The Seven of Us

Tonight was my "free" night--the night that Jared takes the kids to Sterling for church activities. On Wednesday my goal(s) usually are to organize some little area of my home; spend some individual (okay, sometimes it's small group) time with my younger kids, maybe by reading together, playing a game, or going to the park for a bit; and then to get everyone to bed a bit early and have some "me" time (ie. blog, journal, scripture, TV, bath). Problem is, things don't go too smoothly...specifically bedtime. It. Takes. Forever.!! Corbin was overtired today (translation: extra wild, getting more wound up by the minute), and he took too long to settle. Of course I was also trying to read to Isaac and get he & Kenna settled. I guess I'm ready for a quicker nightly routine...But wait, somewhere in my motherhood contract I must've signed on the dotted line underneath "I agree to be kind, loving, patient, tolerant, and Christlike under any and all...

In terms of sickness, this is is quite possibly our family's worst winter in several years. Luckily we haven't had the flu or even a severe stomach virus (til now--poor Mckenna). But for six weeks we've had colds and coughs galore. And they always seem to be worst on the weekend. We've stayed home from church because of conjunctivitis, laryngitis, sinus infections, and terrible coughs. But other than a couple days of sinusitis, I was been spared. Let's hope it stays that way. We're ready for spring--and healthy kiddos.

This post has a lot of pictures! While they aren't the best photos, they are representative of what we have been doing since Janurary. Dec. 31, 2009--We returned home from Washington and made our customary grocery stop at Wal-Mart. The kids wanted to get sparkling grape juice to ring in the New Year. While Jared and I unloaded the 'burb, they were celebrating. McKenna after having her hair straightened. Occassionally the girls like to do a "beauty parlor" thing. This is how Taylor "settles down" at night. Actually, she and Jared and I were having our almost-nightly chat. It usually begins with normal chit-chat and ends with a long list of "I need to get" and "Can I have..." during which we try to sit patiently and listen as if we have never heard any of her requests. Sometimes, on rougher nights, she is told to just "GET TO BED" and sent downstairs with a hug, leaving behind bewildered first-time-parenting-a-tee...