Rough Week

It's been a really hard week - but since I'm not at liberty to talk about some of it right now, it will have to wait.  We've been busy this week - the normal choir and piano, and homework, reading, etc.  The kids had Monday off school for President's Day - I told them I would take them to the museum - but they didn't get piano done until noon, and then there was so much snow, that we ended up not being able to go.  We've had a lot of snow this week - which makes me a bit crazy since the kids can't play outside as much.

Wednesday James and I went to the library, then I went to get my allergy shot - James loves going to get his allergy shot since it means that he gets a lollipop and a sticker.   (And all the ladies there tell him that he's adorable and so cute and sweet and funny)  Then in the evening I had choir.

Thursday Addie came over to play for the day.  She and James have a lot of fun together and play well together.  With some help from Stephanie during piano lessons, I managed to also pick up Merydth from school and take her family some Lasagne while they try and get her little brother feeling better.

Friday we had a nice quiet day - Dan and I bribed the kids into cleaning up, so the house got mostly clean and then we played games with them for a bit.  (at least with the ones who cleaned up)  Then we sent Evie to bed and played another game with the older girls.  Evie really didn't want to go to bed with out her sisters though - she kept coming up with a new excuse for staying up - the best was "I can't go to sleep, I think my skin is about to change colors!"  One we thought so funny that we called Dan's parents to let them know - and in return got some good news - Dan's brother Stephen and his family may be moving out not too far from us - in Wyoming, but only a couple hours away!

Friday night it started snowing and it hasn't stopped for long since - this is what our backyard looked like earlier today - and it's still snowing and is supposed to snow all night.

Dan left town on business early Saturday morning.  The kids and I mostly played and took it easy - I was a lazy mom and let the older kids play games while James napped - which bought me some peace and quiet and sanity.  (and kept my house somewhat clean)

Sunday mornings were much the same as usual since Dan is always at meetings in the morning.  A friend of ours came over and shoveled our driveway for me since Dan was gone (probably a good thing since I would have forgotten that it needed to be done until about the time I was trying to pull out of the garage....  While we were getting ready for church, the second big blow of the week fell - I realized that I was bleeding heavily and had miscarried....again.  This past year is really starting to feel like a "bash Deanna on the head repeatedly with a large mallet" type of year.  I was supposed to go sing at a fireside with the Chorale tonight, but it was cancelled - I was sad to not get to sing, but it was probably for the best.  Probably would have cried through the whole thing anyway.

Love is a Many Splendored Thing

Monday was our normal laundry/grocery shopping day.  Dan has been working from home in the mornings - Without the kids bugging him he is able to get more done here than at work where he is often interrupted.  

Tuesday was busy.  I started out with the usual trip to take our friend to her therapy appointment.  James is a great little kid and is happy to hang out there and play with the legos, read books with me and eat a snack.  We got back home then left James with Frank and Tina, and Dan and I headed for our day in court.  We met our lawyer there who took care of everything and got both cases dismissed - we left much relieved and ready to put it all behind us.  

Wednesday was the usual insanity - Late start, library fun with Riley, Tayanna and Nicole.  Then James and I made a quick trip to Walmart, where James tried to pick up everything to put in the cart.  Then we headed home and had a quick lunch before going to get the kids from school.  After getting back home I made a cake, then I went to Choir, and Eileen and Anna went to Activity Days.  

Thursday, James and I got up - packed his lunch into his backpack, then headed up north to get Dan's Valentine's gift and to meet up with Becky and hit some quilt shops.  We hit two shops - one to find some information on Aunt Joan's sewing machine and what I can do with it, and the other to get some fabric :)  with Kai's quilt as done as I can get it now - I'm ready to start on another one! 

Afternoon was piano lessons and the usual fun :) 

Friday was the usual school day.  The weather has been beautiful all week - so the kids have had tons of fun playing outside.  The hard part is getting them to come inside.  The kids had their Valentines' Day parties at school - so they came home all sugared up and I've spent every day since trying to keep James from eating it all....

Saturday was Valentine's Day!  Dan made us yummy heart-shaped biscuits with home made jam.  mmmmmmm.  He made me Chocolate truffles and Chocolate Covered Strawberries!!!  I got him an expansion for 7 Wonders - so we played a game with Eileen to try it out.  :)  After breakfast, we went for a walk and ended up at a nearby pond feeding the geese and ducks.  Then Eileen and I speed walked back to make it to her flute lessons in time.  

That evening, Dan and I had a baby sitter (who the kids loved) and we went to the mall and then to Outback for dinner.  Maybe not fancy - but I'm just happy to be with Dan.  :)

Today was a lot of fun.  Church was wonderful - I subbed for the music person in primary which is always fun.  Then after church was choir which was fun as always.  Dan's cousin Becca and her husband Jeremiah came over for dinner and played games with us.  It was a lot of fun having them over - they are fun people to hang out with and we all had a great time!  Then Dan and I put the kids to bed - but since the kids have no school tomorrow, we let Eileen stay up with us and play a couple more games of 7 Wonders :)

Really LONG Weekend

Monday was our usual laundry day.  James has figured out how to start the washing machine on his own.....  He wants to be so helpful sometimes - I just need to figure out how to contain the disaster while encouraging the sentiment.  

