Wishing and Hoping

These changes are starting to feel normal, and the craziness is starting to feel routine.  Our week has mostly been normal stuff.  Grandpa has been coming over in the afternoon to help with picking the kids up from school so that we could let James nap.  James is much more pleasant when he is allowed to nap when he needs to nap.  The funny thing is that I feel like we are a lot less busy right now.  In September and Fall, it seemed like James and I were always busy - allergy shots, babysitting, driving friends to doc appts, helping people in the ward, and visiting friends.  In comparison, this week seems rather slow....

Weather turned south on us this week.  Lots of snow (well - lots of snow for November in CO) and some really cold temperatures.  Eileen has been having fun measuring the amount of snow in our back yard.  She has been taking a reading every morning and recording it.  It made driving a bit dicey, but so far, we are all safe and sound! 

James still likes me to come in and read books to him before naps and bed time and sometimes, he doesn't want me to leave - and sometimes, that means that we doze off together, and sometimes that means that Dan feels the need to snap a pictures of our nap.....

Friday evening, Newell and Becky came over with their family to make Jam.  We ended up making about 13 1/2 gallons of jam with them.  Turns out we didn't really have to, but now, at least, we probably won't have to make jam for another 3 years, and we will have some yummy home-made gifts to give this Christmas..... (umm I mean - no - family members who read this.... we won't be doing that.....ummmm)

Today was wonderful - I've started getting ready for the Ward Christmas Program which is exciting!  We had some wonderful talks in Sacrament meeting, and I got to give a fun lesson in primary.  We started by talking about journals and how they help us remember things that have happened - then we talked about how the scriptures can serve the same purpose - to help us remember.  We talked about some cook Old Testament people and some cool Book of Mormon people and it was really neat to talk to the kids and teach them.  I love the Old Testament and I love teaching it to these 8-9 and 10 year old SMART kids!

Tonight we headed over to Frank and Tina's for Frankie's birthday.  The kids just love playing with cousins and it was fun to see and chat with family.

This week is going to be a bit busier, but at least I've got help.

Lately I've felt a bit redundant.  There's so much help that I feel a bit useless at times.  At least James still makes me feel necessary by demanding that I do everything with him.  I've felt like I haven't gotten to spend as much time with the older kids though because James wants my attention and the older kids are happy with Daddy, or Grandma or Aunt Tina or Great Grandpa or Uncle Frank.  Feeling like Supermom may leave me exhausted, but it also make me feel good about myself.  Or maybe being busy just leaves me with less time to dwell on the things that upset me.  Either way - I think I need to put myself to work...