Kids, Kids, Kids....

So I sit here, listening to the thumps, whacks, and thuds that come from upstairs. Yes, it is bedtime. Joseph turned the doorknob to the kid's room around so that we could lock it from the outside. I've learned you do what you have to do to survive. That's one of the things we have to do. So now they play in their room and stay there until they fall asleep, and thankfully, they always do, at some point. They tend to keep eachother up.

The past 2 weeks have been particularly trying. At times I have thought of my pioneer forbearers, especially the women, my mother, and all the women out there who pull up their bootstraps, so to speak, and make the world run. If there's one thing I've realized it's this: motherhood is not for the faint of heart. Yes, I do teach 7-10 fitness classes a week, however, my real strength and fitness comes from the constant movement of chasing after a 3 year old, a 2 year old, and holding my baby. Is there ever a moment in the day when I sit? When I can relax? I cannot even go to the bathroom without company. I'm not complaining. I signed up for this, and I love every bit of it. The snotty noses; the peanut butter that happens to be smudged on the windows, my pants, doorknobs; the constancy of dishes, laundry, and diapers; the daily hundreds of hugs and kisses and snuggles; the never-ending need for a band-aid or some juice, or a granola bar. It's all part of what matters most.

Hyrum has become increasingly experimental in his use of language. Nothing earth shattering, but sometimes he astounds us with his use of language to convey concepts and ideas. Evidence that he is getting older. A sad and happy thought.

Here's a recent conversation I had with Hyrum I had at the end of a chaotic, but fairly typical day. The house seemed to suddenly be in dissaray, butter knives, foam swords, empty boxes, misc. items like dirty diapers and baby blankets, pots and pans scattered about, and I felt like I had completely lost control on any sort of control that I might have had on life (a messy house seems to do that).

Me: Hyrum, look around. Do you see the house is messy?

Hyrum: Yes (he nods in total agreeance)

Me: Who made this mess?

Hyrum: Asher did. (Hyrum, at very young age, has already demonstrated the ability to blame all bad deeds on his little brother)

Me: No he didn't. You did.

Hyrum: Oh. (complete non-chalance)

Me: Hyrum, who cleans the house? (at this point I was trying to obviously to manipulate this conversation into a teaching moment of sorts: You make the messes. Mom cleans them up. You need to help clean up too...)

Hyrum: The vacuum.

Oh, if it were only that easy. That would be great. Know of any self-propelled vacuums that not only clean the carpet but everything else as well?? Let me know.

Of course, I had to laugh. Thank goodness for these moments. They help keep things light.

Life has been very full. As always. But our family has taken full to a new level, that not even I am quite accostomed to. I've learned I have to trim and streamline, cut out those time hogs that so easily creep in to our lives. Joseph is at school 50-60 hours a week. Maybe more. He bikes up to BYU by 6am each day and stays until 5 or 5:30 at which point he comes home to watch the kids while I go teach my class. M & W it's pilates at UVU. T, Th, & F's it's water aerobics at BYU. I also teach an aerobics class at UVU during the day on M & W. My neighbor comes over and watches the kids during that time. She's great, and it's such a relief to know that my kids are with someone who I trust. Working part-time is a little crazy, but honestly, I have the best job in the world. Get to teach what I love, get paid for working out, get a small break from the kids????! What more could I ask for? So life is good. I've had to become uber-organized. Routine, routine, routine. Which works great. If there are absolutely no deviations in the routine, ie. sickness, denist appts., things of life. We've all had a little bout of sickness in our home. Nothing more than mild cold/flu symptoms. But there are no provisions in our life to accomodate sickness! Last year, yes, with Joseph having something like 16 paid sick days with his work. This year, not a chance. So we go on. And pray, a lot.

Last night, Joseph & I got a babysitter (worth every penny I tell yah). Hyrum kept on saying when the babysitter arrived, "Mom don't go on a date." I tried to explain to him that mommy and daddy had to go on a date because we were in love and that we had to, so we would stay married. He didn't seem to get it. We went to an Indian restaurant, which incidentally I've never been to an Indian restaurant. Ironic, isn't it. I'm vegan and I've never been to an Indian restaurant. It might have something to do with the fact that my husband loathes the stuff, so he's always swayed me to eat elsewhere. Last night though, was delicious! Very flavorful and a ton of options. I really like the dahl soup and naan bread. Delish. I've learned there are some restaraunts that are more vegan friendly than others. FYI, don't go to Chili's expecting to find anything even remotely vegetarian. EVERYTHING there contains meat and dairy, usually both. I have to say Joseph was a good sport, but there was no denying the look on his face as he ate his food, it was a face of polite dislike, an attempt to mask his disappointment (he had had some good expectations for the food, thinking he'd give it another try). Alas, a vegan and an omnivore can happily coexist; nonetheless we do acknowledge our differences and next time we'll do Mexican, a more happy medium, and not so "weird" as Joseph would tactfully point out.

I've struggled a bit with parenting lately. Mostly with Hyrum. Since he talks now, we have a lot of discussions, or should I say, arguments. Have you ever argued with a 3 year old? You think you're a good person? You have all of the answers to life? Have a 3 year old. They challenge all of your tightly held assumptions about life and morality. With Hyrum there's a consistency to his nagging, whining, pushing of boundries. What's a mom to do? What, with all of the hundreds of other things to be managing ( bills, feeding baby, errands, what's Asher doing? yard work, phone calls...yikes, yikes, yikes. maybe that's why God created a woman's mind to be able to successfully multi-function). I had an epiphone yesterday. My mom is woman of many talents. She was always the one to fix things, do yard work, ect. How does she know everything? She is a product of evolution. She had to evolove into a multi-functional person in order to survive raising 7 kids and my dad being gone so much with work and church callings. So she taught herself how to fix a broken faucet, how to mow the lawn and watch 3 kids at the same time, ect. Anyway, I thought I'd put this out to the universe, or atleast to the small amount of people that may read my humble blog this question: How do you survive? With living, that is. Suggestions????? Because I sit here, at the end of a LONG day, knowing full well every dish in the house sits dirty in my sink, I have at least 3 loads of laundry to do, my husband won't be home from the law library for another couple of hours or so, and so many things beckon my call. What's the solution? Anyone?