Remembrances

First week of school: check!

It's been a good week! Usually we think of back to school as all about the kids, but this week I feel like it's been all about me. I have been getting to bed earlier (9:30, except on Thursday) and getting up earlier (before 5:30). A full night's rest has made me happier and more productive. The kids gone all day has made my house stay clean longer. Joe home for a week before seminary starts has made mornings easier and more fun (because I'm big enough admit that he's the one who makes life fun around here). Ammon and I have been having bonding time every morning--play doh, coloring, just dance, cooking, cleaning, reading--and lots and lots of playing with friends. Have I told you that I have the best friends?? In general, I have felt so very blessed and happy this week.

Logan sings every day when he gets home, "I LOVE FOURTH GRADE!!"

Madison starts out crying about not wanting to go to school, but comes home happy with stories about being friends with everyone and how smart she is.

Grant loves loves loves kindergarten and proudly shows me his green smiley face every afternoon. We did have to have a talk after he told me that he "gets green smiley faces everyday because he does what he's told and when the other kids don't he tells them what they are supposed to do." Grant--just worry about you!!

Madison dropped tacks down our carpeted stairs and yelled down to me one night, "Mom, be careful when you go upstairs. . . there might be tacks on the stairs." Yikes.

And Ammon has only had one rough morning this week, and that was after Dad had helped him to make a lunch and let him put it in his lunch box, which he then put into his backpack, and then into the car when dad took everyone to school.

Have I mentioned that I've really enjoyed having Joe home in the mornings? In case you didn't know, the youth in our church attend an early morning seminary each day at 6:00 am before school starts. Joe was asked to teach 2 years ago, and will be starting his third year on Monday. I've actually really enjoyed his calling (because like I said, this is all about me), but because the location has been moved this year it means that we will not see him at all in the mornings. :( I know that we, and the youth, will be blessed because of his service, but we will really miss him--and I will miss him the most. We spent the week trying to figure out a schedule that will make our mornings run as smoothly as possible when he isn't around to help. The kids make their own lunches after dinner the night before and then lay out their clothes for the next day before going to bed. Now. . . if only I could get them to get out of bed when I come in their rooms at 6:00--right now we are averaging about 4 remindings (begging, more like it) over 20 minutes. If you have any ideas of how to make them more independent in this area let me know. My only solution is to let them go to school hungry and in their pajamas. So anyway, this week Joe has been extra sweet and has helped with breakfast and has been taking the kids to school--including Ammon (which is why Ammon cried so much)--and giving me about 15 minutes in the morning all to myself.

Speaking of sweet, he made us breakfast this morning while I was showering, and then he took all the kids to his office--where they will watch BYU's first game of the season with him. I have to admit, I feel a little lost all by myself, though I know I should be really excited about this opportunity to do whatever I want. Shop? Read? Sleep? Clean? Blog? Work on my class? Eat in silence? Hmmm..... all of the above?

I did write and submit an assignment on my class this morning. I wrote about some of the experiences we have had over the past few years--something I had been meaning to write down for a long time. If you would like to read it, I am trying to figure out how to link it or attach it, as it's probably too long to leave as a blog post.

And speaking of pretty long, this is getting there!