Focus on the good things...

...is what I have to remind myself of fifty million times a day. I was going to blog yesterday but was so seriously strung out that I couldn't bring myself to puke it all up on blogspot. Nothing in particular was bad, but it was one of those days when I felt like I would jump to go back to work and escape the "joys" of being a stay at home mom.



Let me just say, I LOVE my kids. I LOVE my kids. I must love them since I don't do something wacky to them when they are onry and violent with each other and whiney. My kids are busy and, I know, they are learning and growing, but somedays I do not have the energy to keep up with the constant daily battles of motherhood. I am really in awe of those (mothers, especially) whose wells don't run dry, because every now and then I just feel totally drained. This week has been a dry, sparse, parched few days. I don't know if it was coming off of the high of a busy, good weekend, or that my kids have felt particularly fiesty, but I haven't known exactly what I should blog about. I could maybe talk about how Brevin and Brock can not keep their hands off each other or each other's stuff. Within appx. 5.9 seconds of "playing" Brevin is wailing about some dramatic travesty, such as "He took my sword." Which, of course, in another flash is followed by Brock giving a mighty WHACK to Brevin's head with said sword. Or maybe I could write about how I finally made time to mop my floors while Tyler was at mutual and Brock was right behind me walking all over the floors or sticking his hands in the dirty mop water. Or how Caylee had a meltdown because we didn't have any plain white contstruction paper, only colored paper, after I got down all the art supplies for her before dinner time. I mean a full-blown, the world is ending, meltdown. I know in the big scheme of things there are way worse things going on in the world, but I just feel so brain-numbed. BUT, I should, instead, focus on the positive. We did make it through swim lessons on Monday. Mackenzie is doing well and, well, Caylee and Brevin are working through trust issues. Monday Caylee's friend, Annabelle, came over and was a swimming fish. Caylee worked up some courage and ventured into the middle on her own. She just yells the whole time "DON'T TOUCH ME!" while she is dog paddling unto the middle of the pool. I also got all my burp cloth and hair bows finished yesterday in between all the referee-ing. They're just for baby gifts for the future, but is seems like all most of my friends are having baby boys. I built the kids a pretty sweet tent in the living room and today it's cool, so I am thinking I should head out to the garage and clean out some stuff so I can park the car in the garage before it gets all hot again. Sigh. Totally stimulating, huh.

And back to the great weekend. Saturday was one of those marathon days. Tyler got up early for a hair cut and helped some friends from our ward move while I was cleaning major house for the get together at our house that night. Props to Mackenzie for being my go-to girl when it comes to stuff like that. Not props, though, for the commentating as we stripped sheets and dusted. She'd say stuff like, "I hate cleaning" and "Being the oldest is not fun when you decide we need to clean because we means me and you" and "I swear one day Caylee and Brevin are gonna have to do all this or I am going to be really mad." Nice. I just kept smiling and encouraging and reminding her that I didn't like to clean either, but it was so much nicer to have it done than not. I even went "there" and gave her the lecture about one day having her own house and family and being responsible for picking up after everyone and I was just trying to help her learn those skills. Once Tyler came home I was off to the Senior Luncheon for the stake YW. It was really nice and this lady my dad hooked me up with came and spoke and she did great. We had some of the YW and thier mothers. I just kept thinking about the summer before I went to college. What a transitional time. Anyhow, by the time I got home I was all a hoot and a fluff. My dad and brother can attest to the mini-meltdown I had trying to frantically get Brock and Brevin to take a nap (which, interestingly, frantic does nothing to mellow a couple of boys for naps.) Tyler helped, of course, and we were able to get to the church JUST in time for Kenzie's baptism. It was really nice and the whole time I was in between this weird place of having an 8 year old and memories of my own baptism. They don't seem far apart enough to make sense. I am so proud of the person Mackenzie is; she is so much better than either of her parents. She was tickled for her baptism to finally be here. SO, focusing on the good things, here's some pics of that day:

You know I made EVERYONE there take a group picture, much to their disdain.

Thanks for everyone who came and then chatted and hung out afterward.

Me and my baby! Can you believe how grown up she looks?

The family.
(Notice Caylee's bridesmaid dress from Nate and Stacy's wedding? It's cuz Kenzie's new dress from her Grandma was dubbed the "bride dress" and Caylee had to dress for the occasion.)

The famous Dad and daughter picture at the church in the super slick baptism jumpers.