Getting Back Into the Routine

So our blog book for 2014 came in on Tuesday and it was huge. So I think I need to rethink how I do the blog and revise it down a bit. So instead of trying to record all that we are doing, I hope to just give some highlights…Tuesday was back to school for the kids. I was able to finish all of my purging and cleaning except the garage. It always feels so great to get that all done and have things clean and organized…even if it is just for a few hours J.

We have had decent weather so the kids have been playing outside a bit. Andrew came home early Tuesday afternoon since he had been at physical therapy and didn’t have much time to go back to the office. He said therapy is getting a little harder. He wonders if they are pushing him more since he said he used to be active when he was doing the triathlon training. Now he is thinking maybe he should have told them he just sat on the couch. I also spent some time on Tuesday backing up photos and videos and we watched a few old ones which was fun. Then that night I was planning to get to bed a little earlier. Andrew had put the kids to bed and then got on the bike while I was downstairs putting some stuff away. I came up and heard one of the twins screaming upstairs so I ran upstairs and turned on the light in their bedroom to find Bennett’s face and hands covered in blood. He was so scared, so I picked him up and took him to the bathroom.  He was terrified of his hands since they were covered in blood, so I had him rinse those off and then let him sit in the shower while I cleaned things up. He was all better after a good shower and didn’t have any more problems after that.

Wednesday brought the usual prep for small group along with finalizing some plans for the marriage conference. Lincoln got to play at Josh’s house for a couple hours in the afternoon. While he was gone I took the twins outside for a bit. They had fun riding their four wheelers around and playing while I did a quick clean of the garage and the car. When Lincoln got home, he stayed busy cleaning his cowboy boots. His school is having Lutheran Schools’ Week this next week and they have dress-up days. One day is Career Day so he wants to go as a cowboy. He got the mud off with a stick, then rinsed and dried them off. He was very proud to have clean boots again. That night we had a pretty successful small group as far as the marriage conference prep goes which was awesome. So I spent the night sending emails to various people trying to follow up and get questions answered. Our church staff is excited that we are bringing the conference to the church and are willing to help us out, which is great. I sent off a request to our Quincy campus on Thursday to get all the information put on the website, in the announcements and in the newsletter. We were still waiting on a finished registration form but they had an announcement in the e-newsletter the next day. 

Andrew was pretty busy on Thursday prepping for a trial. Alex came over that afternoon to play with Lincoln and he was excited to show Lincoln that he had brought some pop guns with him.  So they played outside with those and in their fort. All the playing must have worn him out because he fell asleep before dinner. So it was just five of us at dinner since Andrew was still at work.  And we had to eat early because Jackson had ball practice. Andrew got home just before I had to take Jackson to practice. I dropped Jackson off and ran to Aldi and Walmart and was able to make it back in time to watch the last little bit of his scrimmage and see him make a basket.  When we got home, Andrew headed back to the office to finish up the last of his preparation. The twins seemed to have every toy out and they like to bring them all upstairs.  They brought their grills up and told me they were making dinner. Miles even put some of his fruit snacks on his grill. It did take a while to get all cleaned up but then it was time for bed.  It took the twins a little while to settle down.  At one point Lincoln came down to tell me that, “One of the babies turned off the light. And the side baby, the blue baby, took the green baby’s book.” I wonder when he will ever be able to tell them apart.  

Andrew was in trial all day Friday but he got out and got home just in time to change and then we took the kids, except Ellie, to church for a Parents’ Night Out.  Ellie got to go to the Courtwarming games with Faith and Grace and then they had a sleepover at Faith’s house. They had been planning it for a while so they were so excited. Andrew and I went to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner and then ran by Hastings to pick up The Return of the Jedi for Jackson. I was totally fine with going home for a bit because I was going to work on some office work. But Andrew was the good parent who missed his kids and wanted to pick them up early. And we were the first ones to pick up our kids. Miles and Bennett were in the Play Place so it took a little while to get them out-they love it in there. Jackson was thankful we showed up early though. Andrew did say that I could lock myself in the bedroom and work while he watched the kids. So that is what I did.  And I eventually got it all done. Such an exciting date night J.

Andrew went to the office Saturday morning and then a Small Group leaders’ breakfast.  Ellie and I left when he got home to take her to team pictures before her game. Andrew brought the other kids at game time and my parents and Mary came too. Ellie seemed very hesitant during warm ups so I was surprised when the game started and she was hustling everywhere. On offense she was running around trying to get open. Once she got the ball, she did like to dribble in towards the basket and shoot.  She made two or three baskets and did a great job.  I did explain to her when she sat out that she needed to look around and see who was open and not be a ball hog. She was aggressive on defense too which I loved.  So overall she did an awesome job and is looking forward to her next game.

After the game, Andrew went to the office while the kids and I ran some errands. We had to drop off my last haul of stuff at the thrift store, return Jackson’s movie and run by the bank.  When we got home the kids headed outside to play with friends. I was able to finish up Lincoln’s valentines and came up with an idea for the teachers’ Valentine gifts. When Andrew came home, he had the older kids come out and play some basketball with him. I went out for a little bit too and we worked on some things with Jackson and Ellie. Andrew wanted me to teach Jackson had to block out. Andrew likes to think that I’m a little dangerous when blocking out-I think I have knocked the wind out of him a time or two. So I had Jackson shoot, blocked him out and then noticed that I had knocked him down to the ground. I think he was a tad bit surprised J. After basketball the kids played on the swing set and their fort-basically fallen trees.

Then it was time to load everyone up and head out to the ranch. We were going to Matthew and Kristin’s for a belated birthday celebration for Tom. But first Andrew wanted to go check his cows. So we went out there and drove around his pasture. He and Jackson put some mineral and he fixed an electric fence that was knocked down near one of his ponds. Then at Matthew and Kristin’s, Kristin had dinner ready for all of us. You never know what the twins will do, but they actually sat down and ate it. But then Miles also figured out where the pantry was came out one time with a box of Goldfish and the next time it was a plate of Cheezits. We had a nice visit and found out Mary is going to Israel in February with a Mike Huckabee tour group. I’m sure it will be an amazing trip.

Sunday was such a dreary day compared to Saturday. It was cooler, windy and rainy. After church I got the grocery shopping done and then switched into some cozy clothes. Ellie hung around the house all day just being lazy. I think she was still worn out from her sleepover and just wanted to relax. Jackson and Lincoln spent some time at the Vincents. Jackson played Monopoly for a couple of his friends.  Andrew was at the office most of the afternoon. That evening we went to my parents’ house for dinner. And after dinner, the kids helped my dad make some cookies. When we got home and the kids were done with their baths and showers I had them finish up their Valentine’s. I just like having them done and ready to go. Jackson just had to attach a bag of Skittles to his while Ellie and Lincoln had to sign their names on theirs. I was kind of dreading doing them with Lincoln. I remember doing them with Jackson at the same age and it was torture for him to sit down and do it. But Lincoln was great. He hesitated a little at the beginning because he thought it would take a long time, but then he got on a roll and was all done in about 10 minutes. While he wrote his name, I stuck suckers in them. Ellie got all of hers signed but she still needs to make loom bracelets for them. She has seven out of 21 made but we still have a few more weeks.