It's a race

against time. I feel like I am constantly trying to beat the clock. This morning I had 9 minutes before we were supposed to leave for work/school and I still had rollers in my hair and the car to load. Worked today, picked up the kids and then I started on my to do list for the weekend...which was making lemon cream bar popsicles (hello priorities) getting a head start on house cleaning- vacuum stairs, clean downstairs bathroom, upstairs bathroom, laundry room, make banana muffin batter, repaint my toenails (cause that's SUPER important right?), laundry, ironing, writing a letter to my Great Aunt and Uncle, measuring out dog food for the week, wrapping a birthday present yada yada... I had it in my mind to try to have everything accomplished by 9pm so I could curl up in bed and read the paper. I finished at 9:02. Yay me.  And then tomorrow it starts all over again except it's the weekend and I plan on getting up at 5 to run and start in on the list again which is basically cleaning the rest of the house.
Got a letter from Nzembi, written on 2/14 sure takes a long time to get here!
"Hello Julie Nzembi has the pleasure to say hey to you. She says she is well in the Lord. Nzembi says thank you for the support you are giving her. She requests you to pray for her and her parents to have good health. She also asks how the weather is at the US now. She requests you to greet your friends for her. She always prays for you. God bless you."

Wild Hair.

Left work early yesterday so as not to sit for an hour in Memorial Day weekend traffic. I kid you not it gives me anxiety when we pay by the hour for Abby's after school care and I get stuck in traffic. I picked up the kids, came home and made home-made granola. Today Aidan had a make up game and then a hair cut. When we got home I made salsa, fish tacos, chicken taquitos, marinade for chicken tostadas, and chocolate chip cookies. Tomorrow I need to make marinade for chicken tandoori and then I have a new banana muffin recipe I want to try. Sometimes I get these wild hairs and go crazy in the kitchen....it gives me a head start on meals for the week and it's easier on me when I get home from work.
Countdown for the last day of school is coming! Abby finished her LAST homework packet for the year :-)

Home.

We've been home for over a week now. Just haven't felt like blogging cause we've all been sick- except Rick. We went to Florida to visit Winter the Dolphin from Dolphin Tale, visited Disney World and finally we sailed 'round the Bahamas for 5 days. It was an incredible trip that I didn't want to end. Abby's been sick since we were on the cruise. She is getting ready to start her 2nd round of meds. Took Aidan to the ER last Thursday night for croup. I didn't get much sleep last week which left me in a weird place. So... I think we are almost back on track. Aidan is still doing Tball- two more weeks left of games. Got him signed up for summer soccer, signed both kids up for summer gymnastics, waiting on the ballet schedule and still doing swimming lessons. That should keep them nice and busy :-)

Where to start....

A week or so ago I was mopping our floors and I noticed the floor by the dishwasher felt strange. I went over it a few times with my hand and told myself it was all in my head and that surely Rick would have said something. Monday night he was doing dishes and said something about 'have you felt this floor' so I went over and it was much worse. The hardwoods were wavy and soft. He left that night about 7:40 to go buy a new dishwasher.... I told him things come in three's so we should be prepared. We had purchased some online coupons for window cleaning/pressure washing and carpet cleaning. Tuesday the window washer came and informed Rick of dry rot around Aidan's window. That's number 2. Carpet cleaning today went well. Cooper came home in one piece from a new kennel we are trying. He had doggie daycamp and had a blast. Abby apparently tried out for the track team and MADE IT. Unfortunately I can't be in two places at once since Aidan is already in tball. Her teacher seems to think otherwise and is trying to get me a schedule. Um.... I really didn't want to fork over the $250 or whatever it was for her to do this. grrrrr. I've been making freezer meals for when we come back from vacation. Genius. Some photos from a new photographer I tried.

First Tball Game

A Day.

This feels like the longest week ever. Aidan hasn't had much of an appetite since last Friday and he's just been out of sorts. Hoping he is ok....
Got off early from work cause Abby had ballet. Got the kids, raced home for her to change, take the dog out, feed the dog, unload the dishwasher, make their lunches for tomorrow and start laundry. Ballet, then home to throw dinner in the oven (made the night before cause I'm awesome) and to make dessert for the teacher lunch tomorrow that the 1st grade parents are sponsoring. My achilles has decided to be angry with me especially on a day where I really could have used the run. Have to leave work mid day tomorrow to get my dessert delivered to school, and then after work/dinner suffer enjoy tball practice unitl 8pm. Hoping to get groceries either after work or late after tball. FUN TIMES. I am soooooooo ready for the weekend.

The bad news is I have requested to pull Abby out of ballet... waiting to see if they will give us a partial credit. They are starting rehearsal for Cinderella and if you have to miss more than 1 rehearsal then you can't be in it... I didn't really want her in it in the first place but they sent home this paperwork stating if you aren't in you basically have to move to a different class/day/time which doesn't work for our crazy schedule.

Boys playing hoops last weekend. or the weekend before. I can't keep it straight.

My Babies

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER!

“There was a light. For He is the light. And with the light came life. When Jesus died, he took sin down with him, but alive he brings God down to us”

Our church service was moved to 7:30am- we were up and out the door early. Yesterday morning I made green bean casserole and then Aidan had tball so after that I made scalloped taters and a new recipe-Martha Stewart Strawberry Lemonade pie. I hope it's good because it was time consuming.... all I have to do today is make the bloomin' onion bread and heat everything up. EASY BUTTON. Kids still have swim lessons today and hoping to get outside a bit. If not, a nap :-) I love Sundays.

Catching Up

Spring break is a distant memory. So is Seattle. We went to visit the baby- talk about BABY LOVE. She is precious and it REALLY SUCKS to not be in the same state.
We did the Aquarium, the Zoo, pit stop at the Space Needle, American Girl and home. It was a whirlwind trip. Hotel rooms are tricky with the kids because I still like for them to go to sleep at a decent hour so lights out for them pretty much means lights out for us so we ended up getting LOTS of sleep.
Thankfully spring break fell on the week Rick has Wed off so he was home with the kids Mon-Wed. I took Thurs off and he took Friday off to save on daycare $$. Thursday the kids and I took my mom out to breakfast but she ended up not letting me pay. Stinker. Abby asked her if she would take them to Build a Bear so Grandma happily obliged and did some spoiling. It was a nice low key week no lunches to make and Rick helped out so much with dinners while I worked and he even surprised me with a new Kitchenaid Mixer!!! WAHOOOO.

We found out that Abby raised $630, enough to send 126 Bibles to Egypt! We are so proud of her and overwhelmingly grateful to our friends and family who offered support. She amazes me with her love and grace for others.

I'm trying to keep up. I'm making lots of lists. It was month end at work, my coworker whom I have known for 19 years, his wife had another stroke. She's only 47. She had her first one 12 years ago. Just a lot happening that's out of my control. Cooper has a yeast infection in his ears. Drops twice a day plus an ear wash every other day. Abby lost another tooth and it happened at school! Aidan FINALLY had some dry days to have tball practice. So we are back in full schedule of of swimming on Sunday, Ballet on Wed and Tball on Thurs and Sat....

SNOW

Last Thursday the kids had 2 hour school delay- I LOVED it. I love getting any extra time I can with them. Abby was supposed to go to the zoo that day for a field trip but it was cancelled. We just got home from Seattle and I have to get stuff ready for work tomorrow so I'll post later.