A Top Ten List

We've had a busy week. Not busy with anything out of the ordinary, just busy with life. I feel like there were so many times that I've just been way to impatient this week. So before I attempt to measure my week by the amount of things that did or did not get checked off on my to-do list, I thought I'd have a little fun and post a top 10 list of things that made me smile this week. (The picture is pretty unrelated to the post. Daniel and I went to the mall today and spent quite some time looking at the fountain.)

Top Ten Things That Made Me Smile This Week

10. Our run to the pool store. We needed something to treat the post-storm algae, so I put Daniel in the stroller, put my running shoes on and out we went. I told Daniel that I'd give him an apple when we got there. As I was looking around for the algae treatment, Daniel kept asking the sales people, "excuse me, can I have my apple now". I get so used to hearing the kids talk that sometimes I just tune them out (as they will do to me when they are teenagers, I'm sure). After a few minutes I realized that poor Daniel was upset and thought we were buying an apple at the pool store. I pulled his apple out of the bag under the stroller to quiet him down. Only now he kept stopping everyone, "see, I've got my apple". We then ran on the Seminole Trail for a bit and he bragged about his apple to every squirrel, bird or butterfly we passed..."see, I've got an apple".

9. Pancakes for Dinner - tonight the kids were crabby. I let them vote on what we were having for dinner. We use the majority rules system in our house and I only cook what wins the vote. Tonight's options were grilled cheese or blueberry pancakes. (In my defense, I don't usually cook on Friday nights - it's a sandwichy kindof night as we wrap up from the hectic week.) I knew Joshua would want blueberry pancakes since his class studied Blueberries for Sal this week. Pancakes won unanimously and everyone was happy at the dinner table.

8. Carpool line naps - Ordinarily, I show up at the kids' school a little early and park off to the side so that once they kids are out front for pick-up, I don't have to wait in the line of cars. For the past two days, Daniel has fallen asleep just as we are turning into the school parking lot. He's so much nicer when he's had a little nap, so I am glad to give him some mid-day shut-eye. Although him napping means I must stay in the car and brave the dreaded carpool line. I realized this week that it isn't as bad as I thought. I can be one of the first few people in line if I show up 15 minutes before school lets out. That gives Daniel a nice little nap, and I get to sit and read for a bit before the kids are released.

7. Kindergarten room parent - I'm so glad I don't have this job. I have a tendency to put way too much pressure on myself and volunteer myself for too many things. In Kodiak, I was busier as a SAHM than I was when I was working full time outside of the home. During the Wednesday night meeting, Joshua's teacher asked if any parent would volunteer to be the room parent for the year. I could hear the crickets chirping outside as every other parent in the room shifted their weight in the way too tiny Kindergarten sized seats we were sitting in. It reminded me of high school, I was thinking don't make eye contact with the teacher and maybe she won't call on you. Fortunately, another mom volunteered to help coordinate the year. At the end of the night, I agreed to help make some phone calls on an as-needed basis to help coordinate some field trips.

6. Rain - I'm so glad we had a little bit of rain almost every day this week. Mostly because I keep forgetting to water the lawn. I can count on one hand the amount of times I actually had to water the lawn in Kodiak. Here, I am so confused - I can water on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Trash goes out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But yard trash goes out on Wednesdays. Recycling goes out on Mondays, but don't put it near your regular trash. I think I finally have it all down (actually, I'm cheating, I have it all on a sticky here on the desk!). But seriously, it is fantastic to sit out on the porch at night and listen to the rain hitting the porch roof, watching it splash in the pool, and smelling the new scents that rain brings.

5. Grandma - Grandma came over Wednesday night so that I could go to the meeting for Joshua's classroom. Not only did she watch the kids, but they were bathed and ready for bed when I got home. Yippee. Grandma also ran a lot of errands for us this week - she went to the box office to get our Disney on Ice tickets. And she went to another far away mall to get much-needed shoes for the boys. It is so nice to not have to venture out with all the kids to do some of these things.

4. Going to chapel - today I dropped off bagels for Megan's classroom brunch. The teacher asked me if I could walk with the kids to the gym for chapel. Daniel was a champ and stayed nice and quiet on my lap. Megan's class was so cute. And I could see Joshua across the gym just singing his little heart out to the songs. It was nice. I wasn't prepared to stay and I felt a little nervous because Daniel was in underpants and not a diaper, and I was wearing shorts, a tank top and flip-flops. I need a more grown-up look.

3. Sleep - after chasing the monsters away earlier this week. I am happy to report that due to sheer exhaustion, everyone has gone to bed on-time tonight. No extra drinks of water, no last minute potty runs, no tears...it is nice to have a quiet house.

2. Keith - I am always glad when we get to spend time together. But this week I was very glad he was at the park with us on Labor Day. He has an amazing way of balancing out my worrying with his reassurance that the kids are better climbers than I think they are. I worry when the little kids climb on the big climbing structures at the park. He just patiently stands within an arms reach of them and lets them do their thing. I need to look away for fear of one of them breaking a leg or knocking out a tooth. He has such confidence in them. And in me, he's been trying to help me sort out my thoughts about me returning to work and grad school.

And the number one thing that makes me smile this week -

1. It's FRIDAY!! Yippee - the laundry is done, the house is about as tidy as it's going to get for the next day or so. The kids clothes are ironed for church this weekend. The menu for next week is made. We are ready to have an awesome weekend.