a frenzy? Doesn't entirely make sense as my kids snack all afternoon long, but whatever. I guess I'm they're just tired, though Meghan promises that she isn't tired at all (though she has no other reason why she's sobbing uncontrollably over the fact that someone said something that didn't actually change anything in her life, but she didn't like it.) Oh do I look forward to the teen years, give her 6 more years to practice her mood swings and she'll be a professional. Seems that I battle my way through getting dinner on the table, getting dinner off the table, last bits of homework, scripture reading, brushing teeth, on a nightly basis. Then the real fun starts. One of these days I'm going to just make a tape. Every 30 seconds or so I'm going to say each of these phrases...No, you already got a drink...no more snacks, you won't starve to death before breakfast...Ryan, stop hitting your sister...Olivia and RaeLeigh, stop touching each other...Yes you can go to the bathroom, just hurry, wash your hands, and get back in bed (darnit, they know I won't ever say no to that one!!)...No, you can't watch a movie and close your eyes at the same time...I said, you already got a drink...GO TO SLEEP. Do you think if I just repeat that list a few times on a tape and play it in the hall that they'd fall for it? Can you imagine how many words a day you could save by not having to say anything more than "Goodnight cute kids?" Then if you multiply that out by the week, then the year. That would leave me 1000's of extra words to nag my husband with use while chatting with my friends.

I must admit though, isn't it great to watch your kids sleep? Maybe it's just a sense of accomplishment that you were able to control them long enough that they got to that state? Maybe that beautiful peaceful look is just a gift from God. He knew you'd had a rough day, and in order to make it through the next day, you needed something that erased the grouchy thoughts that were permeating your head. Maybe He made them look so angelic so you couldn't even remember the scene just after breakfast when you came out to find your 3 and 4 year olds under the table holding the syrup bottle that they had just emptied all over each other and the floor (true story, Meghan and Ryan did that to each other a few years ago. Now I am the syrup nazi. After we're done with pancakes, it's back into hiding again) Seriously though, I am so grateful that He knows what it's like to be a parent so I think He helps us as much as He can. I guess I need to give Him a break sometimes when I sob uncontrollably to Him over the fact that someone said something that didn't actually change anything in my life, but I didn't like it. Maybe He's a little tired of it all too.