just a few days

Monday
New Years Eve
Kids and I clean all day long...mostly their room, aj's room, bathroom
after promising donuts and they don't comply, we go to thepark for just 30 min at the end of the day
gorgeous day, slight chill
4:30 head to HEB with the masses to get just a few items
crave Merediths artichoke dip, so I call her from the store seeking the ingredients
bump into Chrissta also fighting off the masses
5:20 home, put frozen DiGiorrnio pizza in the oven
1 pizza, 1 fresh pineapple for dinner
boys picked out "green" ice cream
Family Home Evening on New Years Resolutions and make new job chart
to Brad and Clair's to do fireworks...fun for all
9 kids to bed, michael and i watch a movie i can't even remember the title
11 msd to bed
2am kristen finishing this then going to bed after major blog purge on 2 blogs and picture editing...

Sunday
computer time at home
michael quick meetings
church
michael teach on "slow to anger"
I read Our search for Happiness half way...excellent book, helped me put many things together.

Saturday
hang around and get ready
tux picts with all the kids
1:30 P.F. Changs for lunch
eat family style...lots of yummy variety
white and dark chocolate mousse cake...i found you!!!
to mall...kids play...men sulk...women quick shop
home, ryans family pictures
5:30 leave to head back home
hallelujah, alyssa sleeps
8:30 home, unload the car, boys asleep, carry them to bed
alyssa up for a bit helping us unpack
michael finishes her kitchen, she loves it and plays

Friday
load up the troops
Monkey Bizness by 11am for discount
kirk, rachel, ry, alayna, me, mom, dad, and 5 kids
tyler got owie, i got owie, we all had fun
Red Lobster for lunch
home, lounge
alayna and i go to Nauvoo books, kroger, papa johns
get 4 celeb magazines to catch up on the latest
6pm home
6:05pm michael rolls into town...yay, we are complete (2 days apart, i miss him)
eat pizza
kids to bed except alyssa b/c she napped
watch Bourne Ultimatum

Thursday
1st morning michael is gone:(
park in the morning with 3 story playscape
after lunch debate and p.f. changs is an hour wait, we head to a family favorite, Bennigans
Broccoli Bites and Turkey O'Toole
head back to the house
russ and kim leave to go home
chat with mom, dad, ry, alayna, kirk, rachel about religious discussion
watch a few Office Season 3 episodes

Wednesday

no day after Christmas shopping for me...not interested this year
get kids and everyone ready to go to an indoor play place
11-2 we play, boys hide and shoot guns, I read and finish my Jenny McArthy book on Autism, laugh and cry...good read
ryan, alayna, russ, kim go to Pappasitto's to get us take out lunch
home, a little sad
talk to linda on the phone
3:20 lunch arrives....late, we are all hungry
4:30 play game that michael gives kim before he leaves
i get upset and sad
5:45 cry to michael before he has to leave...i want to go to, but i have to stick it out
6 michael leaves to head back home to work for 2 days
I go to CVS just for a break and to get a few things
7 i lay alyssa down and fall asleep, too
read a new book on Mothering Spiritually...its what I need
9:30 leave with girls to go see movie
Enchated, I love it!
12 into Wal Mart with girls to get the soundtrack
1 head home from our late girls night out
1:30 bed

Tuesday--Christmas Day

7:30 kids up and ready to go see what Santa brought them
put a call into Kirk where he and Rachel are at her house
he says to start without them
I tell him to get over here, we will wait
That's why we are all gathered here b/c it is his first Christmas home after his mission, so he will be here.
8 they arrive, kids picture on the stairs
we all head out to the couches to see the loot
sit around, open presents, a little bit of mayhem with the whole group
fun, good times
Michael got me a Dyson vacuum and sneaked it into our attic...I'm so excited!
alayna, kim, and I make french toast for everyone with vanilla coffee mate, so yummy!
jAMMIES all day until evening when i put my joy hot pink shirt on
Zucchini Soup for dinner
7 kids in bed, alyssa fell asleep on the floor she was so worn out
games

Monday--Christmas Eve

Monday
8 boys head out to go play basketball
9 I run to Auto store to get Michael a gift from my mom, to grocery store to get a few things
10 back home, boys home, girls are supposed to be ready
11:30 girls leave to shop a little
Toys R Us, everyone goes crazy
12:45 to Cheesecake Factory to get on the wait list, but they don't have one and we get in fast
call boys with kids at the park and tell them to get here fast.....
girls order appetizers
boys and kids arrive
Big meal.....
Alayna and I leave to go to Anthropologie to get mom a few gifts from dad
2:30 everyone done eating...of course a little more shopping on Christmas Eve
book store, with Kim to shop a little more for mom (dad gave me $200 cash)
4 everyone head back home
wrap presents
snack around b/c of late lunch
get matching jammies
read from Bible Christmas story
and Cajun Christmas from dad
kids hyper and exciting
we pull Tyler's stubborn "hook" tooth so the tooth fairy and Santa can meet in the hallway
8 kids to bed
rest of us play games
get stuff ready for the next day
11:30 bed

A few days....

