This & That

OK, this week...whew has been crazy! I love having Ben home. I do. Honest. But with him home comes a huge amount of freedom. He doesn't have to go back to work until the 24th and so it is like this...built in babysitter. I can go exercise, or to the store on a moments notice. Without dragging 4 kids behind me. When he was gone, I was very scheduled because I had to be. I needed to make the most of my time while kids were at school or with friends. But now? I just walk out the door and say "I'll be back". It's nice...except our schedule is completely off. The house is a mess. I mean a mess. But I never know if I am going to be home...or out running errands. Unfortunatley for the kids...today we are staying home. I am going to clean all day until I can feel peace again!

Tues was fun. Last year on the 4th it was so busy that we didn't even have a chance to catch our breath. We went to the beach, came home and picked up our van, went to a bbq and then headed to fireworks. A long full day. This year we headed to the Y and went swimming. Came home and took naps. I told the kids that I wasn't going to take anyone to fireworks who hadn't slept. Everyone slept! Ben bbq'd dinner for us and than we gathered stuff up to go to the fireworks. We went to the same place we did last year, Town Point Park, and had a great time watching the fireworks.

Wed. was tiring! In an effort to be a better person, I volunteered to make a dessert for a missionary zone conference being held at the stake center. Ben thought I was taking the kids to the free movie at the theater. So he made a deal with me that if I took the big kids out for the day he would straighten the house. I said ok and off we went. Dropped the dessert off, went to AC Moore ( lovin' their scrapbook section these days!), Kroger and then to the playplace at the mall. They played for awhile and then we went to McDs for happy meals. After the Disney store was having a 50% off sale that we checked out. The kids each found toys that were only 2.50! Nice. We dropped books and movies off at the library and then came home. I walked in and the only thing clean was the living room. Ben's excuse? "Marie, it's hard to get anything done with Ivan around." I did not say anything to that. I think my expression spoke for itself. Connor hadn't finished his choc. milk from McD's and Ivan found it. I made Connor share it with Ivan and then told him thank you for being a nice big brother and sharing and he glared at me and said, " But I didn't even want to share."

Thursday I got up and went and exercised first thing in the morning. That felt nice. Came home and tried to get things done. Ben had a lunch "thing" for a guy who is leaving. They were pretty good friends and now they are being transferred. But the exciting news on Thursday( and no Susan I am not pregnant!) is that I now have my own scrapbook room! No, we aren't making all the kids share or anything. We have been having to do a lot of room re-arranging because Ben bought me a lving room set. We had planned to get a couch. Singular. But we got a whole set. So now one of the couches has to be in our bedroom. Oh well. OK long story short, we have a huge walk in closet in our bedroom. All of my scrap stuff had just been in our bedroom but in order to make room for the couch, we moved everything in there. So now I have my own room. All of my stuff fits in there. I am so excited to have my own space. I don't care how small it is..it's mine.

I have rambled on. I know. Just feels like there is so much going on lately. Ben's parents are coming in a week and the kids are excited. It is going to be a busy time, and I think they are going to need a vacation from there vacation.

I can't even begin to say how much I appreciate them watching the kids so Ben and I can go away for a couple of days. We haven't done that in 4 years. Way excited. Anyway, sorry I am a little boring today. Just random mumblings....