Neighbors

1. I am sitting down. Watching TV. At 612pm. Friday night.

I don't think that you need much more of an explanation.  About 10 minutes ago Mike and Luke decided to have a drink so I had him take Jack with him.  I folded a load of laundry, started the taped episode of Grey's and I am in heaven.  

2. Slowing Down AND speeding up

Writing that out reminds me of a home video of the boys coming home from the gym. One child wanted me to drive slow, the other wanted me to drive fast.  They argued and cried all the way home.

But that is not what this is about .... the past few weeks I have felt stressed and overwhelmed with the state of our home.  It makes frequent appearances in the blog but the stress of keeping a clean, functioning household has been overwhelming to me for YEARS.  I got some advice on the situation and for a few years I have kept this strange anxiety at bay (for the most part).  Recently I have noticed that my old habits are creeping back up again.  I am still trying to adjust.  I do need to live in a clean, functional home BUT at the same time, I want all of my time (as much as possible) to go to  being present with the boys (which is exactly where I want to spend my time).  Anyways -- I just wanted to say -- I am grateful for the personal check to figure out that I need to be efficient with my time and still be grateful and spend those hours with my sweet boys.  **long winded I know -- thank you for letting me write this out**

3. Evening with friends

After I was done typing #2 Mike text me and said that Mandy and their boys were out and to come over.  I headed next door and we hung out for the next hour.  It was a perfect Friday night.  Since all the kids have a 715 bedtime we left around then and headed home for dinner and put Jack to bed.  We were making queso dip (yes--that is what we had for dinner on our last night without the twins).  And we finished a movie that we were watching earlier this week.

It is now 907 and I feel like I am going to hit a wall.  Hoping that I wake up without this damn chest cold and we have a fabulous day.

4. Birthday Presents

Yesterday evening Mike and I made a trip to Toys R Us after work.  We needed to get presents for Maddie, Olivia, Philip, and the twins (from my parents).  The boys turn 6 next week and we bought a used Wii to give them.  SOOOOOOO  --- the part I am grateful for --- we bought CHEAP gifts and the experience went smoothly.

5.  I let Jack cry
I am the first to admit that I am enabling Jack's sleep/wake schedule.  I think that the video monitor doesn't help....but it is still mostly my fault.  I am pleased to announce that last night I had a break through.  He started crying and usually (always) I would go in and hold him but not last night.  Last night I let him figure it out and he did GREAT.  The second time he woke up he was up sitting in his crib at 430 so I got him, fed him, and sent him back to bed.  Hopefully tonight goes just as smooth.