These Days

 Today started bright and early at 5:50am with Ollie banging on his door and yelling "MAA!" I walked squinty eyed across the cold hardwood floor and crawled right back into the toddler bed. Ollie giggled and spent the next half an hour kissing my face all over and sitting on my head. Before long we joined the rest of the littles downstairs where we sat in a dimly lit living room watching cartoons until everyone woke for the day. 

We ate breakfast, signed reading logs and agendas, packed lunches, and practised musical instruments. Then we all gathered together for scriptures and family prayers. Since Camilla started school I can count on one hand how many mornings we have missed reading our scriptures. It's not always easy, but it's always worth it! Their day goes so much better when we begin it this way. 

We watched a little boy all morning, and Joe volunteered to make lunch again. He can pretty much make Kraft Dinner all on his own (I just have to turn on the stove) and he loves to dish it up and serve everyone their plates. He always makes sure that "the little ones can go first" because he can wait since he's bigger. 

 After lunch I put the little boys down for a nap. Ollie fell asleep in front of his door for the second day in a row. I could barely squeeze my arm in to grab a picture, and then I gently pushed my way in and put him into his bed. 

 While Fin and Ollie napped, Joseph helped me whip up a double batch of our favorite big soft ginger cookies. Half way through he told me that it would go much faster if we were both rolling (I was working on a lasagna for dinner at the same time). I took over rolling the balls and he covered them with sugar. Suddenly, it became a race to see if he could empty the bowl before I plopped another ball into it. He giggled so hard his face turned red, and I even had a good laugh. It was so fun to spend some one on one with him. 

 I absolutely adore his level of concentration here. That tongue sticking out totally adds to the cuteness factor. 

 We played "war" with a deck of cards (his favorite game) in between pans of cookies. Joseph's love language is quality time, so I always try and make sure I carve out some special time for him during the day. Lately it has been playing games together while the little boys nap. 

 I'm certain Finley's nose woke him up, because he joined us in the kitchen shortly after the first pan came out of the oven. He was quick to jump on the stool and help in any way he could and enjoyed eating half a pan of cookies when he thought I wasn't looking. Then they burned it off by running around the basement couch a million times with their toy airplanes, spit flying everywhere as they made the sound effects and animations.

 We managed to squeeze in a little bit of school before the kids got home. We worked on the "it" family today. He builds it, sounds it out, and writes it down. When I see how much he's catching on I can't help but smile big and get all excited for him! We are almost ready for our big reader and work book! 

The kids came home from school and ate half of the cookie jar and then gathered at the kitchen table with three decks of cards. Hyrum told me that my veggie tray would be the ultimate skate park (for his mini skate board) if it didn't have veggies in it. Ha! 

I made dinner while Fin played quietly at my feet with his toy motorcycle. His sound effects were the best and I loved listening to his narration as he played. I also learned that motorcycles can sometimes snore when they're really tired. Soon a fight broke out over cards, so the big boys went to play in the bath and Camilla and I started a valentine's craft while the bread sticks cooked. The boys have recently learned how to put their faces all the way into the water and they love to practice for swimming lessons. Joe just learned how to do it without plugging his nose and is the most excited little boy ever! Daddy came home to a house filled with music and the aroma of fresh bread and lasagna. The boys stood on the stairs and jumped into his arms for a hug while the puppy jumped around at his feet in excitement. Ollie called out to him from his booster seat where I had belted him in a few minutes earlier. There was shrieks of excitement all around for our favorite guy!

After tucking in the kids I went around the house to do a quick tidy. I grabbed the two light sabers I had been side-stepping in the kitchen all day, the stray socks that are all over my house, the blocks that somehow ended up on the floor by my bed, and the clothes in the bathroom from the boys. My windows and mirrors all have circles on them from the boys' suction dart guns. There's still an arrow suctioned to the big window in the living room. No body can reach it, so the boys are just waiting for it to fall down. I am exhausted and looking forward to snuggling next to Mike in front of a fire and favorite show.