I Can Finally Breath

I can finally breath with a sigh of relief. It has been a long and exhausting week. I finally have a few minutes to myself before I go to bed and wake up to a brand new week with the calendar already overflowing with activities for the kids, people to see, and things that need to be done. So I thought I would take my breathing time to write about this week before I am already in the middle of the next.

Sunday
April 1st - or as most school children know, April Fool's day. I am usually not one for practical jokes, especially on a Sunday but this year I felt compelled to do something. My first thought was to carefully take each kid and put them in a different bed while they were sleeping so they would wake up totally confused. But Halle had a bad cough and it took her for ever to fall asleep - and then I didn't want to risk waking her up and have her start coughing all over again. So maybe we will try that one next year. I didn't cook a funny breakfast because: one - I never cook breakfast and two -I am not a morning person!!!!! So I resorted to just coloring their drinks. Halle always has a glass of milk and Chad and Sean always have a hot chocolate in the morning. I added a few drops of blue food coloring and poof - complete magic. The kids were in hysterics and talked about their blue drinks all day. I am so glad simple things please simple minds. I will definitely have to remember to do that again next year.

The rest of the day was spent listening to General Conference and taking naps. I love General Conference and I love that we have a DVR so we can record and watch the talks over again until the Ensign comes.

We later had Chris' mom and dad over for dinner. I am so blessed to have such wonderful in-laws. I love them so much and I am so glad we have had the opportunity to live close by. I especially love to see how much my children love their grandparents and the great relationship they have with them.

Monday
First day of spring break. Chad is the typical school boy - so excited to not have to go to school. Halle is the complete opposite. "How come I can't go to school? When is school mommy? Do I go tomorrow? Why not? Can I go to school now?!" And Sean was sometimes glad to have a brother and sister to play with all day and sometimes not.

I don't remember too much more about Monday - it was rather mundane. The usual chores of getting caught up with laundry, dishes and trying to keep my head above water with taking care of kids and keeping the house clean. (Something that just shouldn't ever be done together - kind of like mixing water and electricity.)

I was hoping to see more of Chris this week - but found out it would be a track week with boys practice from 10am-noon and then the girls practice from 2-4pm and then other errands he was wanting to take care of.

For FHE Sean had the lesson which involved balloons - he was a very good helper. We learned how the balloon is like our body and the air we blow into it is like our spirit. When we die our spirit (or air) comes out. When we are resurrected our body (balloon) and spirit (air back in) are reunited again - this time forever (tie off balloon). And after the serious lesson the kids (Chris included) played games with all the balloons.

Tuesday
Shopping day and getting ready day. Our big plan for spring break is to go to Stoneridge - a timeshare resort (thanks to Chris' parents) in Blanchard Idaho. Also trying to get my lesson ready for Relief Society because I know I just won't have any more time this week to work on it.

Wednesday
Tell the kids to eat their breakfast, brush their teeth, get dressed and get ready to be in the van by 9:00am as I have a surprise for them. At 9:00am we start driving down the hill and then west on the freeway. We take the exit for the airport and keep on driving. The kids are still pretty clueless when Sean yells out, "airport!!!!" Yes, that is where we are heading. The kids are still baffled so I ask them why they think we are going to the airport. They still don't know - but say that we usually go to pick up Nanny. So I ask them if they think Nanny will be there. Halle looks hopeful and says, "Yes, lets get Nanny." Chad says, "Mom, you are just joking aren't you." I say, "Well you never know, maybe if we cross our fingers and hope that Nanny will be there that maybe she will." So we all cross our fingers and say that we hope Nanny will be there. We are just about to the terminal when the phone rings - it is the Nanny saying she has arrived. The kids want to know who called and I let them know it was Nanny. Now they are really excited and can't believe that Nanny is here again (she was here just a couple of weeks ago). We finally pull up to the curb by the baggage claim and see Nanny waving at us. The kids are now sooooo happy to see their Nanny. Then all of a sudden Grandpa Hansen comes out of the airport. Now the kids are bouncing out of their seats and escaping from the van to go and greet Grandpa Hansen. They haven't seen him since last summer. He has been working in Russia for the past 18 months. The ride home is very, very loud and very, very joyful.

