Happy 7th Birthday Ethan!

Ethan turns 7 today!  We celebrated with extended family on Sunday, but have been enjoying continuing the party through the week.

Ethan, wanted to decorate his own cake again.  He loves to be in the middle of everything.  He had originally planned on a rain forest cake, but changed his mind last week to a fishing theme.

He combined a couple of his ideas and got a bit of both.

Special birthday food requests are always a big deal.  The kids love to plan out what they want to make their day special.  For the extended family dinner he decided on beaurox, broccoli cheese soup and caesar salad.  He wanted chocolate speckled cake for his dessert.

and for todays menu:
Breakfast-beignets and scrambled eggs
Lunch-salad with tomatoes and tomatillo dressing (that is what he asked for, but as we were packing his lunch last night in addition to the salad he asked if he could also take 2 treats for his birthday lunch.)
Dinner-homemade pizza and salad

Ethan loves to be active.  He enjoys sports and being outside.  He is so much fun to have around. 

Fly on the Wall: Monday

It's been a four months since the last fly-on-the wall post. We've moved since then and mostly settled into a new routine.  Once again the day I was tracking had some things that seemed out of the normal, but I've just realized that every day is like that--not being able to follow an exact routine day-to-day is just how life seems to roll.

So, this is a glimpse our lives on Monday, February 22nd.  Every hour on the hour I jotted down or took a picture of what was happening.

Plan for the Day

6:00-Out for a Run
Listening to: Marathon Training Academy
James up, home with kids this morning.  They will get up about 6:45 to get ready for school.

7:00-Taking James to Bus
Listening to: Primary Songs

James usually leaves at 6:30am with a carpool, but his ride was sick today, so we dropped him off at the bus station before taking kids to school.

Preston not happy about the sun in his eyes

8:00-Starting Laundry
Big kids got off to school.  Preston and I home together working. Monday is always a big cleaning and laundry day, but today is going to be more than usual since we were traveling last week.

9:00-Folding Laundry
Preston is writing on mirrors (with permission--dry erase marker), while I get the first loads of laundry folded.

10:00-Dishes

Listening to:Marathon Training Academy

Preston was excited to see his toys again after traveling last week.  He turned down the chance to play outside and chose to play with trains instead.  After helping him set up a train track, I'm working on breakfast dishes.

11:00-Lunch with Preston

Folded more laundry, picked up house, started dinner.  Taking a break to play with Preston before his nap.

12:00-Getting Preston down for Nap
Got to play and read stories with Preston for a while.  He is not good about going to bed at night, be he loves his naps.

1:00-Dinner Prep
We got back Saturday after traveling for a week and did a quick shopping trip to grab some essentials, but without a full plan.  I had to see what I had to figure out what I had to work with to take dinner to someone tonight.  Settled on 'Nana's 90th" a chicken casserole.  The family needed a low sodium meal, so I was able to modify with herbs and spices for flavor in place of salt.

2:00-Packing up car
Listening to: Freakonomics
Need to leave in a few minutes to pick up big kids.  Preston still napping, usually have to pull him up a few minutes after 2 everyday.

3:00-Picking up Brielle from Piano
Brielle had piano from 2:30-3.  While she was there we went up to Grandparent's orchard to pick some citrus.  Ethan was excited to show me his blue ribbons after school that he won at his school track meet.

4:00-Helping Ethan with Homework
Got home from piano and had snack (cinnamon/sugar apples).  Brielle is also working on homework, Preston playing in his room

5:00-Dropping of Dinner to Friends

We were going to drop dinner off quickly, but the kids all wanted to come in and say hello.  Having a fun chat.

6:00-FHE Activity at Chipotle
Picked up James from bus and met with extended family at Chipotle. We all got coupons for free burritos that are expiring today/tomorrow.  Fun family night.

7:00-Headed Home
Family Scriptures in car on the way home to get kids to bed faster when we get there.

8:00-Dishes
Listening to: Freakonomics
Even though we didn't eat at home tonight, since I cooked dinner to take to others I have dishes that needed to be taken care of.  Got James and the  kids lunches packed and ready for tomorrow.


9:00-Going through Mail

Listening to: Ted Radio Hour

Have a big pile in my inbox from the mail and from kids backpacks to go through today, again catching up on everything from our travels last week.

10:00-Computer Work
Clearing e-mail inbox to start fresh for tomorrow.

tasks complete for the day.  Time for bed.