Monday - The fiasco with the car keys. That was fun. Late night.
Tuesday - A rare evening free, spent cleaning, grocery shopping, and cleaning. I made a drying rack for our laundry that I absolutely love. I can vacuum under it, that's my favorite part.
Wednesday - I did extra laundry, just because I was so giddy over that laundry rack. And I started getting prepped for our feis weekend. David had mutual, Andrea had dance. Mutual is a pain because it requires rides every single week, and I don't like inconveniencing the families in our ward like that. But he got there. And Andrea got to dance, then the last half hour of Activity Days when we got to the church to pick up David. Another late night, though.
Thursday - David played with a friend, I started cooking and packing and planning for our road trip. Andrea had dance. I also had the kids do a sock folding blitz with me. I hate folding socks. I don't know why. Maybe because trolls exist, they steal your socks, but only the left ones (why's that?). So we had two baskets with nothing but socks in it. The kids and I laid out all the clean socks in rows, then paired all that we could. We will find the rest eventually. I think. Why do we have so many socks? We need more trolls.
Friday - I volunteer at the school to help with popcorn every Friday. Then I packed and cooked and cleaned like a crazy lady. We drove straight from picking up the middles from school to our Airbnb in Columbus. Ohio is weird, man. Without anything adjusting, or our map changing course, the GPS added minutes to our drive time. When we left the house it told us we'd have a 3 1/2 hour drive ahead of us. By the time we were an hour in the GPS had added 20 minutes to that drive time. It got no better. Almost 5 hours later we rolled up to the Airbnb. I don't know how it did that. We hit no traffic, and we only had one potty stop. We ate the food I'd packed up in the car (use take-out boxes, it makes no mess, its not flat like a plate so it keeps food contained, and you can just throw it away when you're done), so we didn't stop for food. But somehow our drive took an hour and half longer than we'd anticipated.
Saturday - we were up and going at 7:00. That's a feis day for ya. Andrea got dressed, the boys got dressed, we ate the breakfast I'd packed, and we left. The Ohio Expo Center is a mess to get to, and don't listen to Larry when he tells you the ladies at the other booths take cards, it is a cash-only establishment. (Why didn't I have cash??? That was stupid, I always carry cash.) Andrea worked so hard the last few weeks to practice and learn all of her steps. She didn't do as well as she'd hoped. There was some stiff competition, and a LOT of kids competing in each dance. She came out about the middle of the pack in each one. The judge comments were the same in each dance: turn out your feet, crossover, high on your toes. Turn out has been a bear the entire time she's danced. She'll get there, if she wants to. We'll see what happens. We left the expo at 3:30. Again, our GPS said 3 hours, 27 minutes to get home. With one added stop we still didn't get home until 9:00. I don't know what happens in Ohio, but it adds time to your GPS. But it does have Chick-fil-A and Waffle House, so I'll give it that. Otherwise we bleed Blue, and PureMichigan is way better. Sorry, Buckeyes.
Things I've learned this week:
- Feising in Ohio is hard.
- Feising with all the kids is harder.
- Feising overnight and away from home needs to be saved for when Jonathan is back.*
- *Muskegon is an overnight feis, but it is also a great place with a warm sandy beach and a gorgeous lake that looks like an ocean. It does not count.
- Keep your keys in your pocket, even if you think the car door is unlocked.
- Ohio adds time to your drive.
- I need to say NO more often, I just don't have the time I think I do. I feel like everything takes longer without another parent. It isn't harder, it just takes more time. Like Ohio.
Saturday, March 30, 2019
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Key-ping it Real
Hardest part about having J gone (I think I've mentioned this) is that I have to take all of the kids to every activity we have. Scouts is really the worst because it runs from 7:30 (Elizabeth and Peter's bedtimes) until 9:00.
Last night, the littles and I found a little hallway so that Andrea could practice her dancing, and so Peter and Elizabeth would not get in anyone's way. By 8:45, however, Liz was done. She was not going to be quiet any longer, and was running amok in the gym. I decided to take all of the littles to the car and get them buckled in, then wait the last 15 minutes for David to be finished.
