Just for the Record

I know that I'm going to get comments asking what I did last night with my free time. Just for the record, I want you to know that I did the most fabulous thing . . . 3 more loads of laundry! ;) Can you even believe I had that much???? Holy smokes!!! Between yesterday and this morning, I've washed, FOLDED, and PUT AWAY 10 (TEN) loads of laundry! What the heck were we wearing???

And the other day when the girls were all taking a nap, many of you asked what kind of fun I had, well, here it is - I cleaned my fish tanks. Amazing, huh? I've morphed into a crazy person (ie - my mother). I have free time on my hands and what do I do, jump for joy and then start cleaning again. I'm insane. But at the same time, when you've got three children, it IS kind of a break to clean undisturbed. Weird.

Sorry for the downer . . .

Feeling better now. A day filled with folding and putting away 6 - 7 loads of laundry will do that! :) ha ha. But I am feeling better - just thought I'd share. Thank the Maker that it isn't raining outside today! Cold? Yes. Breezy? Yes. Children still want to go outside? YES!  

Strangely enough (despite the sarcasm) doing all that laundry has been oddly satisfying. My cousin, Amber, called me this afternoon - a little bummed because her hubby is going to be gone for the next couple of days. I gave her some fabulous sympathy and then got off the phone with her to call Nels and find out when he'll be home. He's thinking that he'll stay late tonight. Amber, I sympathize a little bit more. I felt bad for myself for a little while --- not as if I can't survive a night without Nels, we've done that a lot, but mostly because after cleaning all day, FIRST - it's nice to get a little recognition ("Wow, Rachel! The house looks GREAT! You must be the best wife in the world and you worked really HARD today!!! You are amazing and beautiful and fabulous! I am so lucky! You are the best and hardest working woman that ever was!" --- Yeah, kind of what I was hoping for! :)  ), SECOND - I really didn't want to get the girls all fed and ready for bed all by myself after said day. Then I started to realize that I can feed the girls anything I want and feed them earlier than I would have otherwise and get them in bed right after they are done. THEN I have the entire night to myself to do anything I want because the house is clean. I can watch some silly chick flick and play around with my beads or fabric or ribbon.

This is going to be a good night after all. I'll make sure to post whatever I work on tonight.

And you know, you may think that doing laundry all day isn't that exciting, but when you've got a good book on your ipod and this sweet little face smiling at you all day, it's not so bad . . . :)

I'm never cleaning my house AGAIN

Seriously, I don't know why I even bother. Since i woke up this morning I've been cleaning --- kind of sad that there is that much cleaning to do . . . but hey. Anyway, I've vacuumed, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned the bathroom, swept the floor, dusted, dressed the children in clean clothes, and put Elsie down for a nap. In a matter of 3 minutes - all undone. At least that's what it feels like. I come downstairs to clean up the laundry room, put another load in, and put some music on my ipod. The big girls are outside playing. They run in the house, slam the door, start screaming at the top of their lungs, and go in the bathroom. I can hear Elsie start crying. I go upstair to quiet them down. There is mud smeared across the entire kitchen floor and into the bathroom. On the toilet, on the floor, ALL over the sink and faucet, ALL over their clothes. I stick them back outside. Rock Elsie back to sleep. Lock the back door. Come downstairs to finish taking care of the laundry. Girls come in through the front door this time, into to kitchen, get into the buns covered with cornmeal and proceed to eat them all over the living room (chair and couches included), all down the hall, all around the kitchen and up to the countertop. 

Vacuuming, sweeping - wasted. Clean bathroom - now covered in mud. Clean clothes - covered in mud. Elsie's "nice long nap" - now over after an HOUR. Happy mom - gone. (((SIGH)))

Snake Lake

Today was cold and rainy. (Happy Memorial Day!!!) The sun decided to show it beautiful face for a few minutes and we decided to go check out some fun, new spots on the Snake River. By the time we got there, Mr. Golden Sun had decided to run for cover. (((sigh))) However, the girls still had a little fun at "Snake Lake" TRYING to throw little sticks in (I say 'try' as every time they'd chuck it, it would fly backward with the wind) and occasionally getting a pine cone in.

Lilie "fishing". She was certain that she could reach them!

Hazel's "Martian" rock. Where does she learn this stuff?

Awesome!

I am . . .

got this blog tag from my friend Rachel. I have many tags that I need to respond to, but this one seemed like an easy, fun, fast one. I'm working on all the others . . .

I AM...

i am: Rachel - happy, imperfect, (happily imperfect???) learning . . .

i think: too little. I think I run on autopilot a lot lately.

i know: that the plan the Lord has for us is real. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I know my Savior lives. I know I'm doing okay. I know I could do better.

i want: to be a better mom and wife. I want to be more financially secure. I want to accomplish more - probably more than I am capable of achieving. I want to have more dedication.

i have: 3 beautiful girls and a wonderful husband. I have a wonderful, peaceful, steady life.

i wish: hair and makeup did itself, that beds made themselves and laundry folded and put itself away.

i hate: feeling misunderstood.

i miss: my grandparents. I've felt a real loss in not really knowing any of my grandparents as an adult.

i fear: death. Not that I fear dying per se. More the fear of leaving my children and husband. Or them leaving me. I've thought about it extensively, it just doesn't work out for any of us to die.

i feel: peaceful, happy, and irritated all at the same time.

i hear: Hazel yelling at me to get her out of the bath and splashing from Lilie.

i smell: cooked broccoli and shampooed hair.

i crave: a hot, steamy bath and a really good book.

i search: for knowledge. I love to learn.

i wonder: If Nels will come home before midnight. If the girls will fall asleep in the next 2 hours. . .

i regret: yelling at my children.

i love: laughing, learning, reading, sewing, my fish, families, a clean house, rain, grass, the smell of lilacs, gardens, organization, camping, my husband, the laughter of my children (even when they are supposed to be asleep), music, singing, life . . .

i ache: for more patience and kindness.

i care: about the appearance of my home.

i always: feel anxious when I sleep in too late.

i am not: quiet. poised.

i BELIEVE: that I can have more balance in my life. Too often I'm all or nothing.

i dance: poorly and secretly. Sometimes when I'm cleaning the house. How can you not when you're listening to Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself"?

i sing: when I am happy or to relieve stress. I sing less than I used to. Sometimes I sing to bother my children. :)

i cry: when I am frustrated or mad. It's really embarrassing and just makes me more frustrated and mad.

i don’t always: shave my legs.

i fight: when I am tired.

i write: to remember and to think. To put things in perspective.

i win: at Nintendo 64's James Bond. Nels has never beat me.

i lose: the battle of modesty in our home too often.

i never: want to go to bed early. I never read books with Nels anymore.

i confuse: my children's names. Hazelilie. Lelsie.

i listen: I TRY to listen to what someone is saying, even when that's not what's coming out of their mouth.

i can usually be found: at home with my children.

i am scared: of my own procrastination on things of importance.

i need: laughter, sunshine, exercise.

i am happy about: the life I have. I have a wonderful husband who is my best friend. He works so hard to take care of our family. I have three children who I love more than life. They are smart and happy. I am happy about the choices I have made in my life that have brought me to where I am and have made me what and who I am.