CHAOS

6:48 am, jump out of bed and throw on some sweats because I am late.
6:55 am, the neighbor drops off her 4 kids.
7:35 am, sneak upstairs for a fast shower.
8:02 am, race down stairs to feed the 4 neighbors plus Mollie breakfast.
8:20 am, jump on the internet to look for a christmas gift.
8:28 am, answer a phone call from work
8:30 am, pack Mollie's back pack.
8:35 am, get the neighbors on the bus.
8:40 am, grab my socks, shoes, jackets, purse etc., lock up and jump in the car.
8:48 am, drop Mollie off at school for AM Patrol.
8:50 am, drive to work while calling my Dad to see if he will pick up a gift. (Thanks Dad)
9:07 am, arrive at work and WORK, WORK, WORK.
12:15 pm, leave my office and stop at 4 different schools for work visits.
2:10 pm, pick up Meganat the high school and quickly drive her to drivers ed class.
2:28 pm, drop of Megan, turn around and head back the exact same roads I just traveled to the Swim meet.
2:50 pm, cheer loud for Sam during his events, give him a quick hug.
3:35 pm, run down the street to the corner store to get gas (hmmm, I wonder why)
4:00 pm, return to the pool and have Sam jump into the car as I drive through the parking lot.
4:07 pm, call to make sure Mollie made it home from school.
4:32 pm, pick up Megan from Drivers ed and fight the traffic home.
5:05 pm, visit with Mollie for a minute.
5:15 pm, print off a few things and prep for Pack Meeting (I was filling in as cubmaster)
5:30 pm, throw together dinner of some sort????????? and review homework.
6:02 pm, read the email about achievement days and realize Mollie needs cookies, of course she wants homemade.
6:15 pm, put the cookies in the oven, good thing I have the recipe memorized.
6:18 pm, run upstairs to change into my scout shirt while yelling at everyone to get ready.
6:26 pm, pull cookies out of the oven.
6:30 pm, get everyone into the car and instruct Megan while she drives to the church.
6:40 pm, set up for pack meeting.
7:00 pm, run pack meeting
8:15 pm, clean up from pack meeting
8:30 pm, leave the church for home, swing by the neighbors house to pick up a copy of the assignment Mollie left at school.
8:40 pm, help Mollie with her homework.
9:05 pm, make two quick phone calls to schedule tithing settlement and the church building.
9:10 pm, do a quick, I mean quick pick up so that I don't scream in the morning when I see my house.
9:22 pm, scour the house and car for the missing nintendo dsi. (which I found)
9:30 pm, call Sam to make sure he has a ride home from basketball practice.
9:40 pm, tuck the girls into bed and try to convince Megan that we can make birthday invitations tomorrow say a quick hello and goodnight to Sam.
9:45 pm, sit down to write this post to keep my sanity and put a smile on my face as I hear my husband coming through the door from school (he has been gone for 15 hours) and let him now he is the love of my life and that I am exhausted but love being the MOM.
??? pm, sometime in the near future, falling into bed (after a well deserved foot rub) so I can do it all again tomorrow.

Sorry for the length of this post but mostly it is a quick pat on the back and high five to all of us mothers.

HALLOWEEN

Another sign that we are getting old. All three kids at the table with knives. Although we didn't help carve Mike was still recruited to help hollow out the guts.

Megan and Sam hanging out with their friends on Halloween night.

Mollie heading out trick or treating with her friend, Holly, and her brother and sisters.

Fall Sports Come To An End!

As always Mollie loved soccer season. She spent most of her time in the goalie box and really enjoyed it.

Sam really enjoyed football and especially liked seeing more playing time the second half of the season. He did a great job and his mom even managed to watch most of the time without cringing.

Megan had a great swim season. The meets are incredibly loud but I love going and screaming for her.

PARTY!

Saturday night Mollie dressed up for the ward trunk or treat and Megan and Sam dressed up for the multi-stake dance. A pirate, A princess, and Spiderman...Sounds like the makings of a great story to me.

Homecoming Game

Friday night was the high school home coming. It was fun for Mike and I to watch the kids get caught up in the week long festivities, and prompted a few high school memories of our own. The weather was gross but the team won so I guess it all worked out. Megan played with the band and Sam had a great time hanging out with the other boys on the freshman football team. Mollie was a little disappointed at first that she couldn't go but her and Mike headed over and watched the second half of the game. Mollie joined right in with Sam and Megan and had a great time. Thanks Megan for making her part of the cheers.

MUD!

This week reaffirmed what I already knew. Mollie loves mud. Last week at soccer she was covered in mud. The problem is this picture doesn't quite tell the whole story. She had on a goalie jersey which was solid mud. When she took off the goalie jersey this is what the under shirt looked like and the majority of the mud had been wiped off her face. The game on Saturday was suspended because of lighting and is to be finished this afternoon. Last night at family prayer she asked for the rain to continue, without the lightening because she wanted to "finish" getting muddy. Only for such a cute smile would I willingly wash these disgusting clothes and socks (although I have washed way worse).

Great Job Megan

Two weeks ago Megan officially earned her Young Woman Recognition Award. She has done a lot of great things with the Personal Progress Program and was very excited. At Young Women In Excellence they highlighted Megan and her accomplishments. She did a great job and also displayed the family 72 hour kit which was one of her value projects. I love knowing the kit is done and ready to go if needed. Thanks Megan!