Tuesday we had our first trip taking our friend to her therapy appointment.  I had Chasity with me too, so it was a bit crazy, but she and James had a lot of fun together.  By the time we were done and taking everyone home - James was sad to see he friends go. 

Wednesday was our usual library story time, though we didn't get to have Nicole and Riley and Tayanna come with us this time.  Riley has decided that he wants us to be part of his family.  :)  Nicole came over to help out with the kids so Dan could go to the church for meetings and such, and Riley was mad that he couldn't come too.  :)  Choir was a lot of fun.  I love the chance to get out and sing!  

For some reason the kids had Thursday and Friday off school.  I promised the kids that if they got the house clean, I would take them to the zoo.  Weather was beautiful and so they got clean up done and tried to keep it fairly clean.  They had piano lessons in the afternoon and then I had my first Girls Camp prep meeting!  I'm excited, but a bit overwhelmed!  

Friday, the kids did their piano practicing, then we packed up and headed to the zoo... only to discover that it was a free day, so the zoo was PACKED!  It took us almost an hour to find parking.  When we finally did, we walked to the zoo, I took the kids to the bathroom.  I asked Aaron to take James in and help him since the family one was locked, the women's one had a LONG line and I didn't want to leave the stroller.  Then since it was about lunch time, we walked to some tables and ate our bag lunches.  They all got unpacked, and started eating when James said he had to go potty again, but I really didn't want to pack all the kids back up and walk to the potty, so I asked Eileen to take him to the nearby potty - I could see them walk there and back, They came back 5 minutes later.  James started eating again, then promptly wet his pants....  We packed up and headed out to go home.... We spent more time looking for parking than we did enjoying the zoo.  

Saturday was busy, but good.  Dan had a couple small errands to run in the morning, Eileen had flute lessons, Aaron had a birthday party, Dan had meetings.  I took the kids to a park while Aaron was at the party.  The on the way back - I saw a quilt shop.  I was a bit early, so we went in for a few minutes.  I learned about some quilting classes that I might try and take over the summer.

Today was great.  We remembered to sit on the other side of the chapel so we could see Dan.  The kids made faces at Daddy (Eileen kept putting bunny ears on James while he stood on my lap and made goofy faces)  And were mostly well behaved. After church, I put James down for a nap (and took a little one myself) Then Dan got home for dinner and we played some games.  Sundays are wonderful! Time to refresh and renew our spirits and be together as family.

This new calling has been tiring on Dan - they are still in the "Busy trying hard to get everything put in order" stage - hopefully things will calm down soon!

Getting Back to Normal

 Monday morning, I took James to get his pictures done - while Grandma and Grandpa Jones took a quick nap (since they had already been working all morning)  They came out SO CUTE!  This is just one of them.  He was so cute and sweet during the pictures then after threw a grand-mal tantrum when I wouldn't carry him around the store to pick up a couple things.  Grandma and Grandpa Jones took off Monday evening to head back home for a quick rest before heading out to visit Stephen and Claire and their new baby!  We are so glad they were able to make it out - even if only for a couple days.

My cheese ball was so excited about taking pictures that he insisted on me taking more pictures... lighting isn't as good.... :P  

Tuesday we went to meet a friend who I will be helping take her daughter to therapy appointments.   The girls had choir after school and as usual it was a bit crazy.  

Wednesday was the usual fun - library, school, choir.  

Thursday we had Addie come over and play with us.  She and James get along really well, so it's fun to have her over.  She's a sweet, quiet girl just a few months younger than James and they play well together.  After Dan got home, we made hamburgers and guac for dinner and had Addie's parent join us before her mom (Ally) and I headed out to the Relief Society Activity.  It was a fun little getting to know you activity, and it was a lot of fun to get out and hang out with friends.  

Friday was our normal business.  The kids had a lot of fun enjoying some great weather.  Dan got home a bit early - but then left again to go give a blessing to a friend's baby who was sick.  

Saturday was flute lessons, cleaning house, watching the snow fall and working on this.  I've been working on this quilt for over 9 years - not consistently - I get a bunch done, then it sits and waits for me to move on to the next part - I think it spent at least 3 years waiting for me to get it quilted... and at least another year waiting for me to start working on the binding - but it's now 100% finished!  The Sunbonnet Sue squares were found in my Grandma's basement after she passed away - we're not really sure who started them - but we think it might have been my Grandmother's grandmother.  So to me its' a bit of family history - now we gotta find a place to hang it... 

Today went well - Heather sat with us and helped out with the kids so  Sacrament wasn't too bad.  There are lots of wonderful people willing to help out the families of our bishopbric members - all of whom are 40 and under and all of whom have young kids.  It's really a great ward to be in!  Fast and Testimony meeting was wonderful - Anna fasted through breakfast with us - but I don't think I did a good job explaining why or what exactly we were doing - so I think she was less than excited about being hungry...