Random happenings

Some days I think a lot is going on around here...and other days I think life is downright boring.  Some days I think I've got a good grip on the mothering thing...and other days I'm pretty sure my kids would be better off somewhere else.  This week has been a mix of all of that stuff and a hundred emotions, and I just have to say I'm grateful for a husband who balances the crazy factor with a measure of calm and a dose of humor and two helping hands.

With that said, I give you a list (because my brain constantly keeps lists) of the random things that have happened this week that my record-keeping self thinks merit mentioning but perhaps do not individually deserve a blog post.  Or something like that.  In no particular order, the following things have happened in the last ten-ish days:

• Gavin asked how many birthdays he would have.  I told him I expected him to enjoy upwards of 70 more.  He is thrilled at the prospect of 70 birthdays.
• Gavin has told me 3,406,947 times that his favorite color is green. He has also reminded me that the door to the gas intake on the van is round, while the gas door on Dad's car is square.
• Garry turned 35 and was spoiled with additions to his wardrobe, tool collection, and electronic accessories.  We enjoyed a marvelous date Wednesday night -- maybe the first since Christmas.
• My Pearl of Great Price study group moved to Wednesday mornings (yay!) but my Wednesday morning babysitter is moving to Idaho (boo!).  I look forward to the possibility of continuing our classes through the summer, provided I can wrangle a sitter every week.
• Lexi has learned the ABC song.
• A wire shelf in the office closet pulled out of the wall and crashed to the ground for probably the fifth time.  Its permanent demise spawned yet another closet project.  This one has involved lots of purging, which makes me happy, but cannot be completed until Garry installs a new shelf.
• I found an outfit to wear when I present at Women's Conference.  While it's not quite "fabulous," it is better than "modest and not hideous."  Where did I find this gem, you ask?  Why, at Target.  Isn't that grand?  Thanks to all who offered advice and suggestions and condolences.  I now task you all with the impossible: find me a maternity swimsuit.  I tell you now: it cannot be done.
• Tyler participated in the Three Piggy Opera at school.  We stood in the back of the gym for the performance, partly because we weren't early enough to get seats, and partly because we manage best when certain small folk can dance and roam.  Tyler looked smashing in his pink paper plate piggy mask.
• Zach and Ty joined the Landsharks running club.  Run, boys, run!
• Zach's final chess club meeting happened.  He participated in an in-school tournament on Thursday but opted not to join the district tournament in two weeks.  He thinks competing will take up too much of a Saturday.  He disappointed his teachers and his parents with this choice, but it wasn't a battle we felt was worth fighting.  Maybe next year.
• The Littles visited the library and the mall playground for possibly the first time in their young lives.  I know, I'm a bad mom.  But when I took them, it felt heroic...and possibly repeatable.
• I made an 8x8 pan of brownies one afternoon last week and hid it in my closet.  It took more than a week, but I ate every single bite myself.
• We have finally and officially put away the paper plates and cups and forks and spoons until after the baby arrives.  They were a lovely coping mechanism for a few months, but we are ready to move on.
• While out shopping the other day, I was thinking of Baby and wandered into the baby boy clothing section again.  I still can't wrap my brain around this little girl thing!
• Zach and Tyler have taken turns with out-of-control orneriness, back-talking, and screaming this week.  For each yelling episode each boy earned a job.  In a ten-minute period, Zach racked up 11 chores.  It took Tyler a half an hour to accumulate 17 chores.  Needless to say, I haven't done much housework this week...but the boys have.
• One of Zach's jobs was to vacuum out the van.  He left all the interior lights on, which killed the battery.  Garry, my "knight in dirty old car," came to our rescue.
• I am now going downstairs to tell the boys "lights out," put up my feet, work on Lexi's memory book, and watch Dan in Real Life.

The end.