Stay-at-Home (?) Mom

It's crazy to be a "stay-at-home" mom that never really stays home.  Here's what happened today.

6:00-  Wake up

6:01-  Pray

6:05-  Wake up Ty

6:06-  Read scriptures.

6:11-  Shower

6:21-  Greet Lucy  (She's already up?!)

6:22-  Wake Emily; start first load of laundry

6:24-  Greet Randy (Always an early riser on "cereal" day)

6:25-  Gather remaining laundry from various baskets

6:35-  Give Ty morning drill-  "Do you have your homework, shoes, teeth brushed, taken your medicine, jacket?"

6:37-  Blow dry hair, start to apply make-up

6:44-  Start morning drill with Emily and Randy

6:55-  Say goodbye to Ty

6:58-  Finish make-up, get dressed

7:09-  Tell Randy to go get dressed.

7:10-  Feed Lucy

7:11-  Unload dishwasher

7:18-  Tell Randy the time.  Tell him to get dressed.  Again.

7:20-  Eat breakfast and watch weather 

7:25-  Yell "Randy?!  You're not dressed!  Go get dressed right now!"

7:26-  Finish breakfast.

7:27-  Brush my teeth

7:28-  Get Randy's clothes out of his drawer and hand them to him

7:29-  Threaten Randy

7:30-  Pack Randy's lunch

7:39-  Brush Lucy's teeth and get her dressed

7:46-  Yell "Randy!  We are leaving in 10 minutes!  GET DRESSED!!!!"

7:48-  Search for Lucy's shoes

7:49-  Dress Randy while muttering about nine-year-old boys

7:56-  Search for Randy's shoes.  (Where were they?  The closet!  Who would've guessed to look there?)

7:58-  Herd everyone to the van

8:00-  Drive Randy and Emily to school

8:15-  Arrive back home and put on TV show for Lucy

8:18-  Start 2nd load of laundry

8:19-  Resume search for Lucy's shoes

8:25-  Found them!  (Where were they?  Not in the closet.)

8:26-  Shod Lucy.  Comb and style her hair

8:36-  Watch "Imagination Movers" with Lucy.  Her request.  Honest.

8:46-  Drive Lucy to preschool

9:05-  Volunteer at elementary school book fair

10:45-  (15 minutes later than I signed up) Leave school

10:46-  Errand #1:  GameCrazy for Emily's gift

11:10-  Errand #2:  Petco

11:40-  Errand #3:  Hancock Fabrics

11:50-  Wait in line for Lucy

12:00-  Errand #4:  Wal-mart

1:15-  Arrive home and unload car

1:17-  Remember 1:40 appointment!!!

1:20-  Grab lunch for Lucy.  (When did she fall asleep?)

1:30-  Drive back to elementary school

1:40-  Teach Junior Achievement to Randy's 3rd grade class (my favorite part of the day)

2:30-  Drive to junior high school

2:40-  Pick up Ty and five additional teens

2:45-  Host Destination ImagiNation meeting

3:40-  Drive to elementary school (fourth time today!)

3:45-  Pick up Randy and Emily

4:00-  Drop off Randy.  Nag Ty about homework.  Pick up Lucy

4:10-  Drive to get haircuts for myself, Emily and Lucy

4:40-  Say "No Thanks" to blow-dry and style

4:50-  Say "No Thanks" to color job (even though I need it)

4:55-  Say "No Thanks" to a manicure

5:25-  Leave hair salon

5:26-  Fight traffic

5:45-  Pick up pizza at Little Caesar's

6:00-  Supper!  Ask Ty about homework

6:20-  Send kids to clean up toy room.  Put groceries away.  Wash breakfast dishes

6:45-  Give Emily birthday presents, since we'll be driving 10 hours on her birthday

7:00-  Start 5th load of laundry (I did loads #3 and 4 somewhere today)

7:10-  Finish cleaning kitchen and destruction after DI meeting.  Nag Ty about homework.

7:30-  Dress Lucy in PJ's.  Get me some four-year-old squeezin'.  Wishing for some husband squeezin' (on a business trip to the Netherlands)

7:40-  Check email.  52 messages!!!

7:50-  Prayers and brush teeth.

8:00-  Email Jason

8:17-  Blog to avoid laundry

8:30-  Make a list of the things that didn't get done today that need to be done tomorrow and other appointments:  Emily's morning announcements, brake check appointment, Katy ISD Special Ed advisory committee meeting, Primary stuff, fold laundry, bathrooms, family scriptures, lunch

8:37-  Make a list of all the things that have to be done this week:  Parent/Teacher conference, Scouts, get home in-law ready, pack, lunch.  

8:38-  Contemplate dessert

I'm not complaining.  I love my job.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.  I'm just wondering what I could call myself besides a "stay-at-home" mom.  Any suggestions?