Sunday
lounge in the moring
11:30 moms church, all dressed up, she has her whole clan at church
sit with Michael in Sunday School as the teacher revears Joseph Smith on his birthday
I get to go to Relief Society and I love the lesson on Personal Revelation...Know that you know...a talk from Nov. 2007 Ensign/Conference address
2:30 home, get Pork Roast dinner ready
4 eat with fam
7 kids to bed
play games with adults

Saturday
Michael bikes, we clean, we pack, we wrap presents
I take kids to Walgreens to pick out gifts for Michael
a little bit stressed
computer/empty CF cards/ready for wedding
2:30 leave with a full van and hyper kids
3:30 arrive at Richland Hall for Ms. Taylor's wedding
I'm the photographer.....
4 wedding is suppposed to start, but doesn't
4:30 it starts...I'm in front taking pictures, Michael is in the audience with the kids...at laughter moments, Alysssa laughs loud at the end and the audience laughs again at her:) very cute
eat dinner, take group shots, cake shots, bouquet/garder shots....
6 we are supposed to leave
6:40 we actually leave
begin drive to Houston for Christmas
Listen and sing loudly to Christmas songs most of the way there...Tyler loves 12 days of Christmas and Matthew love the Grinch song
after the 3rd time through, I get tired of it...with just an hour drive to go, Michael and I sing real Christmas carols...
Tyler and matthew go to sleep
Alyssa falls asleep with just 10 minutes to go (she took a nap before the wedding)
9:30 we get to my parents house before everyone else arrives from San Antonio, so I get the key from its secret spot and let us in
we put the kids straight to bed, so when everyone else arrives at 10:20 ish, the deed is done:)
watch the BYU bowl game...half of it
midnight michael and I retire to bed

Friday
Cousins play
adults chat
Jason's Deli for lunch
S.A. Botanical Gardens, Dora/Diego Exhibit
run around, play, take pictures
Sonic for treats
keep kids awake on drive home...traffic
Kim and Russ make steaks for dinner
5 nap for me for a bit
7:30 drive back home....kids sleep the whole time:)
talk to Jen and Michael on phone to stay alert

Thursday
7:30 Tyler to school
home to bake all morning...make 120 cake truffles...chocolate cake, chocolate frosting, mixed with Andes peppermint,white chocolate, dipped in chocolate and white chocolate and topped with crushed candy cane...very yummy!
10:30 get kids ready, jump in the car
11 tylers school for lunch, I was going to bring him something from Sonic, but matthew veto-ed that one and we brought misc. packaged items as I ran out the door
11:30 decorate tyler's classroom with other moms for the party
12 kids in from recess....Holiday party! games in the classroom, stress from my 2 little ones keeping contained...alyssa actually stayed in a "time out" in the stroller when i asked her to
1:15 party over, head home
1:30 sit...computer, wrap packages, mail stuff at post office
2:30 back to get tyler
3 home...pack and get ready to go to san antonio...laundry basket incident...i got frazzled and upset.... Clair stopped by
5:30 michael home, dinner, head to meeting, we head out
6:45 leave to drive to S.A.
talk to Linda the whole drive to keep me alert, phone dies when i get there and cuts us short
9pm arrive at russy's house
chat with ry and russ, chai, ty, matthew play
11 mom and dad arrive
11:20 kim and alayna back fromshopping
boys up til midnight and they think that is the coolest thing!

just a few days

Wednesday
7 everybody up...I'm feeling ill with a cold
7:30 tyler to school
8 Tyler gets award for SOAR (doing his personal best)
8:30 take matthew and alyssa to shaws
9 back to school to help in tyler's class, make christmas frame and santa ornament
10 pick up m & a
10:20 home again...rest
play and read books with kids
11:20 becca over, follow her to green belt
picks with Black extended family
12 home again, start to make cake truffles, but find i have no oil:(
run to HEB for a few items
1:30 make 2 cakes, Clair stop by with holiday treats, show her how to mush cake with frosting
2:30 get ready to go get tyler, uploading black picts, cake in fridge
stop at mailbox for a handful to christmas cards, yay!
read letters in car
3 pick up tyler
back home: watch inside edition about the new scandal...jamie lynn spears (brits sister) 16 and pregnant
edit black picts
5 candida deliver us goodies
6 dinner with fam
8 run errands, candida come

