Life Lately

Thanks to all of you who supported my last post.  I love comments, and the Facebook and Google+ feedback was so validating!  The last two mornings have been so much better, but with a twist: Zach decided he wants to go to school at 7:00 (it starts at 7:45) so he can practice his bells and drums in the band room for 30 minutes. Reading scriptures just with him and Tyler is smooth sailing.  It means reading again with the Littles when they wake up, but the peace is worth the effort.

Here are some other snapshots of our life:

I am struggling to get to the gym, and my waistline shows it. One morning I took the girls on a walk and we got caught in the rain (after Lexi gave up on riding her scooter).  Note: I was not pushing a double stroller, and yet I managed to push 65 pounds of kid. We still traveled 3.3 miles.

I adore fall clothes. I tried this on just because I wanted to wear orange tights.  But I had nowhere to go, so I changed back into sweats.  Why waste a good outfit on the ironing?

Tyler had a bike rodeo for Cub Scout pack meeting last week. It had to be indoors because it was raining buckets outside. He's a little big for his bike!  He has requested a new one for Christmas.

Kate has given up the crib. {Insert weeping and wailing from Mom.} She was climbing out on a regular basis and ending up in the kitchen--or wherever people were--when she didn't want to sleep. I converted the crib into a daybed so she wouldn't hurt herself, but that made everything worse.  We started locking her door (from the outside) to keep her in, but then she would sleep in her closet, crammed between the play kitchen and the closet door, or under her bed.  Last week was pretty awful in the sleep department.  Garry finally put up a safety rail on her bed, and it seems to be keeping her in bed better.  We still lock the door, but we are all getting more sleep.

Zach's cross country meets are on Wednesdays.  Taking the kids to see him run is ridiculous, but I like being there for him.  Last week when he crossed the finish line, he was deathly gray.  He looked awful, and clearly felt it.  It took hours for him to recover.  If he'd learn to eat....  Here are some of his best buddies from the team.

 

 

Lexi has a new BFF: our next-door neighbor.  These girls run back and forth between houses, engaged in all manner of girly play.  I absolutely love it.  So do they.

I pick up Tyler and Gavin after school every day, since Gavin is too young to ride a bike home (a major street is involved). Lexi does not like to wait, so she entertains herself by plucking my nerves.  Kate generally screams because she wants to get out, but sometimes she's happy.

One day we had some time on our hands after morning errands, so Kate and I played in the park before picking up Lexi from preschool.  Her face says it all!