From Zero to Disaster in.....

It amazes me how quickly all 4 kids can turn a fairly clean house into a disaster zone. If I send them to play and do the dishes and sweep the kitchen - I will probably come downstairs to find a complete disaster. If I try to work on something downstairs, I will probably go upstairs 10 minutes later to find contraband crumbs all over the kitchen floor, and blankets and pillows all over the front room. (And of course Aaron under the table hiding because he knows he has done something wrong)

As usual when Dan is out of town, I am also amazed at what an incredible husband I have and how all my best efforts are just not enough with out him. Last night after the Aaron and Evie decided that 5:00 was too long to wait for dinner - and mashed up half a container of goldfish and then mixed it up with the brand new box of raisins and ate some random other food on the counters, I put them in PJ's and sent them to bed - figuring they had already had their supper.

Eileen got a friendship bracelet making kit from one of her friends for her birthday. Yesterday I showed her how to make a friendship bracelet and she and Anna picked it up right away. They have been doing almost nothing else ever since. They have friendship bracelets scattered all over the house to give to their cousins and friends. I was amazed at how quickly they picked it up and how long it has entertained them.

Well even as I type, the kids are supposed to be cleaning... I wonder what mess I will find next....

Church today was wonderful, if a bit tiring. We got there early to practice for the choir number today. The kids thankfully were mostly well behaved during Sacrament meeting. The talks and lessons given today all seemed to be exactly what I needed to hear. We had a wonderful Sacrament Meeting talk about finding joy in the journey. He talked about enjoying the flowers along the path, instead of just focusing on the garden at the end. He also talked about remembering to shift our focus to what is most important - the people around us. I think I had forgotten all that yesterday.... I really needed the perspective change.

I have given up on potty training Aaron. It was supposed to be Dan's job to potty train the boys - I told him tonight that I'm giving the job back over to him, I can't take it anymore. Evie on the other hand, seems to want to be potty trained. She often tells me that she wants to go potty and then poops and pees on the toilet. She seems to be closer to figuring this out than Aaron is.... Funny thing is that any time Aaron is stinky now, she follows him around going "ewwwww Anor (what she calls Aaron) ewwww STINK!!"