Swimming and Scrubbing

Monday, I just needed out of the house. The kids were out of school and I didn't care what we did, my kids needed exercise and I wanted to not have to think about anything.

I convinced a sweet friend of mine to head up to Green Canyon Hot Springs - passed Rexburg - with me to take our SEVEN kids swimming. -- All by ourselves. We were obviously feeling ambitious. :)

The kids all had a wonderful time and the swimming part was great fun for all. I can't say as much for the undressing and redressing and brushing hair and can't-find-the-keys parts, but well worth the struggle to give my children a day of swimming. :)

Hazel and Lilie have turned into quite the little fishies. They swim and swim and practice and practice and practice. Loving every second of it. They get so independent that at times, I feel a bit nervous about where they are and if they're dead, :) but they always do such a good job at following the rules and not doing anything too crazy. 

Hazel and Elsie both make friends with everyone they see. I love it. Even at a loud crazy pool with lots of sisters and lots of friends, both of them find someone random to be their best buddy. :) Hazel spent hours talking with another little girl as they used the rope to pull back and forth, back and forth across the pool. Such friendly little ladies. I don't think I was like that as a child . . . it's fun to watch my children's personalities. 

Lilie played with Hazel, but mostly just practiced different maneuvers over and over and over again. She loves experimenting and seeing what she can do now. I love it. Violet just loved being in my arms and watching everything going on around her. She was such a trooper - with only 15 minutes of nap under her belt for the entire day. She is such a pleasant baby. 

On the way home, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant with a playplace to get out ANY remaining wiggles - which was mostly just tired energy at that point. By the time we got home, those kids were T-I-R-E-D ---- which is what had been my plan all along. :) They were all four in bed within half an hour of walking in the door. Awesome. 

Nels was working late and I wanted some downtime for myself. What I hadn't been anticipating was how exhausted I would be after a day of chasing four kids at a pool. :) I didn't last very much longer than the kids did. :)

----------------

And today? {Aaaahhhhhh} Sweet success.

Today I managed to accomplish something. It was wonderful. I even had Elsie and Lilie help while the mess-maker was napping. Elsie is always so helpful. She is always the first (and usually the only) one to ask if she can help me with anything that I'm doing. Whether it be cooking, playing, or scrubbing the toilet, she loves to be my helper. I appreciate her willingness and love more than I can express. She is such a doll.

Lilie on the other hand, is usually AWOL (away without leave). (Nels told me yesterday that he doesn't like it when people use military acronyms. :) Yes, Lilie is usually AWOL - or MIA, whichever you prefer - when there is work to be done. However, on occasion (especially lately) she has been showing her real colors. She just has to be self-motivated. (That isn't new news to me - it's just that motivation is usually in short supply. :) Lately I think she has been learning the sweet feeling that comes from not only doing a job well, but also from helping someone else. - Even if it's not your favorite thing to do. And let me tell you, she is going to be a GOOD cleaner. She sat with an old toothbrush and some Comet scrubbing our bathroom step stool till it was gleaming --- at least a good 45 minutes. She is one after my own heart. :)

After rinsing the stool and setting it to dry, she was just so pleased. Full of lots of hugs and kisses and "I love you's". Feeling so happy for helping and so pleased with her hard work that it just came bubbling over. :) "I really like helping you, Mom. Even if it's not my favorite thing to do, I really like helping you."

Those two little workers made my day today.