Week Synopsis August 18-August 24

Monday August 18- Can someone STOP Ryland from eating?!!!!...already today (8/25) he has eaten a bowl of cereal, a good serving of jello, a container of yogurt, a few pretzels, an orange, a cheese stick, and a complete apple...and he is still hungry!! Did I mention it is only 10am? To look at that stick of a boy you would never know it!!!

Today started early with a phone call from my good friend Natalie Taylor asking me to take the phones for the day (for their business I answer for). She explained that her husband had passed out 2 times while working out and was being taken in an ambulance. HELLO!!!! I would be freaking--she seemed pretty calm. It ended up being a heart condition that they are still not quite sure is causing it. Scott (the hubby) was in the hospital until Wednesday this week. I took the phones full -time today and Tuesday.We stayed pretty close to home those days so that I could manage the phones and computer.

FHE was our Scripture bag where we pull out a prop (in the bag) and read/tell the scripture story that goes with it. We pulled out a whale (Jonah and the whale) and a red towel (Christ washing the feet of the apostles). The kids wanted to keep going...I see it being a favorite of the fam nights. I am glad I made this fun little thing at a Super Saturday quite a few years ago!

A few days of being home-bound calls for some creative dressing up by Dacie!

Tuesday August 19- Besides answering phones today, we had a mom's swap preschool meeting with everyone who is interested in teaching in their home, and switching a home each week (joy school). I am going to be doing it with Ryland this year. We have a great group of moms and kids. I am excited, but would LOVE to have one or two more join-to alleviate some weeks of teaching. It was a longer meeting as we were establishing schedules, supplies, themes, calendars, teaching styles and goals. The phones went CRAZY today! My ear hurt at the end of the day--

Dan had to work today. He has not had off these last 2 Tuesdays (as he normally does) and has been working 10hrs-5x's a week, instead of the 10hrs.-4x's a week. I know it is temporary. But, he works, comes home in time for dinner, helps with the kids, plans his seminary lesson and starts over at 5:30am the next day. I am missing him around the house (not only his temperance and solidity) BUT for house help too. Our wood is rotting and both our gates have broken, our deck gate and fence have fallen off, we are out of gas for the lawn mower, etc. Manly things around the house. He is on salary too-so he is not getting paid any extra for this additional work hours.

Wednesday August 20- I started to have a BIG headache today. I am feeling very pulled in many different directions with my own work, family, Dan's busy work schedule and stress, primary chorister, getting preschool started (typing up schedules, supplies,etc.), being a good friend to those who need extra TLC, visiting teaching, hosting pokeeno dinner this week, my stake calling, etc. I want to do so much more for each one, but feel as if I am just doing some of the minimums.It is all my own doing (NO ONE feel guilty about this 'stretching' I am experiencing...remember this is my journal!) I know that it will get better once everything is up and running (or done) AND I have been released from my double callings. Until then, I am growing~ and am being taught about writing lists to see it all on paper, getting organized and DOING IT!

I answered phones in the afternoon and it was so easy, after taking on the full days! I also mowed the back lawns today and had to make a gas run for the mower.

We had a Young Women presidency meeting that evening, and have I told you how much I LOVE working with our presidency? I stopped by the store after to pick up some dinner (since I had not had time to eat before going) food for pokeeno dinner and salsa making class tomorrow!

(Fooling around w/ my friends Sadie, Alicia and Janae! at pokeeno)

Thursday August 21- It was a fun day! We got to go to a friends house (Carol Langford) to learn how to make home-made salsa. I have gone to her class before, BUT this time I made it all by myself and bought the products all by myself. SOOOO YUMMY! The three jars I made did not last long~I took a jar straight to Dan at work (since he has no lunch breaks~ this would be a quick help for hunger), then we ate a jar and half in 2 days, and shared the last half with my cool friend Janae! It did have a good KICK to it!

When I got home I had to boil the chicken and get it in the crock pot for dinner that night. Each of us girl friends takes a turn 'hosting' a pokeeno (girls game night). It was my turn this month w/ Afton. I was in charge of the dinner. I decided to make Hawaiian Haystacks. It all went well, until I started chopping the numerous toppings and realized how LONG it would take (since I had to feed around 20). I had told my friend Nicole (who was letting us do it at her home) that I would be there an hour early to help set up...but I made it JUST in time for Pokeeno to start. Dan had to work until 8pm that night, since they are short staffed right now. SO amidst the chopping and making, I had to get the kids fed, babysitter picked up, and everything (food, table and chairs,etc.) loaded in the car ready to go!

Pokeeno was a break for me! All the work was done! I could just laugh and enjoy my favorite friends. Afton made a YUMMY dessert to boot! I won what I wanted. It was a s'more making kit w/ some cool roasters (that go up and down). I had just ran over a metal hanger while mowing our lawn from our last s'more making, so I was really thinking about investing in some cool roasters and I WON THEM!! Wahoo!!! Dan and I were able to visit a few minutes before bed.

