Going Bananas

Today was a whirlwind.

It began with grocery shopping, I haven't been in weeks and to top that off, I needed to get banana split material for cub scouts. Tonight was the night that all the boys lose sleep over and all the parents grind their teeth over, the pinewood derby. I had planned for the normal 30-total that usually show up to pack meeting and just about lost it when I walked in 5 minutes late and saw more like 70 people...Wow! these people really come out of the woodwork for this event. Luckily I had brought two, 5-gallon tubs of ice cream and enough bananas to cut in half and thank goodness for all of the helping hands that cut and scooped and poured and locked the kitchen door to keep the herds of cub scouts and siblings out! The night was a long one and I had to leave in-between heats to pick up Sam at soccer practice and Maggie at home after being dropped off from her own soccer practice (Brian had late meetings tonight)...crazy! Sadie just rolled with it and was one of the few children lucky enough to be allowed in the kitchen. She screamed for ice cream and yelled for "Yummy"and of course she got what she wanted, eventually.

I was especially grateful for Maggie and Sam tonight for the following behavior:
- responsibly took care of Sadie while I was trapped in the kitchen
- refrained from running, yelling, screaming and hanging from the curtains on the stage like the rest of the kids there
- getting the majority of their homework done before soccer and scouts
- showering without being asked and not fighting over who-gets-to-shower-in-mom-and-dad's-shower-first (they maturely figured it out)
- no complaining about an 8:30 dinner

Brian told me today as he left for work to find something today that would make me smile. After putting the kids to bed tonight, waves of gratitude swept over me, gratitude for my kids...I have amazing kids. I don't tell them that enough...but I really appreciate them. They have always been wise beyond their years, from the very beginning, just the thought of them, makes me smile.

A few thoughts on time.

I have never liked the ticking of a clock or for that matter, the passing of time. The empty ticking sound drives me crazy, my brain seems to zone in on that tick, tock ticking sound and can't seem to relax enough to sleep. I have never liked wearing a watch either. I can't stand to think that my watch ticks away the time while blood still runs through my veins. I don't need to be reminded every moment of every day that time is passing. I read once that we should find ourselves naturally uncomfortable with 'time' because we are eternal beings. I believe that wholeheartedly. In college I would get to my classes on time, but it wasn't by my own watch, it was by watching when the walkways got busy or when the library started to empty out or when the shadows on the lawn would change. I only remember being late to two classes in my college career. One because I fell asleep during a short break and the other because I failed to hear or maybe set my alarm on a finals day. The passing of time is not my friend and yet it is a part of life.

The transition back into the school routine is also a part of life and yet is is not my friend either. The routine has been a lot harder on me then on the kids. I feel a little out of my element and I hate being the nagging after-school Mom that seems to always be saying the following phrases, "sit down and do your homework"..."hurry and do this so you have more time to do that,"... "get in the car now or we are going to be late." I miss those blissful relaxing days of summer when I didn't have to nag and when time wasn't my dictator. I hate the pressure of 'not enough time in the day' and the pressure of 'getting the kids into bed on time so they aren't exhausted the next day'. I hate feeling over scheduled and the feeling that my kids are over scheduled (even if they only have one after-school activity a few times a week), and yet, that one activity consumes the late afternoon hours and then there is dinner and homework and the night waxes on. I found myself doing the dinner dishes last night at 10:00 p.m...I remember thinking "I've got to find a way to get it together" and yet, that even takes time.

First Day of School Party

The kids started at a new school this year...there are uniforms and earlier hours but they had a great first day and were so excited to tell me all about it...we celebrated with a little party after dinner.

It wouldn't be the first day of school without the annual front porch photo. 

admiring their First Day of School Crowns 

I had fun making the crowns while Sadie was sleeping.

Of course she would want to wear one...for a few minutes...(I didn't make this one)

He wore his all night.

And the First Day of School book cake was a hit, especially because it wasn't a cake but brownies.

Labor Day Weekend

We headed up America Fork Canyon to Cascade Springs...the springs were really pretty, the water was so clear and the weather was a perfect overcast. We planned on eating lunch at Sundance, but the Highway Patrol closed the road for a half hour to tow a few cars that had parked illegally, so we ate lunch out of the back of the car on the canyon road. We stopped for ice cream at Sundance.

Cascade Springs, watching the fish

Sundance after lunch and ice cream.

A rare photo (without kids)

Catching Up...Again

I have an entire summer of catching up to do...what can I say, I haven't blogged since July, yet that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about it...the kids have been home and the little 'free' time I've had has gone to sleeping, eating, and doing the laundry even though I wouldn't say I am caught up on that either. It was a whirlwind of a summer at our house...below is the list of what we remember from this summer.

June:
A week floating and playing at Lake Powell
Celebrating our anniversary in Park City
Finishing our basement (including waiting around all day for contractors who say they are coming at this time ---- and really show up at this time ----)...and cleaning up all the dust
Homework to keep the kids caught up
Chores and piano lessons
The slip n' slide
Kung Fu Day Camp for Sam

July:
Celebrating the 4th of July and my birthday
Still working on that basement, decisions, decisions, decisions,
Evening bikerides and smores around the firepit
Mosquito bites

Homework to keep the kids caught up

Chores and piano lessons
Harry Potter
Driving to soccer practice
Pioneer and Harry Potter Day Camp for Maggie
Pioneer Day

August:
Uncle Adam's wedding reception in our backyard
Family reunions
Homework to keep the kids caught up

Chores and piano lessons

Hiking to Donut Falls,
The basement getting finished, finally!
Thanksgiving Point Dinosaur Museum and digging for trilobites
The animal farm
Silverlake and the mosquitos
Maggie's 3 soccer tournaments
Movie nights
Fishing with Brian, Sam catches his first fish!
Summer evening soccer, football and baseball
the stomach flu (ugh!)
Park City, the Alpine Slide, the hotel, the pool, the wii and arcades

September before school starts:
The Children's Garden and Thanksgiving Pt.
The Zoo and more fishing
Cascade Springs and Sundance

The Zoo

Usually she moves like a Hare, today it was the Tortoise.

Sadie is always on the go, it's hard getting a good photo of her.

Stop Monkeying Around Sam!