Sunshine In My Soul

Someday I'm going to miss these days (supposedly)...

I often hear from mothers who are older and wiser than me, "Soak it up! Enjoy it while it lasts because someday you are going to miss these days." I smile and nod and say that I will and in the back of my mind think, "Seriously. You are nuts! You just don't remember how crazy life was with a house full of little munchkins." Oh sure...don't get me wrong...there are days that I ADORE being a mom...lots and lots of days...and then there are those moments or those days....or weekends, when I'd pretty much rather be mom of two...nicely spread out with a 5 year gap in between or something like that. This weekend was not my favorite...and Brett was gone hunting. Yay for me!

Thursday was actually a good day....busy (crazy busy), but good. I sent the kiddo's off to school, ran to drop Chubs off at my sister's house, then ran back to school to go on a field trip with Little Miss to the Stuffington Bear Factory - a ghetto-ish "Build A Bear Factory". I've gone with each of the other kids and I must admit, it is fun to see them light up while making their own bear. Their teachers must REALLY talk up the field trip, because they are always so excited that they can't seem to contain themselves. The tour guide was a bit freaky, but that's alright. I was thinking I could maybe have given him a lesson or two on shaving, showering, combing your hair, not wearing your pajamas to work, and not raising your voice and freaking out the young little children, but whatever.

We hurried back from the field trip, I picked up Chubs, ran home to wrap a birthday present, gather up soccer gear and piano books, and then went to get the kids from school. Straight to EVMCO choir practice - which for our family lasts from 3:20-6:00. Yes. Good times for the Brimhall family on Thursdays. The kids rotate through their choir practices and we sit in another room at the church, doing homework, rotating the kids through piano lessons, studying spelling words, reading books, etc. This week I had to leave in the middle of our Thursday fun to take Little Miss to a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. I coordinated a ride home for her and ran back to choir to find Moose sobbing, wondering where I'd gone. Apparently he WASN'T listening when I told him I'd be gone when he was finished with choir, but that I'd be back soon. I think I'm going to need to have him start repeating every instruction that I give him...I'm pretty sure he's not listening to a word I say these days. As soon as Bear finished choir, we hopped in the car, ran to catch the last 30 minutes of soccer practice, grabbed dinner at Sonic, and went to pick Little Miss up from her friends house so that I could run back to the church to meet with the Bishop. We pulled up to the friends house...dark. Totally dark. Not a light on in the house. We knocked and knocked and called and called. No answer. Shoot. What to do? I was already going to be late to meet with the Bishop. I started calling neighbors trying to get the mother's cell phone number. Anyhow, in the end it turned out fine...and I got the kids in bed a good hour after bedtime. I crashed!

Friday morning, after getting the kids off to school, I thought I'd head to the gym before meeting up with my sister to take the little boys swimming. Hopped in the car, turned the key, "click, click, click". Really? Again. "Click, click, click." Nice. So instead of spending my morning exercising and swimming, I spent my time mowing the yard, waiting for roadside assistance to come and jumpstart my car, and then chasing a grumpy three year old, who really wanted to be swimming with his cousins, all around the dealership. All I have to say is, Dear Toyota...please learn how to make a battery that lasts longer than 14 months. That seems to be the record for us. Oh, and Toyota, I don't understand how you can feel right about writing 84 months across your batteries. Really? 84 months. Maybe 84-70. I'll get out my sharpie and write that on there for you.

I'll spare you all the details of my weekend...and just provide you with the highlights. I just can't seem to pick a favorite. {insert really sarcastic grin} Carrying a sleepy three year old into the boutique this weekend (Thursday, Friday, AND Saturday) along with all of my supplies to restock my booth, soccer games at 7:30 am, listening to that same 3 year old cry and carry on while I was trying to perform my "soccer team mom" duties at the games, cleaning my house spotless only to have a house full of friends quickly undo all that was done, more birthday parties and late nights with friends, Little Miss getting her clothes ripped while climbing over a fence because Moose had locked her out repeatedly - he wasn't laughing so hard when his privileges got taken away, playing the organ and being grateful I knew the songs well so that I could give my kids the "dirty glare" from the stand while I played, forgetting about a merit badge clinic that Bear was supposed to go to, etc. If I had to choose a highlight, it just might be my scatter-brained self left spray paint outside...which was found by Chubs and his friend. Hmmm... the back of my house looks a little different now.

And hunting season is just getting started. Life is great!

(will add pictures later when I figure out why my pictures aren't wanting to download...hmmmm)