Today I....

4am? 5am? Can't remember when the day officially began, because I had stayed up til 1am working on Halloween costumes, cleaning up and putting away all the groceries. I think Benson woke up around 4. His sleeping is getting so much better, but he's still not a consistent sleep-through-the-night-er.

7:30 am Wake up with a Lindy and a Benson in bed with me, and Gwen on the floor. Party in Mom and Dad's room! Finish feeding Benson, help the kids get dressed (in costume) and started on their routine while I get breakfast ready. Keeping it simple today to save on time; it's cereal and smoothies.

8:45 somehow rolls around and I realize that we have to hurry now! Miles works with the bunnies, Gwen and Lindy roll in garbage cans for the neighbors (dressed as the cutest Dorthy and Scarecrow you've ever seen. They even walk back to the house together holding hands! *sigh), and I clean up breakfast and pray Benson stays asleep so I can shower.

It's officially 9:15 and I realize a shower is out of the question. Maybe one day my life won't include compromises such as, "Should I shower or...finish my kid's Halloween costume? Should I shower or....go to the bathroom? Should I shower or...help my kid clean up the flour that got spilled all over the floor?" I sneak into my room where Benson is napping and stealthily get ready. I'm only 5 minutes into it, and Benson wakes up. Good thing I didn't shower! I try my best to look presentable and clean (A for effort?) and corral the kids into the car while Benson screams.

10am We make it to home school group at Katie's house! Should be a fun day today. In addition to history, we're having a Halloween party. We studied Australia and New Zealand in Medieval times this past week, so the kid's (Gwen and Lindy. Miles chickened out) treated us to a performance of the "Haka". :) Richie loves Polynesian stuff (thank you mission to Hawaii), and especially loves watching the "All Blacks" team play Rugby. The kids have learned the Haka, almost by osmosis. The kids make Boomerangs and do some aboriginal art. We break for lunch and then play some Halloween games. I love these women we home school with! They are so dedicated and creative.

1:45 I finally get us all out the door and headed home. I'm so looking forward to naps/quiet time! I'm gonna get my "Fixer Upper" on, and take a breath before the rest of the Tuesday craziness begins. Too bad we left home school too late and now both Lindy and Benson refuse to nap because they fell asleep in the car on the way home. Miles and Gwen keep coming out of their rooms needing something, and it just becomes too much. I stress eat two brownies and snap at my kids to "Get in the car! Now! Shoes on, now!!"

3:30 Since we've left WAY early for Gwen's dance, I drive to the library so the kids can turn in some Halloween pictures they've colored in exchange for some cheap plastic crap a prize. Miles is overjoyed with his "I love the Jazz" pin. His permanent teeth are coming in and of course they look a little awkward, but so darn adorable. Especially when he's so genuinely happy. We are still going to be way too early to dance, so I find a random road and drive. It was a surprisingly charming little detour, but knowing my sense of direction, I'll never be able to find it again. We drop Gwen off at dance.

4:15 Come home so I can feed Benson, let Miles and Lindy play a computer game, and call my Mom to talk. Get back in the car to pick Gwen up from dance. She had a wonderful time there today and tells us all about how another girl dressed up as Dorthy too and so they would chase each other and say, "Look, I'm chasing myself!" She thinks it's hilarious, and maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I swear when she talks and tells me about her friends and the funny things they say, I'm listening to a 16 year old. It feels like it's only a moment away, and I'm equal parts happy and sad about it.

5:15 Drop Miles off at his art class with some other home school friends. He's loved having this outlet, but the class isn't all that impressive. So my friend and I have decided we'll start our own art class with our kids. Like I need one more things on my plate...but I'm excited about this thing. While his class goes on, I take my 3 youngest, and BreAnn takes her 1 youngest, and we go to the nearby park and let the kids run around while we talk. The only time I stop socializing is when Lindy begs me to swing with her. She's been waiting patiently and the really cool swing is finally open. It's a swing where a small child can sit opposite an adult and swing together. It's hard to describe, but it's easily my favorite swing/park activity ever! We tease each other while we swing and she is SO happy. She laughs so much she gets hiccups and then chokes on her own spit. Now that's happy. ;) It was a perfect moment in an extremely hectic day.

6:30 Get home! YAY! Warm up some leftovers while Richie tries to comfort a crying Benson and help the kids clean up the house. Once I've got dinner ready for everyone else, I grab Benson to feed him. Richie and I actually have a conversation with each other for the first time all day. The kids get going on bath time and by 7:10, Richie is out the door to go on visits with the missionaries. I go to check on the kids (all three ended up in a tub together, which doesn't ever happen) and notice and someone who shall remain nameless, has peed in the tub. Really??? So I make them drain the tub and turn on the shower, which Lindy hates. Get them all dried, lotioned, pj-ed, and hair combed and then plop them down in front of the TV so that I can bathe Benson in peace.

7:30 I get Benson all undressed and as I pick him up to place him in the tub, I take a few extra seconds to kiss his sweet, perfectly full, lips. :) I'm holding him up to my face and enjoying his baby soft cheeks and that's when I realize....my shirt is soaked through with pee. Newborn pee is probably the cleanest pee, of all pee...right?? Still I'm debating if I should let him keep peeing on my shirt, or have him get more on the floor. Which is grosser? And in the split second it takes to decide, he's done both...thoroughly. Set him in the tub, clean up the floor, keep the shirt on.

8:00 Let the kids eat a cookie the neighbor brought over, help them brush teeth etc, help them read scriptures, Richie gets home in time for prayers. I exit to finally eat dinner, while Richie reads "Swiss Family Robinson" to the kids.

8:30 Richie and I see each other again for the 2nd time that day (pathetic) and as we chat, every kid comes out of their room at least once. By the 3rd or 4th time, I snap at the kids, and then sit, comatose, while Richie works on dishes and we re-watch a "Parks and Rec" episode.

11 pm Who knows where the last 2 hours went, but here I sit, therapeutically typing away, trying to decide if I should finish cleaning up the kitchen or just dream feed Benson and turn in... Maybe I should do neither, and instead, watch another "Fixer Upper" and stress eat yet another brownie... Ha!

All days are not this busy. (Thank goodness!) Tuesdays are our crazy days lately. And in case I have trouble reading between the lines of this post in years to come, I'll lay it all out just to be safe- I go through lots of emotions throughout the day. Today I was: exhausted, content, intimidated, inspired, genuinely happy, angry, despondent,burnt out, in love, giddy, anxious, stressed and very, very grateful.

Now I'm going to go change my shirt.