Very Productive Week

This past week, my Mom gave me an early birthday present. I picked her up from the airport Saturday evening and she spent a week here helping me go through things and getting things organized. We started by making a list of all that I have been wanting to get done and by planning the meals for the week. Monday morning we went grocery shopping and then set to work. We cleaned out and organized the pantries, some of the food storage stuff, linen closet, clothes buckets, under beds, many corners of boxes full of "stuff" to go through, pampered chef items from my selling days, prepping things for a yard sale, etc, etc, etc. My mom was awesome at keeping the laundry going, helping with cub scouts, and picking kids up from the bus. She is a power house and it was amazing how much we got done in a week. My list of "to do" is still long, but it sure feels good to have accomplished what we did. I feel a little bit less overwhelmed anyway.

It was great for me, but I think the boys felt a little left out. Basically all of my mom's time was spent working on something. Jacob kept asking why I was treating her like a slave. =) She didn't give them as much individual attention as she often does when she is here and I don't think they liked that one bit. By the end of the week it was showing. They were all acting up more than usual. We'll have to have Grandma come back sometime when there is not so much that we are trying to get done. Luckily by Saturday morning it was a whole different story as you can see by this video. The three older boys were having a great time playing and wrestling, Bryce enjoyed lying on the floor watching them, and Annalise...well, she was just happily doing her own thing!




Friday evening my Mom and sister were both here, so John and I took the opportunity to go to the temple together. It has been a long time since we have been able to do that. Of course there were a few "bumps" that evening that tried to keep us from getting there, but we made it and had a wonderful time. After the session, we went home and said goodbye to my Mom. She stayed the night at Sheri's house and left for home Saturday morning. I miss her all ready and am so thankful for the wonderful gift of help that she gave me.

Saturday morning John, William, and Jacob had play rehearsal so I took Spencer, Bryce, and Annalise over to help at a fund raising car wash for a 6 year old little girl with cancer who is in our ward. She is also in Jacob's class at school and he has become really good friends with her these past few months. Spencer had a great time washing tires and then jumping in puddles when there were no cars to wash. Bryce had a great time being pushed around in his chair by Dylan and her siblings. There was a pretty good turn out and it was nice to get out and help...even if it was only a little bit.

Then last night John and I watched the movie Extraordinary Measures about the kids with Pompe Disease and their father's mission to find a cure. Gives me hope that we will one day be able to find a cure to Bryce's illness...of course, we have to find out exactly what that is first.

With all of the birthdays, school year end events, and appointments coming up this week, it promises to be a busy one. I'm not sure if I will get back here again this week or not. If not, whenever I do, I will have lots to share.