We get to the car. My key fob's battery is dead, so I have to unlock the car with the key. I get the door unlocked, throw my keys onto the driver's seat, then hit the unlock button on the switch. (Unfortunately, that switch has been jammed for a while, so it usually takes some effort to get the doors unlocked.)
I then turn to pick up Elizabeth and get her into her seat. We were parked on a slant, and between the weight of the door and the wind, my door shut. When I pull on the door handle to Elizabeth's door, the door is still locked. No big, I'll just put a little more pressure on that switch again.... only MY door is locked. And my KEYS are on the front seat. And Peter has no coat, I have no coat, and it is below freezing.
Sent the kids inside, called roadside assistance, and was told it would be 75 minutes before a locksmith could get to me to unlock the door. We waited inside the church until the last second, then headed out at 9:15 to hunker down for another 45 minutes in the cold. A kind scout's mom heard what happened and invited us to wait in her car! And then the locksmith showed up at 9:30. It still took another 25 minutes to get us into the car, but we got in!
So we finally rolled up home about 10:40, and then all of the kids headed off to bed right before 11:00. I decided there that I would let the kids sleep as late as they wanted, so even though school starts at 9:00, they did not get to school until 10:20 this morning. I don't feel bad about that.
And I've been rethinking my key habits. I think I'm going to buy a lanyard to put my keys on. If I wear it around my neck my keys will still be easy to access, but I won't throw them onto the seat to empty my hands. That's a cute look, right? (Just say yes.)
Last night, the littles and I found a little hallway so that Andrea could practice her dancing, and so Peter and Elizabeth would not get in anyone's way. By 8:45, however, Liz was done. She was not going to be quiet any longer, and was running amok in the gym. I decided to take all of the littles to the car and get them buckled in, then wait the last 15 minutes for David to be finished.
We get to the car. My key fob's battery is dead, so I have to unlock the car with the key. I get the door unlocked, throw my keys onto the driver's seat, then hit the unlock button on the switch. (Unfortunately, that switch has been jammed for a while, so it usually takes some effort to get the doors unlocked.)
I then turn to pick up Elizabeth and get her into her seat. We were parked on a slant, and between the weight of the door and the wind, my door shut. When I pull on the door handle to Elizabeth's door, the door is still locked. No big, I'll just put a little more pressure on that switch again.... only MY door is locked. And my KEYS are on the front seat. And Peter has no coat, I have no coat, and it is below freezing.
Sent the kids inside, called roadside assistance, and was told it would be 75 minutes before a locksmith could get to me to unlock the door. We waited inside the church until the last second, then headed out at 9:15 to hunker down for another 45 minutes in the cold. A kind scout's mom heard what happened and invited us to wait in her car! And then the locksmith showed up at 9:30. It still took another 25 minutes to get us into the car, but we got in!
So we finally rolled up home about 10:40, and then all of the kids headed off to bed right before 11:00. I decided there that I would let the kids sleep as late as they wanted, so even though school starts at 9:00, they did not get to school until 10:20 this morning. I don't feel bad about that.
And I've been rethinking my key habits. I think I'm going to buy a lanyard to put my keys on. If I wear it around my neck my keys will still be easy to access, but I won't throw them onto the seat to empty my hands. That's a cute look, right? (Just say yes.)
Sunday, March 24, 2019
How the cookie crumbles
This week was nuts. We had something we were doing every single night, and were out later than usual every night. This week we have one free night! I'm so excited about that.
Today was a long day at church. Elizabeth didn't sleep last night until I'd hauled her out into the living room with me. So I finally got settled at 3:00 this morning. So we were late to church, and I was wiped. We didn't stay for the Linger Longer, I got home and napped. I'm hoping Elizabeth's nights will be a bit better this week.
The talks at church were good though. The topic was the atonement, which is always a good topic, but was a great way to start preparing for Easter celebrations.
The kids in Primary had fun learning their hand chimes. Andrea has them for one of the songs they are performing for Easter. And then the Sr. Primary is also learning harmonies for Beautiful Savior. It will be very pretty.
