Our weekend

Let's see...I can't believe the weekend is already over. We had a really fun morning on Saturday. We met up with two of our friends from last year's preschool class and let the kids play at the park. They had fun and I loved visiting with the other moms. Win-win situation.

Andrew was gone to Basic Training for Scout Leaders. He left early Saturday morning and got home Sunday evening.

Does he look cute in his uniform or what? :)

It seems like whenever he's gone, I try to keep us really busy so I don't start feeling lonely. So, we went out to Wendy's for lunch. And then stopped by Borders to return their expensive board books. (+$24 on the budget--woo hoo!) We came home to put Whitney down for her nap and Brandon and I read and played a couple of games.

Saturday evening was the annual broadcast from Salt Lake City for the women at church. Our stake had a dinner and activity beforehand which started at 6 and the broadcast ended at 9:30. They provided child care for those who needed it, but I didn't think Whitney would make it until 9:30 pm without being a big grump. Thank goodness for good friends. I didn't really want to pay a babysitter for 5 hours, so I asked our friend, Greg, if he would come hang out with the kids for a couple of hours and then put them to bed. He agreed. What a great guy! The kids love him and had fun. The activity and broadcast were really good. I always walk away from them holding my head a little higher because I'm a woman. (I've heard this is very different than the way the men feel after leaving their broadcasts every six month--but it's true!) The speakers make us feel so loved and capable. It's great.

Sunday mornings are always a rush around here, but Brandon was my super big helper this week. I was blow-drying my hair and asked him to pack snacks for himself and Whitney for church. He came back in a few minutes with this in his hands:

"Mom, can you close this baggie for me?"

He had gotten out a cutting board and used a butter knife to slice up a cucumber to pack as a snack. Is that the cutest thing ever??? I was SO impressed. I quickly peeled the skin off of them and put them in the bag and sealed them up and we were on our way.

Church was kind of rough. The last few weeks have been really good, so I was convinced we had reached a turning point as far as reverence, but this week we took a couple of steps backwards. Whitney was really difficult. She kept crying and whining over little things. I had to take her out twice. Brandon wasn't on his best behavior, either.

I got released from my responsibility in the presidency of the Primary (our children's organization). I have loved working in that calling, but it was getting to be a little overwhelming with Andrew's calling. There were some weeks where we would have church meetings 5 of the 7 days of the week! I don't get any rest, though, because I got called to be the chorister for the Primary kids now. I am really excited about it. I think it will be a fun calling. But it might be stressful for the next few weeks as we prepare for our annual Sacrament meeting program put on by the children. We have quite a ways to go in perfecting our songs before then. Hopefully it will all come together.

Here's the latest in my patch gallery:

Winnie the Pooh

When I found out we weren't quite done patching yet, I took some time on Saturday morning while the kids were watching cartoons and drew pictures on all of them that we have left. Brandon and Whitney wanted to help, so they each colored a patch, too.

And, in other exciting news, Brandon finished his Chuck E. Cheese calendar. It only took a month of being in school to get it filled in. :) It's supposed to be a homework calendar, but since his teacher hasn't started assigning homework yet, I told him that I had homework for him: to not be grumpy, whiney, or complain while he's getting ready for school in the mornings. Each morning that he got ready without a fight, I put an X on his calendar (I told him I'd give him the Sat's and Sun's as freebies.) Today he got his last X. Mornings around our house and have been SO much nicer than those first few days where I had to ask him 3 times to do everything. And, no, the 3rd time I ask it usually isn't pretty.

So, we're off to Chuck E. Cheese tonight after Family Home Evening. Yeah!