In the Meantime

My sister and her children have been staying with us this past week. Count 'em, folks. That's 18 people living in our home this week.

It has been a really fun week--I've loved every minute of it!

Spencer has spent some quality time in our bedroom with the door closed. I married the best man in the world, and when he's over-stimulated, he's cool to just run away like that. OK, I admit it. I joined him several times.

I took a day off from work this week in order to see my dad and his friends (The Valleymen) do a gig. It was a lot of fun. That night we were supposed to all get together (the adults) and have dinner. It didn't work out for me and Spencer, which basically makes me wanna cry.

When my parents and my sister and her family pulled out of our driveway this morning to make the trek back to Cal, I did cry.

In the meantime, Friday night was Ashtyn's Sweet 16 birthday party. I didn't count the kids who came; but based on the decibel level and Sassy's blog, it was a success. Many, many thanks to Aunt Tiff, who provided SOO much food, set up, cleaned up, and disappeared with her children so the little ones didn't cramp the style of the teenagers. :)

In the meantime, we're still trying to get our house moved to the upstairs. My brother's family has been fabulous to give us some time to do all of this. Briana moved from her room into Ashtyn's room this week. Give her a lot of credit--this is no small feat! Yesterday we got that room 1/2 painted. We will shoot for the 2nd color (aka "other half") tomorrow. The remainder of the week can be spent getting the boys moved and settled into that bedroom, which will open the other upstairs bedroom for painting next weekend.

In the meantime, Spencer leaves this morning for a week of training in Seattle. I have a feeling that eventually we will be in Seattle. The company is there; so if Spencer wants to grow in the company, I think we will have to be there. In the meantime, however, SLC has some fabulous things happening which make us very grateful.

And in the meantime, this week I accepted another new position at work. Once again it is a lateral move for me. But I hope it will mean staying busy and receiving some new challenges and learning some new things. My first official day is a week from tomorrow, but I've already spent about 15 hours there, doing some training with the woman who is leaving.

In the meantime, we are in training for the Ragnar Relay in Las Vegas in October. The next ward activity is on September 11th. Sterling Singers started rehearsals again, preparing for our Christmas performances. The kids' school starts in a week and a half.

I'm either SuperWoman or completely bonkers.

Or both. :)

As My World Turns

Yesterday was the prime example of one of my days, which happens all too often.

6:00 a.m.--Get the kids up for prayer. Potty break, visit with Mr. Toothbrush, get dressed, pull my hair up (it was beautiful, let me tell ya!).

6:30 a.m.--Leave to take Landon to the orthodontist. Read 1/2 an article in a magazine in the waiting room. Have an impression of my teeth taken for a new retainer (to replace my 7-year-old one).

7:30 a.m.--Leave Dr. Curtis's office to take Landon to the middle school.

8:15 a.m.--Walk in to tell the attendance secretary where he's been, wave goodbye (because 12-year-olds don't want kisses at school). Go home and take a shower, do my makeup, and change into work clothes.

9:30 a.m.--Drive to work.

10:00 a.m. -- 4:15 p.m.--Work. Lots to do. It's all good.

4:30 p.m.--FINALLY get out of the office and walk to the car.

4:50 p.m.--Drive through at the bank for cash to give the hair stylist. Drive directly to Chelsea's.

5:30 p.m.--FINALLY arrive at Chelsea's house for a haircut. Relax for a few minutes while someone else does my hair.

6:15 p.m.--Leave Chelsea's and head straight to South Jordan Middle to pick up Landon from lacrosse practice. Drive Landon directly to his YM activity (do not pass go, do not collect $200). Go home and honk the horn to pick up Ashtyn. We go to Macey's together for a few groceries.

7:30 p.m.--Take the groceries in the house, drop them on the counter, and sit down to inhale some fatty food, because we are STARVING!

8:00 p.m.--Do the dishes. Quickly, before Landon calls for a ride home! Put on my running clothes and shoes. Log Ashtyn into the safety-locked computer so she can do her homework.

8:30 p.m.--Not fast enough! Landon calls. Pick Landon up at the church and take him on his promised outing to Iceberg. Enjoy a few quiet (as quiet as it ever gets with Landon) minutes (in my running skirt) with our wonderful son. Eating ice cream. A small one, because sometime tonight I still need to visit Nutrimirror.

9:30 p.m.--Pull into the driveway at the same time as Spencer and Briana. Gather everyone for prayer. Give Landon permission to stay up and work on his homework.

9:40 p.m.--Leave for the 4-mile run I promised myself I would do today. Run (relatively speaking) up and down Wood Green. A lot.

10:30 p.m.--Arrive home. Kick off my shoes and socks. Take some clean clothes into the bathroom and clear off my side of the bed so Spencer can go to sleep. Go into the living room and stretch. Visit Nutrimirror for today. Play a couple of games of wind-down Solitaire. Go into the bathroom and shower. In the dark. Because it's too late to turn on a bright light. Sleepwalk to the bed.

11:30 p.m.--Try not to fall asleep while I'm praying. Say, "amen," and fall asleep without even thinking about it.

Today? My eyes are puffy, my brain is slushy, my muscles are tired. And the remainder of the day looks quite similar to yesterday...

Thank goodness for busy days and nights--and for a healthy body that allows me to do it all!