On the deck this week:
Scouts
Dance two nights this week
Mutual
Feis in Columbus
Jonathan got official news regarding training. Classes run for 26 weeks, barring problems. Unfortunately his classes haven't even started, and he's not sure if he will even start this week. And then there is processing after everything is finished, which can take a few weeks. It is all adding up to more time gone, poor kids. Good thing they are tough little ones.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Before and After
2015
When Jonathan left for BCT we had very little time to prepare. We didn't fully know what we were getting into, we just knew that we'd felt like it was the right thing to do, so we jumped in feet first. It was definitely a miserable sink-or-swim experience. We mostly sunk.
2019
We had more time to prepare, and we made sure the kids were ready for an extended separation. At least we thought we did. Here's how the first week without the kids' dad around has been:
David has been mostly helpful. He's stepped up, looked for ways to help, and observantly found ways to serve. He's a good kid. Thanks for taking out the trash without being asked, Buddy.
Andrea has had her weepy moments. She holds on to the pictures we took pretty tightly. She has thrown herself into dance, and has done very well. She's been rather stoic.
Peter is a mess. We only have one meltdown a day, if Dad calls we have two. The worst was Sunday at church when Brooke found him hiding under the piano while he just sobbed. He misses dad hugs and snuggles.
Elizabeth hardly recognizes that things have changed. She does point out daddy in pictures more, and she does get very excited when he calls. But otherwise she just trucks along being her normal self.
I have found that my only difficulties arise when the kids have evening activities. Scouts on Monday, Cub Scouts on Tuesday, dance on Wednesday and Thursday, mutual on Wednesday at the same time as dance, and this Friday night is Pinewood Derby check-in one hour before the Youth Auction at church. Taking all of the kids along to all of these activities is a tad tiring. But at the end of the day I think I'm handling it just fine (except last Saturday when I forgot to feed the kids dinner, I have not forgotten to feed them again).
So we are alive, and we are mostly thriving. And I feel good and calm about how we are managing here on the home front.
Reports from Jonathan are spotty. Apparently the average length of this training is 32 weeks, though it can take up to 36. We've been planning on 26. Ha. Hahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
We'll just see what happens.
When Jonathan left for BCT we had very little time to prepare. We didn't fully know what we were getting into, we just knew that we'd felt like it was the right thing to do, so we jumped in feet first. It was definitely a miserable sink-or-swim experience. We mostly sunk.
2019
We had more time to prepare, and we made sure the kids were ready for an extended separation. At least we thought we did. Here's how the first week without the kids' dad around has been:
David has been mostly helpful. He's stepped up, looked for ways to help, and observantly found ways to serve. He's a good kid. Thanks for taking out the trash without being asked, Buddy.
Andrea has had her weepy moments. She holds on to the pictures we took pretty tightly. She has thrown herself into dance, and has done very well. She's been rather stoic.
Peter is a mess. We only have one meltdown a day, if Dad calls we have two. The worst was Sunday at church when Brooke found him hiding under the piano while he just sobbed. He misses dad hugs and snuggles.
Elizabeth hardly recognizes that things have changed. She does point out daddy in pictures more, and she does get very excited when he calls. But otherwise she just trucks along being her normal self.
I have found that my only difficulties arise when the kids have evening activities. Scouts on Monday, Cub Scouts on Tuesday, dance on Wednesday and Thursday, mutual on Wednesday at the same time as dance, and this Friday night is Pinewood Derby check-in one hour before the Youth Auction at church. Taking all of the kids along to all of these activities is a tad tiring. But at the end of the day I think I'm handling it just fine (except last Saturday when I forgot to feed the kids dinner, I have not forgotten to feed them again).
So we are alive, and we are mostly thriving. And I feel good and calm about how we are managing here on the home front.
Reports from Jonathan are spotty. Apparently the average length of this training is 32 weeks, though it can take up to 36. We've been planning on 26. Ha. Hahaha. HAHAHAHAHAHA!
We'll just see what happens.
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