Well, I have to be honest. Today was very very very hard. I had my new little lady, who was understandably irritable. (nursing babe, teacher parents, 9 mos)

The morning merry-go-round is going to be where I need to figure some things out. Especially when Seminary starts. Conan needs to leave for work at 6:45. Right now...he can bring the girls.(If I stay at seminary and walk....the girls will be needed to tend our ML until I get back at 7:00) Then, when Seminary starts...I would have to run them to school, lickety-split, to be back for childcare. At 7:15 my little friends start arriving. Then, at 7:50, the school girls (childcare) must be at the bus...but the boys need to be to school no later than 8. (on some days, that will entail loading three little people in the car...I have done it before....Can I do it again!!????) Now..if the bus is right on time...this will be fine. But if it is late, as it was today, I will have to run the fellas to school, and continue on to the girls' school, to keep the boys from being late.

Then, peace will reign, and Conan will do the afternoon shift of running everyone everywhere and home.

So..what to do? Do I give up walking?...then I would have to go back and forth twice to the church, and bring ML the second time. I want to walk, and winter is coming...I do not want to get ML up everyday.

Ideally, the boys will make some really nice, safe friends with a car, and get a ride to school...that would REALLY help!

They can walk, if the weather is decent, but it is quite a walk..not just a block or two. I don't like that option.

Or do I just wait for the bus?...and if it is a tad late, they may be a tad late, but the world wouldn't end if they were. That would save me the childcare school run.

Ack!!! what to do??!

Back to School

Everyone goes back to school today! (well, except a High School guy) I will miss having them around and having a more relaxed schedule.

However, having everyone out of the house will allow me to have a more manageable schedule throughout the day.

However, getting everyone to everywhere may just drive me crazy. We have three different school schedules to work out...High School, Elementary School, and Middle School. And, I had four little people to juggle while I did it all today. Yikes.

This will be an opportunity to grow and learn about preparedness and organization. (Sounds just like me, huh!?)

Gratitude and humility

I was having a chat with my husband the other day...about gratitude, and how gratitude affects our outlook on life. Are we grateful for what we have, or are we grumbly about what we don't have?

This morning, as I was driving my boy to work...I saw several people walking, who caught my attention. One was a young boy...pants down low...walking with an annoying cocky sort of a walk. I first thought "what a dope" but then as I watched him, he reached out and hit a tree...just in the way my boys do when they are hurt and sad...then he reached up and rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, I wondered what sort of pain was in his life...what made him dress in a way to attract attention, to prove he is tough and doesn't care. I wondered what was making him sad this morning. I felt sad for him, and thankful that I have had such a lucky and blessed life.

Another was a girl whose bent and twisted body contorted with every step. For her, not only does every day present possible challenges, but every single step, an obstacle to overcome. I felt humility and gratitude. Challenges we may all have, but are we grateful for those things that come easy, like walking? Do we reach out to help others whose burdens out weigh ours?

“Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers” (D&C 112:10).

Happiness

I have a dream forming in my mind. It is of the place I will live when I am rich and famous and retired. It will be on the coast of Maine, a small and tidy cottage, looking out over the ocean, surrounded by gardens bursting with color and nestled not too far from the trees. I will sit on my porch, resting in the tickling caresses of the ocean breezes, on a calm day! And on a stormy day, I will revel in the powerful play of the wild wind, stirring the air and my soul. Since a concern has been voiced about the tick population, my yard will be tended by tick eating guinea hens...dutifully scratching and pecking the ticks away.


You know...I am feeling pretty happy these days. Childcare has been very quiet...the calm before the storm...without a doubt.

Yesterday, I experimented with a super duper new blender I received for my Birthday. Fruit smoothies...twice! (once for the girls...early...once for the sleepy boys..later)

We used blueberries, strawberries, banana...cantaloupe...yogurt and milk...vanilla..YUM!!!

Wednesday

Good Morning Friends and Family,
Not much has been going on...except the usual mayhem and frantic pace of keeping up with five children.

But I have started to feel some direction in my life, and I don't think it will be easy, but it has the potential of being good.

I have decided to stick with childcare, and upon making that decision, have had call after call of new families. I have a babe, who will start with the start of school. Then I am meeting with a mother and children today...three school age boys!!!! YIKES!! But...I am going to be clear that I would like a two week trial, and I will have to be honest and strong if it doesn't work!

Last night I submitted the request to cut back hours at JC Penneys...and hopefully, if they honor that, I will only work Fridays and Saturdays...and perhaps gather some extra hours through the holidays and covering for people from time to time.

