i'm not ready

Christmas is coming,

the goose is getting fat.

But I'm stuck at Thanksgiving.

We don't have a tree, nor stockings, but we did particpate in the Christmas parade...

That's right. We got a coveted place on the 4H float.

It rocked.

I have declared this Saturday Christmas-get-ready-day.

So, hopefully, we will have fudge being made,

Christmas movies being watched,

Christmas tree being decorated.

And hopefully Santa's gifts will arrive on time.

i'm glad it's monday

Friday
9 am: tend friend's two children
12:30: Tucker's math lesson and language lesson taught
2:00: Randy gets home early so I can head off to neighbor's wedding to take pictures
2:45: get lost on the way to wedding ceremony... begin to cry
3:00: discover I'm not actually lost and drive into the church parking lot
3:00- 4:00: enjoy ceremony and take pictures of happy bride and groom.
4:45: arrive at bride's parents home to attend Buddhist blessing of the couple
5:45: Buddhist blessing finally begins
7:00: leave early because Randy is home alone with SEVEN children and feeding the missionaries. Did I fail to mention I agreed to have a different friend's four children spend the night? Oh, and of course I forgot I was feeding the missionaries that night as well, but what's two more mouths to feed?
9:00: finally get all seven children tucked into bed.
Saturday
4:00 a.m.: wake up to whispering voices. Discover that friend's child has woken up my son to play Lego's.
4:04: tell boys to GO BACK TO BED!
6:30: all children are up for the day. Begin to cry again.
11:30: friend picks up her children.
12:00: lunch
1:00: try to put all kids down for a nap
1:15: another friend brings her three kids over to play. Unexpected, but fun.
2:45: friend leaves to shop for groceries.
3:15: friend picks up her three children
3:30: get ready to go to wedding reception.
4:00: drop off children at friend #1's home
5:00: begin picture taking
6:00: dinner and insanely loud music start
9:30: picture taking finally done.
10:15: my poor children are finally asleep
Sunday
8:30: Randy's meetings begin
11:00: Randy teaches Gospel Doctrine
12:15: I teach Young Women's
2:00: home again and girls crash
5:00: feed the missionaries AGAIN
6:00: to Branch President's home for Youth Fireside
8:30: kids finally in bed.
9:00: my head hits the pillow

Thank heaven the weekend is over.

random thoughts

As we fill our days with reading, writing, mathematics, gymnastics, and goofing around, I have discovered old favorites of mine. Jumping on the trampoline, running around outside, reading Ralph S. Mouse, Stuart Little, Matilda, The Littles. Old things are new again, it's quite fun.

Speaking of old, it's getting a little old trying to figure out why or when the garbage man will take our garbage. When we first moved to this house in July, our garbage sat on the curb for three weeks before the garbage man would take it. We saw him drive by a few times a week, always flying by our curb. And then we stopped taking our can to the curb, and so the garbage man came around to the side of the house and took it. It was like that for several weeks.
Then there was that time when the leaves started to fall. Randy was raking the leaves and the garbage man pulled over, helped Randy get the leaves in the bag for fifteen minutes, took the garbage and left. Now that's service!
But now it seems we have lost favor with the garbage man again. And our garbage still sits.

it's friday!

Have a great weekend, ya'll!

it's a boy thing

This weeks history lesson:
The First Cities of India

List of supplies:
1. two handsome boys

2. ruler
3. homemade salt dough

4. gloves? (always the dentist)

5. glue

6. some ingenuity

addition fact

What do you get when you add one cute/mischievous little girl,

a bowl full of oatmeal,

and a food-sniffing dog?

One huge mess.

happy halloween