Tuesday
9 to school for yearbook class pictures....5th grade
10:30 head back home...edit picts, order fam picts at sams club
12 run errands...bed, bath, beyond...sams club, kohls
1:30 home, aj falls asleep
2 make gifts for my chosen few, mail to them at post office, aj stayed asleep in the car
pick up tyler at school
3 to Stacy's for play group...stay til almost 5:30 good chat
6 dinner, michael home
7:20 michael to mtg.
not feel well still....little computer
cuddle with alyssa on the couch and watch a little tv til michael gets home
10 to bed


Monday
Happy Anniversary to michael and me
9 matthew to bee school
11:30 party matthew serves me hot chocolate and cookies at beans home
12 pick up fruit flower arrangement
1:30 deliver it to michael at work...hang out while he works out
2 home, aj fell asleep
3 tyler at school
6 family home evening on temple marriage: watch our wedding video and look at our album
8 michael and me foot massages
9:20 michael to movie with friends (i'm ok with it...i urged him to go)
computer til late at night
11:45 michael home, we go to bed

Another week goes by

Sunday
computer: work on Christmas presents...collages for family/msd
bath kids
Alyssa red velvet Christmas dress
me black velvet Christmas dress from freshman year of college?
12 lunch
12:40 head to church, get there early
1-4 church: conduct in Primary
home, make Andes mint cookies
5:30 dinner at the Blacks...taco's
kids play, chat and hang out
8:15 leave, drive kids around to see lights, hoping alyssa would fall asleep...she was SO excited to see so many lights, no sleeping
8:30 home, she fell asleep on my shoulder just walking around
read Christmas stories to boys, they want to hear a childhood story of mine again, I tell them of when I went to Jerusalem/Bethlehem and saw where Jesus was born.

Saturday
clean house
michael bike ride
12 lunch
errands on my own while michael takes the kids out to shop for me:)
3 hours! Gap Outlet (sign up for card and change my mind)
Target, Wal Mart, Kohls
home, michael and boys work on my headboard, aj asleep
computer: picts for me
5:30 take kids to shaws to be babysat
michael and i go on date as pre anniversary to Houstons (a patient gave him a git card)
ribs, appetizsers, and warm 5 nut brownie
heb for milk and movie
8:30 get kids, chat
9 watch Evan Almighty with alyssa who won't go to bed
11 bed for all

Friday
take tyler to school
cold and rainy outside, home most of the day
stacy comes to get her canvas
jackson comes over to play
michele chats for a bit, they leave
read a pile of books to matthew and aj
1 go to school to take 4th grade class picts
hang around to get tyler
3 home...michael at work party that we weren't invited to:(
Clair over for a bit with Violet
decorate the tree
michael and boys work on headboard in garage


Thursday
7:30 tyler to school
8 take 1st grade yearbook picts at school
9 Target for a few things
10:30 out west of RR to deliver order to Tonya, stay for a while
1 head home, kids played nice, we had nice chat
alyssa fell asleep in the car
1:30 Audrey calls and she meets me at my house, work on her family Christmas card
2:45 go get tyler at school
3 meet stacy and clair at park...chilly outside
4:30 church for Activity Days: chocolate RR donuts ( yum yum ) and movie
6 to Stake Center to renew our Temple recommends
boys want to hear stories...tell boys about Mickey Mouse watch as a child and Strawberry Shortcake house

Wednesday
Bee School at our house, Christmas stories and books
12 Audrey brings Subway for lunch, we work on her Christmas card
3 get tyler
home...
5:30 michael home: Taco Salad for dinner
not much else to add (and I can't remember 5 days later)

Tuesday

7 kids up, tyler to school
7:30 to HEB to get last minute stuff
8:30 home, get ready, clean a bit
10:30 petite fours delivered, michele come to help
11:15 8 friends over for Christmas lunch of Zucchini Soup
so happy that everyone i invited was able to come:)
1 they start to leave
2:50 candida and michele stayed til the last minute, we all leave to get our kids
3 pick up tyler
6 dinner
6:25 leave for PTA Christmas party
7:10 leave that party
7:15 michael to meeting, lay with alyssa to go to sleep
stories to boys (Christmas as child...strawberry shortcake house, mickey watch) and play legos with them
8 kids in bed, computer for me until 1am...blogs, photog forum, update my blog
9:45 michael home after meeting and shop for his work secret santa
10:30 he went to bed