I have a secret! I think that I will have time and a structure that will allow me to walk this fall. Ah the blessings of Seminary! I will have to have the boys there at 6, and they will need a ride home at 7...I am pretty excited that there will be a structure that will allow me to take care of my body. What happens after that??? I am a little stressed about how to get everyone everwhere and be here for childcare arrivals etc....but "line upon line..."

Delicious treasures

Look at this! I have been drooling over this dress for months...watching as one by one they got sold. I don't have a little girl to shop for...it is too gorgeous to give away to just anyone...but since I had free money, and it was on clearance...I went for it!!!! OH PLEASE...someone have a little girl!

At work, sometimes you can get "Rupp Bucks" (Mr. Rupp is the store manager) You get them for being a very very good girl.(or boy I suppose) Well last night I got $15 worth! I decided to spend them on just fun things...without worrying about needs.
The silly outfit on the left is one I have been drooling over...cause it is just silly and fun. But I just could not justify the money. So, as a result, there was only a 3T...we will have to wait a very long time to see her in it. The one on the right is just sweet!

Saturday

Hey look! My project is pretty much almost done! We have been putting along doing this project, and the end is in sight. I just love it!


I don't know if any of you were aware, but this little area used to be broken and annoying drawers....Conan and the boys put in very very very nice shelves, that now can hold my pots and pans, baking stuff, and we saved two of the drawers. So very nice! Today, it should be mostly done. I will have some touch up work to do, and I hope Conan can add a little door over my new cupboard space! Then life will be SWEET!!!

Obsessive project

Well folks...I bet you have wondered what I have been up to! (at least I like to think that maybe you are that curious about me)

I got caught up in quite a project this week. I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned my basement. It sadly is still not done, but I got about half done, and enough that I could set up a sewing area. This was a large part of my motivation to do it. (It also was just stinky and dirty...needed to be done.)

So I set up my table, Miss Mayflower painted a yucky book shelf that was down there...I hung up unfinished projects...to inspire me. Some of them just need to wait until I have finances to finish...some just need my time.

So...my first project...I have a friend, who gave a gentle suggestion to try out cloth pads...as I have mentioned before. I was highly skeptical, but willing to give it a go. So as you know my first round was OK...super comfortable, but not so effective. I can't really afford to shop around...cause those buggers are expensive! But, I wanted to give it a fair chance...cause they were so soft and comfortable. And BTW...this is worth it to me, cause I can't stand tampons...so uncomfortable.

So in a crazy moment of lack of self control...I bought some lovely fabric, that can have many uses...but that I may use to make my own! That way I can experiment for far less. Last night I began. (and could not stop till it was finished, at nearly 2 a.m.! Oh I am crazy!) I actually did not start off my using my new fabric, but some stuff that I had around. BTW...it is blueberry fabric that I got to make my Grandmother Mary Lou a pretty bandage to go around her cancer site on her leg. She wanted something pretty to cover up the ugly bandaging.

So here is the process... First I studied the ones I received as a gift...I liked the one on the right cause it is so neat and tidy...So I started there.
But, I wanted something bigger, so I made some paper patterns, first just on white paper, till I got it the way I wanted it, then I made them from heavier paper, so I could trace around and reuse them if I wished.



So then I cut the pieces...one of the items that I think is needed for success is PUL...a waterproof material. I went to the re-store, hoping to find some. I think I may have, but I am not sure. My little Who girl has some diapers that are lovely, soft, pliable and very waterproof. The stuff I got was not so soft and pliable...so I know already that I am not going to use it again...the appeal of a cloth pad was its softness and comfort. I might have to indulge and actually buy some, but it is pricey.

The green stuff is the waterproof material. And I guess you can see that I used a regular pad to help guide my process as well.
So then I made a little insert...cause I am really worried about leaking. It is just made of a bit of an old towel...although I also added two layers of flannel as well..just in case.

I have to show my faithful companion...Wally.

And finally the finished and oh so pretty product. The prettiness is so appealing...I find the idea of having pretty things to look forward to in the midst of a generally unpleasant experience..quite nice!

So there it is...Ideally I will get some snaps...but for now I used a bit of Velcro...it won't stay though. I read online, as I looked at how others have done this...to use little channels..just like "real" pads. We will see how it works!

Oh...and look how cute it looks, all folded up and ready for service! (please ignore the yucky bathroom wall.. so much work to be done)