Every day stuff.

Spencer was sick today and stayed home from school. I was really looking forward to sleeping in and it turns out Spencer needed to get some more sleep too--Hooray!. Josh by some miracle slept until 9:30 and then went back to bed until 10:30.  That was a tender mercy for me.  At 10:30 I started a movie on the laptop in Josh's room for him to watch while he was in his crib. Spencer watched too in the rocking chair near by.  I got a few things done downstairs and showered. Of course as I was putting on my makeup I hear an enthusiastic "mom...see" from Josh's room and an alarmed holler from Spencer alerting me that Josh is stuck. I go in Josh's room and find him dangling from his ankle that got caught in the crib. He seemed like he was in shock but not scared. His face was purple from the blood being rushed to his face. It was pretty funny.

 After that incident we decided to head downstairs and get some laundry done.  I probably let Josh watch way too much tv lately. We put on another movie Car's

.  He loved it and yelled, "Mom...see...CARS!"  "See...Day-day...CARS!"  He also did a lot of dancing to the music. It was pretty cute. 

. Spencer and Josh are banished to the back yard regularly so they can play and have fun and so I can regain my sanity. I usually use this time to destress.  Sorting, editing and organizing pictures is very relaxing for me and I appreciate having even just a few minutes to do something mindless.

 I love watching my boys play outside. This backyard is everything I hoped it would be when we decided to put some grass in. I have so many happy memories from my childhood in my yard...I really hope my kids are able to create some as well. Nothing smells better than freshly cut grass and roses.

 It's nice to have a place to play and get messy even eat messy foods. I let Josh feed himself out here and the clean up is easy. Let the dog get what is on the ground and windex the table. Awesome!

 Piano practice today was an extreme challenge but also very fun.  The boy's piano teacher Makenzi Jennings requires that I attend all of the practices to take notes and then practice with them individually each day.  I have not been to lessons for about 4 months. Nor have I practiced with the boys. This week I went back to lessons and we practiced together for the first time in ages. I loved it.  I love the connection I feel to my boys by spending that one on one time with them. I couldn't give them my full attention since I was holding the baby and playing blocks with Josh and preventing him from hurting her but, I was sitting right next to them and could be sure they were practicing the right thing and give some positive feedback.

 I am so busy I feel like I rarely take the time to teach Josh anything. We talked about the colors of the blocks and tried to build a few things. He preferred acting like a puppy and slapping Kate when I wasn't looking. That little boy...he sure is a rascal.

By the time Tyler got home I managed to get a few loads of laundry folded and the dishes washed from the last few days. I did not want to be in the house for another minute nor did I want to dirty any dishes. So we went to inn and out burger and to the park. It was really nice to get outside and leave the mess behind.  Once home Tyler bathed Josh for me so I could go on a walk alone. I took Bella and walked all the way down to the elementary school and back.  I felt like I was in elementary school again for some reason. I thought about dropping in at all of my friends houses along my route. It was like heaven to be out in the nice cool air and see the bright full moon and to hear the silence. No one needed me. After 45 minutes I was like a new person ready to give Kate a bath.  I guess this is how life is going to be from now on. I am learning how essential things like walks, and movies, and breaks are to my and the kids sanity. Life is so full of the things that stretch us and make us grow that it is nice to balance it out with the things that make us laugh or help us recover from it all.