Another week at glance

Monday
6 tyler comes into my room telling me about a bad dream...wakes me up....drive to meet friends to jog only to find out they called to cancel the night before but I didn't hear the message:(
read scriptures and write in journal at home
7 kids up
tyler to school
9matthew to pre school
mom, alyssa, and i go to Target, red Christmas dishes
11 mom drive back home, alyssa and i to walmert/ hobby lobby
12 pick up matthew at bee school
1 get tyler at school
1:30 all 3 kids well checks at doctor...matthew and alyssa get shots:(
2:30 donut shop for treats
3 dollar store, find penguin Christmas dishes (plastic)
5:30 Michael home, FHE gingerbread tree decorate
7 michael and i clean house...mop, vacuum, bathroom, kitchen, laundry
10 bed

Sunday
8 michael to meeting
9 up and dressed
9:30 with mom, drive to quints house
10 take quint family picts, talk
11:20 head home
11:40 get ready for church, sharing time, etc.
12:45 leave for church
1 Sac. Mtg. begins, share testimony
2:30 sharing time on Christmas symbols
3:30 sharing time again
4 head home
5 pancake jamboree for dinner
6 michael go home teaching
7 michael, boys, and I go to baptism, mom stays home and puts alyssa to bed
8:30 home, chat around, matthew ice bump on his head, go to bed
9 computer...quints, blacks, journal stuff
10:30 bed

Saturday
9 michael out on bike ride with scouts, clean boys room with them
9:30 take kids to take black fam pict
10 park, run into Prevost/Dieterich clan and Light family
11 matthew birthday party to ethans
store with alysssa and tyler
11:30 jacks dad picks up tyler for cameron's party
12 michael home from scout bike ride
12:30 to ethan's party to chat with jackies family
1 leave, head to get jack and tyler at cameron's party (Main Event)
2:30 home from chaufering
3 mom arrives from san antonio, our fam heads out to tree farm
4-5:30 cut down tree, run in hay maze, buy ornaments
5:30 sausage BBQ for dinner
6:30 home
7 m and i run to wal mart
8 couples Christmas Party, white elephant gift exchange
11 home

Friday
10 park with other moms...matthew waits on the corner for jackson
12 home, lunch, jackson and matthew play
6:30 meet molina's for Trail of Lights display...Bennetts come, too....free pizza, hot chocolate, kettle corn, donuts...i love free stuff!
10 home

Thursday
kids help me clean van with vacuum and car wash
Target
run to ritz to get candida a 16x20 of her family picture
6:15 Enrichment Progressive Dinner...first to Candida's then to Michele's nice discussion on Christmas past with friends
dessert, chat
10 home

Wednesday
9-12 Stacy teaches matthew bee school
???
6:30 with sister missionaries to teach discussiont to St. Clair family who plan to be baptized on Saturday, nice talk on 10 commandments
8pm Chrissa candle party...lounge and chat

Tuesday
12 Olsen Meadows park for meeting for home room moms, plan holiday party
3 pepper rock park with stacy and kids
10 with Candida to watch Quints...chat with adults b/c babies were sleeping
up late talking with candida

Monday

Monday
6:45 up early, michael helps me burn christmas primary songs on a cd
7:30 tyler to school
8 computer: emails from client about order, plan fhe tonight
8:30 alice calls me from switzerland
9 matthew to lauren's for bee school
9:20 drop alyssa off at michele's, hang up with alice
9:40 head to my picture spot to do free session for family whose dad just came home from iraq after 15 months...quints relatives
10:20 done and home, clean up
10:40 michele drops alyssa off to me
10:50 head out to hobby lobby, bank, world market with alyssa
stores
12 pick up matthew at bee school, chat with moms
12:15 to HEB for groceries
1:15 home, computer, cartoons....have so much to finish up!
Sunday
8 michael wakes me and tells me he's going to dress alyssa for church if i don't get out of bed...I jump up!
8:45 Stake Conference seating
9-11 S.C.
11:30 home, lounge, lunch, decorate more, clean
3 tithing settlement at church
4 heather over with kids, picts in backyard
5 lasagna for dinner--everyone gobbles it up, even alyssa
6 play family card game
7 kids to bed
8 finish P.R. album, print out christmas letter, stuff envelopes
computer stuff
10 bed


Saturday
8 michael makes pancake jamboree
9 micael takes boys to church to set up chairs for stake conference
9:45 I take kids to church for baptism, michael on bike ride with scouts
11:30 back home
12 michael home, get our christmas stuff from attic
1 decorate home for christmas...the kids started helping, then found christmas coloring books and stopped helping:)
3 michael to meeting at church, Priesthood Leadership
????can't remember everything
5 Lauren over to babysit for us
5:20 michael and I go to dinner
7 Adult Stake Conf. meeting
9:30 home, relieve Lauren who is playing a card game with the boys