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Primary

My favorite Sunday, after General Conference, is the annual Primary Sacrament Program.  In my new calling, I've had the chance to attend five different programs over the last couple of weeks.  There were a few differences between each congregation- one branch had six children and a couple of wards had over 100-  but more things were exactly the same.  Waves to the parents in the audience, someone with stage-fright, someone who "projects" into the microphone, beautiful singing and of course, the sweet spirit that surrounds children.  

Because my dad was transferred often, I attended Primary in five states and two foreign countries.  As a child, I found great security knowing that we would find Primary wherever we lived that sang the same songs and taught the same gospel.  I can't honestly say that I remember any specific lesson from Primary, but the principles that were taught there guide my life today.  I still sing Primary songs when I need those gentle reminders that I am a child of God and that He hears my prayers.  While I don't remember any of my Primary teachers', presidents' or music leaders' names, I remember the testimony that they helped instill in my heart.

I know the Lord loves little children.  I feel my Savior's love when I get to serve in Primary today.  I know it is my calling to serve in Primary at this time, but I feel as if I'm the one reaping all the blessings by being surrounded by His choicest spirits.

Color Blind

Years and years ago,  I worked in a large department store selling men's shoes.  Actually, it seems I spent more time giving directions to other sections of the store than I did selling anything.  One day, an older gentleman asked me where he could purchase socks.  I pointed to another sales associate on the other side of our department and told him the socks were next to the belts and "behind that man."

"That black man?" he asked.

I nodded and said, "That man in the navy suit."

"That black man?" he repeated.  

"That tall man in the navy suit," I replied.  

"That black man over there?"

Another nod, and still pointing in the right direction.  "That tall man in the navy suit with the red tie."  

Now you have to understand, this was a pretty dead time in the store.  There were no other men in our section.  The only man I could possibly be pointing at is tall, in a navy suit and standing next to the belts.  And, yes, he happens to be black.  But why does his race have to be the confirmation I give?  I don't know why this customer's questions bothered me, but I didn't want to acknowledge my friend's race, to give in to the easy way out.  This back-and-forth seemed to go on for a ridiculous amount of time- the customer asking about the associate's race and I giving further physical clues.  Finally, the older man was able to find and purchase his socks.  I don't think this man was racist.  I simply think that he was a product of his time- a time when race is the first thing anyone noticed in another person.

I think our time is different.  Not different enough, but we're heading in the right direction.  Forty years after Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, our country has elected a man of "color" to it's highest political office.  I, personally, did not vote for Barack Obama.  I do not share his political views at all and disagree fundamentally with just about everything he stands for.  That is why I voted the way I did.  I feel that most Americans cast their votes for or against the Republican and Democratic nominees for the same reasons I did, not because of "the color of [the nominee's] skin, but by the content of their character."  

I will honor and support the office of the President of the United States of America.  I am disappointed that the nominee I supported was not elected.  But I am very pleased and grateful that we live in a time when I can choose between John McCain and "that one."  Not "that black man."

Happy Birthday, Randy!!!

(Due to technical difficulties, this was posted the day after his actual birthday- Nov. 4)

Randy's 9th birthday is today.  We knew Jason would be out of town, so we celebrated on Sunday with presents and "cake".  (FYI:  Since May, Jason has been traveling to New Orleans every week- flying out Monday morning and returning home Thursday night.  This is the last week of his "six-week" project.)  Randy is the easiest kid to buy presents for.  He opens each gift with unrestrained glee and showers you with gratitude.  Pictures can't do justice.  Even a cheap, worthless present from Walgreens gets high praise. 

As you can see, his favorite dessert is cereal, which is pretty difficult to decorate with candles.  We still wanted to sing to him and let him blow out birthday candles.  So, we used a week-old cupcake, stuck nine candles into it, sang to him, and then I ate the cupcake.  Hey, a mom's gotta' do what a mom's gotta' do.

This morning, Jason called to wish Randy an official "Happy Birthday."  Randy's face lit up when he heard his dad's voice.  He said, "Thanks.  I really appreciate it."  It was so cute to hear such grown-up words from his mouth.

For dinner, we took him to his favorite restaurant- IHOP.  Not my favorite choice, but any place that has "Pancakes" in it's name is good in Randy's book.  He knew exactly what he wanted and cleaned his plate- pancakes, eggs and bacon.  Unbelievable!  I've never seen him eat so well in a restaurant before.  As we were leaving, he told us that he is going to take his wife and kids to IHOP "every day."  

As we ordered, Randy could barely keep still in his seat.  We explained to the waitress that today was Randy's birthday and he was super excited to be there.  Halfway through dinner, she and two other servers brought Randy an ice-cream sundae and sang "Happy Birthday" to him, which he loved.  The ice-cream sundae?  Not so much.  If it was plain vanilla ice-cream, I think he would have ate the whole thing.  But since it was covered with chocolate chips, whipped cream, nuts and a cherry, he only took a few bites and then was willing to share.  

Randy said he had a great birthday, and we had fun celebrating with him.