I LOVE these gals! Girls Game Night (thanks for the pictures Emily)

Friday August 22-I mopped the floors today. That was my goal. I wanted to get some things done during the week so our Saturday would NOT be overwhelming when we got Dan home. I was able to stop by my friends house (Janae). I don't get to just drop in very often anymore, with my LARGE brood, naps, school, and schedules. So it was a quick, fun little visit. I am not as anti-social as I feel. I am a home-body typically!

IT is FUN FRIDAY! That night we got pizza and ate it while we watched Spiderwick Chronicles as a family! (including Daddy!). It is a good thing we watched it together. It could be considered scary for the little kids. Dacie is not much into movies--so she was quite the distraction when she was not eating! I fell asleep watching Dan race cars in our bedroom (on his ps2)!

Saturday August 23- Wake up!!!! It is time to work. Dan started outside on the front lawn, and fixing all the gates-(he was successful with 3 of the 4 problems). The boys and I got going on the bathrooms inside. Afterwards, I let the boys play in the water outside in their swimsuits and they were outside from 11:00am-4pm. They even ate lunch outside and missed naps!

Dan made a menu and went shopping while I did laundry, dinner and bathed the babes. I also had to make quite a few phone calls trying to find subs for singing time (while I have to do ward visits for the stake) and come up with singing time!

Dan got home in enough time for me to meet up with some friends (Nicole and Janae) to go and chaperone a stake dance. Dan actually encouraged me going to this, because the kids were all ready for bed pretty early, and he could play games to his hearts content. We could not wear flip-flops to the dance and I could not find my closed-toed shoes for about 10 minutes-DACIE!!!!!! She had taken them and put them with Dan's shoes. Her shoe fettish is going to be the death of me!

It was funny being back at a stake dance. And to answer Dan's... and I am sure ALL your questions, YES~I did dance. I don't have quite the stamina I used too! It was not well attended (due to lack of communication)--but fun none-the-less. I got home and watched the USA men's basketball team win the gold until 1:30am with Dan! Naughty sabbath breakers!

The boys (above) getting good use out of the sand box...since they dumped out the lbs. of sand, why not use is as a wading pool? Dan (below) fixing our falling apart wood gates and fences!

Our newest project completed-our family photo framed, enlarged (thanks Janae) and hung!!

Sunday August 24- Here we go! Sunday can potentially be a super busy day for our family. I will share our schedule today so you can understand. We got to church during the opening prayer (pretty good for us). Only having to take Dacie out towards the end of sacrament, because that little stinker went down the row to every single one of her brothers... and either took their crayons, bit them, pulled their papers, or hit them.... (it was not super hard) BUT she is a little tease and a screamer. We are in for it!!! The rest of the boys did pretty OK, except for Ryland's consistent breakdowns about everything lately!


During primary we did singing Olympics. After junior primary I had to run into our YW (skipping nursery singing time). We went in as a stake to introduce ourselves, by bringing in 3 or 4 items that are about or describe us. I brought my H.S Letterman's jacket (guess how many things I had to move to get that out?), clogging shoes, mission plaque (thanks Cleggs), and a woody doll (to represent Dan and my family). After the introductions, I went in a little late to Sr. primary music time.

For closing exercises in primary, Sterling gave the talk. Dan came in and helped him give it. Sterling can be such a friend to everyone BUT sometimes can turn super shy. Like when a mom he has not seen for awhile talks to him, or a new teacher, or an old teacher when saying good-bye. It comes out of no where, and he turns his body "into" us (Dan or I) to hide. His talk was no exception yesterday. He kept turning into Dan's chest, and it took Dan repeating the sentence 3 or 4 times for Sterling to repeat it. It is so uncharacteristic of Sterling, because get him after primary... and he is yelling into the microphone and getting into trouble! Gotta love it!

After coming home and getting unpacked, the kids fed, and laid down for naps--I headed back up to the church to meet w/ the Mingus Ward YW's. After introductions I came home and ate, and then headed back up to the church to visit the last ward YW's ~Black Hills. I came home and fell asleep for an hour.

When I woke up Dan had to run to Stake Priesthood meeting. He had made dinner but had to eat it in the car. I fed the kids and got them ready for bed while he was gone.

After the kids were in bed, I taped the closing ceremonies for the Olympics b/c they were on late! The kids had been looking forward to watching them, and were hard to get settled into bed because of it. Sooo if they have a good day at school tomorrow--it will be their treat. Dan and I were in bed at a decent hour~ whew! in time for a new week!

Some of the kids chose to do quiet activities like read, or mop the counter w/ a sponge Sunday evening...
While others chose a more ACTIVE pursuit (oh, but don't let the "quiet" group fool you...they are the reason for this mishap!)

AFTER 20 MINUTES of telling the kids to get ready for bed this is what came running out of the room when I called their names to see their progress in obedience!

*WARNING!!! UNDERWEAR SHOTS*
Colton is part way there
Who knows what Sterling has been doing
Ryland loves blaming his brothers for his predicament
Dacie would rather cook and say NO!

I give up!!!ha ha ha~ We did FINALLY get them in bed!

Here is to a GREAT, BIG, NEW WEEK!