But I was going to play with that, a different kind of journal and my favorite day of the week...

Is it only my house?!!??
Only my house that, on Sunday afternoon, when asked to put away their PILE of toys that has gathered, herded and multiplied all week in the living room, that they SCREECH...."But I was going to play with that!!!!" ?
Dude, it's been there since Monday afternoon! Do you think that I'm new to the scene?

How can they play with all of these things at the same time, huh?

Alright H, you CAN wear the sparkly shoes (see them, there in the pile?) while playing with the LeapPad....I'll give you that....but...seriously.

Sigh.
Anyways...
Alright, I'm putting myself out there with this post.

LOOK at the laundry...no, I haven't been sick. No, we haven't been on vacation. No, I don't wait until Sunday afternoon to do all of my laundry (I totally lie.).


Dear Friends:
Sometimes my house looks like this. Sometimes, a lot of times, my house looks like this.
Sometimes before you come over, I'll haul the overflowing laundry basket (s!) upstairs and shut it (them) in my closet.
L,
J.


BUT......


See what a little bribery and idle threats will get you?
Works for me.




A different kind of journal....






This is another special journal of mine...well, this is actually H's....well, it will be H's...someday.
Here's the story.
I am horrible at documenting my children's lives. I have gorgeous baby books that I had gorgeous plans for. N is almost 9 and I kept up with his book until he was a whopping 6 months old (about the same time that he started putting everything in his mouth, yeah, he was one of those kids).
H didn't stand a chance. When she was born, N was still trying to swallow Nerf darts and well, now I had TWO kids to keep up with.
I wanted to do something to preserve the memories so I decided to start a birthday journal for H.
I bought this cute journal and I write in it every year on her birthday. I usually write 4-5 pages, just letting her know what she learned, any momentous events that took place, what her favorite things were that year and funny things that she said during the year.
I also pull it out several times a year and write quotes that I see that remind me of her.
It's become so important to me and a gift to me each year as I read through the whole thing and cry and cry and cry.
Not because I'm sad, because I'm not sad, really.
I guess I cry because of how fast it all happens.
I remember writing that first post like it was yesterday and then I look at her and see all the changes that she's gone through and it doesn't seem possible at all.

The Birthday Journal will be a gift for H when she grows up. I want to wait until she's done moving around and settles down a bit because I know how many important things that I lost during my twenties.
N doesn't have a Birthday Journal (I know!).
I just didn't think that it would mean as much to him but now I'm wondering if I made a mistake.
I'm getting to know him and he is growing into such a wonderful and sentimental kid. His birthday is in February and even though he'll be 9, it's not too late.
Looks like I'll be buying another journal.
:)




My favorite day of the week despite the laundry (see above) and the horrible job I have of forcing my poor kids to PUT. AWAY. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. THOSE. TOYS. beforetheydisappearforever!!!!!!!!!!
My favorite day of the week because R usually sets it aside for family. Even if football is on the TV, we're still almost guaranteed a day close to home and together. Even in the summertime, we're together at the cabin on Sundays.
I love the background noise of the kids echoing through the house (even if they're tattling on each other).
I love making bacon and R making omelettes with the kids.
I love baths and clean kids in clean pjs and clean school clothes laid out for the next day.
I love the chaos of having everyone in the house at the same time and making more dirty dishes than I can keep up with. I love the inconvenience of waiting in line to use the one bathroom we have. I love having time to clip fingernails and paint toenails and play dress up with plastic shoes and pom-poms.

Love it. Love it. Love it.
Can't wait until next week.
:)