It was work from beginning to end. I had a PTA meeting. The kids and Erik cleaned the house. We took kids to birthday parties. We planted in the garden. We prepared for a big event tomorrow by getting the backyard ready. We made food and prepared for the party by cleaning and organizing. One of the kids babysat. Another did a homework project. We got the kids to bed. We worked and worked. Here is to the day of rest that is coming tomorrow.
Friday came, and so did the end of the book fair. We celebrated the end by packing up the fair, counting the money and checks, and then going to lunch to talk about the fair and life. I so appreciate the two ladies who ran the fair with me. They are top-notch and so helpful, kind, funny, and just plain marvelous.
I had a few minutes of down time before I went back to a board meeting for Threestory Studio with Erik and his parents. The business is heading in a great direction and is more satisfying than ever to Erik. There were a few things to do at the office. Then home finally for relaxation. We relaxed and ate some pizza and molten chocolate cake and watched some shows. I keep falling asleep at the computer, so it must be time to head to bed and regroup for the rest of this school year. It is so close, and full of so many end-of-the-year events and awards that I just hope I can make it to everything! Brandon and Erik get to have some father/son bonding at a ward campout with the fathers and sons in the ward overnight. It is great to work together, and then good to have moments alone to process and take it all in.
I feel blessed to put on events with wonderful people at school. I feel blessed to help Erik with his work. I feel blessed to be a mother to my wonderful children. I feel blessed for a quiet home to rest and read in. I feel blessed to have this weekend ahead for rest and work, family and friends.
I am tired right now. I am going out of town in the morning and so I squeezed all the piano lessons for the rest of the week into today. That was nine piano lessons. I guess I am determined to keep up with these kids weekly. It makes a huge difference to do weekly piano lessons. But I am tired! We also got all the laundry folded and the all the beds changed today. Erik was integral in that process. I couldn’t do it without him.
After all the work, I went to Brandon’s baseball game. Erik came a few innings after I did. Brandon got to come up to bat with the bases loaded. He had his first hit of the season and hit an RBI. The next batter hit a triple and cleared the bases; Brandon scored all the way from first base. It was a bright spot after all his hard work to make the team. And then after making the team, his hard work to earn playing time and batting time. He has been getting some great hits lately, but they have been caught or barely thrown out. So today was the reward for the hard work. I am so glad Erik made it to the game too. I am so proud of Brandon’s work ethic. He gives it his all, works hard all practice, and really listens and responds to the coaches.
He and I were definitely worn out tonight. But there is nothing like the feeling of fatigue after giving it your all. It feels satisfying and rewarding, and sleep is calling me.
We ran a camp for three to nine year old kids today. It was a big start to saving money for our family trip this summer. We worked from 8:30 to 5, from set up to clean up. We had a lot of fun with the 20 kids that were here throughout the day.
Puppet shows
Music and books
Crafts, cookie decorating, story time, learning a little about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We were tired at the end…but I think the kids who came had a fun day, and it was good to work with the girls toward a goal.
Maren and I biked to get some sandwiches and pick up a movie from a friend.
Erik and Brandon had a chance to go skiing with some friends. They skied hard all day. From some of the texts I got from Erik….
Work hard, play hard. It feels good to earn some fatigue after working and playing to capacity. We will sleep well tonight.
We want to take a big family trip this summer. It is the last summer before Nicole heads off for college and then a mission is not far after that. It feels like a good time to reach for a dream destination.
Our biggest hope is to make it to London and maybe Paris. So we are spending time thinking of ways we can work hard and earn some money.
I am considering teaching more piano students. I just want to make sure I can still take care of our family well if I am spending a few more hours a week teaching piano. We are going to have some kids over for a fun day camp on Friday. Camille got a job taking care of some birds for the weekend. We will be doing yard work and babysitting and bake sales. Hopefully we can have a garage sale and lemonade stands and wash some cars. It will be an adventure and lots of hard work. Loose change and donations from personal babysitting jobs also help add to the savings account.
Erik started a spreadsheet to track our earnings. I need to start researching home exchanges and good air fare for the trip to cut costs that way. It would be a once in a lifetime experience, not only to travel to Europe, but to have the experience as a family to work hard and accomplish something big. We will see how this dream develops, what life lessons are learned, and what blessings come.
On Tuesdays we fold our laundry together. Today was really a week and a half’s worth because I did a little extra at the end of last week. Plus, Brandon and Nicole did their laundry last night and joined in the fun.
The baskets were overflowing tonight.
But the piles were folded neatly and put away in the drawers and closets, and we had fun watching a few episodes of a fun comedy.
The kids start doing their laundry by themselves after they turn 12. Camille still needs to jump into that system. I do the rest of the laundry, and then we sit and fold together while we watch something funny together. It has worked well for many years.
I think I am in an organizing mood. I just bought a rolling cart to put all my projects plus have each child have a place for their odds and ends and projects also.
I am inspired to get my desk and paperwork and mind organized after a fantastic Power of Moms retreat in Los Angeles last weekend. You can read about the retreat here. This was written by a fabulous mother who helped take pictures and teach at the retreat on Saturday.
So I am determined to keep up with the laundry, have a new system for my projects and get on top of the papers on my desk, and make it a party if at all possible — with my family along for the ride.