Busy Week, Busy Weekend

It seems that no matter how empty our week appears when I look at the calendar on Sunday, by the next Sunday I'm exhausted and wishing that we weren't so busy. I guess it's just one of those things when you have a big family. Hayden has orchestra on Monday nights, Hayden has violin lessons on Tuesday morning before school, Landon has Cub Scouts on Tuesday nights, and I frequently have meetings on Tuesday nights for my church calling. Hayden, Porter and Dix all have scouts on Wednesday nights, Landon and Regan have violin lessons after school, and then group violin lessons on the other side of town on Thursday nights. Dix usually gets home before 7, but he usually has to work late at least one night per week, not getting home until 9 or so. Regan is in half day kindergarten, so I get to do a run to the school every day at 11 to pick her up. Plus add in several hours of me supervising violin practicing for Hayden, Landon and Regan, french horn practicing for Hayden and clarinet for Porter...it can be a little crazy during the week around here. And none of my kids are even in any sports right now! Friday is our date night, we almost always go out on Friday. Usually we get ice cream and go to the book store or something like that. Pretty boring, but we like it.


Today was our ward youth Temple trip. Porter just recently turned 12, so it was his first time attending the Temple. They had to meet at the church at 5:45 this morning to be ready for a 7:30 am baptismal time. We tried really hard to get the kids to bed early last night, but by Friday night we are so tired of the routine that we kind of just let them go to bed whenever. I think they were all asleep by 10 which wasn't bad. I didn't even hear Dix and the two big boys leave this morning. Cooper was up several times in the night between coughing fits and teething pain. He did have a new molar this morning to show for it, though. The boys had an enjoyable time at the temple, but were glad to be home. Everyone was tired and you could tell it by their attitudes this afternoon. We did some yard work, cut up some firewood, averaged about 12 kids in our family room, and overall had a good day. Dix took Hayden to the gym to workout tonight(holy cow, Hayden's muscles are starting to look manly! Yikes!), and I spent a long time reading to the kids. When they got home they built a raging fire in the woodstove downstairs, and our kids had a "sleepover." We don't allow sleepovers with their friends, so sometimes on Friday or Saturday nights our kids all crash together. They think it's really great to all sleep on the floor together. Well, tonight only Hayden and Regan remained on the family room floor. Porter went back to his bed, Landon came up to the upstairs family room because he wanted to listen to me practice piano. Turner isn't old enough for sleepovers yet because he's crazy.

Yesterday I started realizing how crazy Cooper looks with his long hair. I put it up in ponytails and was laughing about how long it is! The kids all thought I was crazy (what's new). I wish I still had some of Regan's old clothes around because dangit, he would be a cute girl. So here he is in his boy clothes with his cute pony tails.

Does he remind you of anyone?

So here's to a busy week that hopefully won't get too much busier. And soon you will get to see pictures of Cooper with his new big boy haircut. So he won't have to endure me dressing him up like a girl anymore!