As soon as Chris was done with track we headed out to Stoneridge. We all had a great time swimming, playing at the park, taking a walk, and eating our traditional spaghetti dinner. Night time was fun as Halle and Chad slept in Nanny and Grandpa's room. That meant Chris and I just had Sean. It was fun to spend some time with just Sean as it doesn't happen all too often.

Swimming at Stoneride.

Thursday
Finished having fun by taking a morning swim, playing mini-golf, and then having a picnic before heading back home.

Nanny and Grandpa with the kids at Stoneridge.

After arriving home and getting everyone down for a short nap it was time for gymnastics. My mum and dad had a great time watching Halle in her little class. She even got promoted that day to the "Jumping Bears" class.

My parents then treated us to dinner at Applebees. What a difference a year makes! The last time we ate there with my mum I ended up just sitting out in the van with Sean because he was too horrible to have in the restaurant.

After a long day I was ready to settle down for the night!!!!! At 2am Halle came up complaining of a stomach ache. I didn't give it much thought as she constantly complains of stomach aches and sent her back to bed. At 2:30 I was woken up by the sound of a very sick little girl. I got the privilege of cleaning up all the mess (which makes me quite ill) and getting her in the bath (long hair is not good when you are sick). After giving her a bowl by her bedside and lots of hugs and kisses I went back to bed. At 3:30 more sound, more mess. 4:00 wide awake in bed with no hope of falling asleep. 6:00 finally fall asleep. 7:00am everyone is up and awake and very loud.

Friday
The plan for the day was to take my parents and the kids to the Children's Museum and then to see the waterfalls. With Halle being sick I stayed home with her and sent Chris off to be the tour guide and driver.

With the boys and my parents out of the house I try to comfort Halle on the couch and put on her favorite TV shows. By the afternoon, she has finally stopped being sick and is finally sleeping like an angel.

Later that night we get pizza for dinner and have a little birthday party for my parents. (Dad - March 23 and Mum- April 7).

Happy Birthday Mum and Dad!

Saturday
The Easter bunny comes on Saturday at our house so that Sunday we can focus just on Jesus and the kids aren't on a sugar rush before church.

The Easter Bunny came!

The kids enjoyed getting candy and umbrellas this year. (They never even noticed the new clothes.)

Wahoo - umbrellas!!!

At 9am Chad has his first soccer game for the spring season. He had fun seeing his soccer friends again. He played pretty well and even scored a goal - which was fun for his Nanny, Grandpa Hansen, and Grandma Caviness to see. Dad and Bompa are away in Yakima for a track meet.

After a nice morning and lunch it is time to go to the airport again. This time the car is quiet and sullen. Nobody likes saying goodbyes.

Afternoon - nap time and quiet time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mom needs to work on her lesson!!!!!!

I get so stressed teaching in Relief Society. I always love teaching in primary and had fun in Young Women but Relief Society completely stresses me out. It is so hard for me to look out at other women and talk to them. I always try to put a lot of planning and thought into my lessons - but they never turn out the way I want - I always get too nervous and blank out. I have pictures in my head - but I can't seem to find the words I want to express my thoughts.

After nap time - time to take advantage of the great weather. The kids ride their bikes and then beg for me to get out the pool to go swimming in. I tell them it is too cold but they persist. So wanting to use my Love and Logic skills I let them have what they want. After 10 minutes of playing with the water they are crying and ready to come in - finally realizing for themselves that it is indeed too cold to go swimming yet.

Sean crying because he is cold.

I bring them in and fill up the bathtub so they can have a "hot tub" party instead of swimming. That seems to do the trick and they are all happy again.

The Caviness Family "hot tub."

Sunday
Easter Sunday - one of my favorite times of the year. When I was a teenager I used to cry at Easter, thinking about all that the Savior had done for me. Now I have those same feelings but am also overwhelmed with gratitude and joy and hope.

We had great talks for sacrament and a great lesson for Sunday school. Then comes Relief Society. I have a total knot in my stomach - is it just nerves or do I now have the stomach flu like Halle had?

Relief Society starts and I go into automatic mode - just trying to do what I am supposed to do without falling apart and running out the door like I so desperately want to do. And thankfully, before I know it my lesson is over and I didn't die. I can breath again and finally enjoy the rest of my day.