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Sitting on my bed listening to "who know's what?" going on upstairs.  We've been gone all day (kinder assessment, chiropractor, shopping, lunch, piano lesson, Walmart, etc) and I'm spent, so I thought I would take a few minutes to sit in a cool room with my computer.  Asked the boys to play a board game.  How come board games always lead to physical wrestling games??  This is a quandry for me.  Even Maggie is wondering what's going on up there – twisting her neck back and forth and looking at the ceiling.  Living with boys is hardly ever quiet. 🙂

School shopped today.  It's funny shopping with boys.  They follow my quick feet around like little ducks from store to store.  I have a way of assessing a store withing 15 seconds and I know if it will be a successful venture or not (I think I get this from my Aunt Lisa :).  If I don't like what I see (or smell/hear/feel??), I usually walk right back out the door.  The boys get confused and sometimes linger until one of them says "come on – Mom's left!".  Jacob likes to pick things that he's seen other people wear – other kids AND other adults.  Today he said, "Mom can I try on these camo cargo pants – I've seen Brother Sivley wear these!".  Brother Sivley is the very cool FBI agent and father of 6 in our ward (who also happened to sing and dance in the Nauvoo Pageant!).  I like that he admires guys like Brother Sivley, and wants to dress like them (funny what kids notice!).  Caleb is the pickiest of the bunch.  He wants things just "so".  Plaid shorts are preferable, but they have to have the cinch-waist.  Shirts have to be soft but stylish.  He wants skinny jeans, but not too skinny (thank heavens).  He's the one that needed more clothes than anyone else, and the he's the one that, after 4 hours, only walked away with one shirt.  Samuel wants EVERYthing he sees…size, style, color – none of that matters!  I have to make suggestions and give him reasonable choices – this shirt or this shirt?  Another funny things about today was Jacob's reaction to everything I allowed the boys to try on – "Mom you are SO much more flexible now than you used to be!  You were so strict with me!  You used to say skinny jeans were for "hoodlums!"."  It's true.  But in my defense, the skinny jeans he was referring to were on a neighbor kid who was wearing his sister's skinny jeans and they were VERY tight.  Seems you can get them baggier now. 🙂

Buying school supplies for THREE kids is expensive!  And time-consuming.  But it's always fun to have new supplies – is there anyone who doesn't like new school supplies?!

Enjoyed spending the weekend with our peeps – the Hicken's and Dalebout's.  Dinner date with the adults, swim time with the moms and some kids and Sunday dinner with everyone.  Always fun.

Samuel went to his Kindergarten assessment today (10 minutes) and was so quiet.  He's my shy guy.

Spent the day at the lake with 12 moms and 42 kids yesterday! I love that annual tradition of playing in the sand and enjoying the water.  It was hot, as usual – 104 degrees.

Made dinner to celebrate Audra's birthday on Monday – pulled pork, fried tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, avocado and creamy cilantro dressing – it was a winner. 

Having kids over on Friday to surprise Caleb for a very belated birthday celebration.  He's been asking and asking and asking to have kids over.  He'll be elated.

Got a surprise phone call from Mom and Steve on Saturday and they took the kids for 3 hours of fun.  Derek and I calendared and worked on house projects…nice to sometimes have a break.

Headed to Austin this weekend to help celebrate my Dad's retirement from his church in Austin.  They've been such a big part of his life for almost 20 years, and subsequently a big part of ours.  Am glad they are honoring that with a reception, party, etc.  Am thinking up projects for him as we speak – he had no idea that moving to Dallas would be so much work! ;0

Watched the movie "Courageous" last night about a group of men who resolve to be better fathers.  Very moving and touching – I went to bed wanting to be a better parent.