Reading is fundamental ..

He doesn't even know all his sounds yet, but he LOVES looking through books.
If he could read all day, he would. I'll have to remind him of that in a few years, I'm sure.

Did you know that you can borrow the latest DVD, music, of course books from your local library? You can also borrow learning game systems like LeapFrog!

The key is .. to bring the items back on time ... or you will pay a fine. Not that I know ANYTHING about that. :)

Among other things ....

I have started 5 posts since tax day, but cannot seem to get around to finishing them. Every single time something steps in the way of my thoughts and I never get around to pushing "publish".

I started TWITTERING a few days ago and really like it, but I am still figuring out what to do, what is proper etiquette, who should I follow, etc. etc.

I am also planning our vacation for 2009. We were all set to go in June, but DH's job has not approved his dates, so it looks like July now. That is ok, a few more paychecks to save some money and work some overtime. We try to have vacations BIG or SMALL without using the household $$$.

Last year was the first year I felt comfortable with all of us traveling somewhere other than KY for vacation. We had a blast and wish Disney was in the works for this year too, but it isn't, so I am trying to plan something fun, educational and just as memorable ... and yeah, CHEAP .. sorry inexpensive :)

Back in the real world, we are trying to find Ethan a new school for next year. He has a good year at his junior high, BUT he needs a change. There are some things we cannot change and do not want him to be a part of next year.

So, I have a busy day, full of "things" to do. Nuthin special, just necessary.

What did you do today?

Or sometimes people ask me what do you do all day at home? My answers always sound so simple to me, but not simple enough to match my exhaustion.

So I decided to chart my day and see ... what this mother of three boys does in a single day.

3:30am - Woke up because I could not sleep, started a load of laundry, sorted clothes for Ethan
4:15am - Laid on the sofa instead of getting into bed
6:45am - Woke up again

Thanked the Lord for waking me up and asked Him how can I serve Him today

7:00am - Woke up Ethan
7:05am - Got his meds and breakfast together
7:15am - Ironed Ethan's clothes
7:20am - Tods are up and ready to eat, but I am not ready for them ..
7:30am - Got Ethan and DH's lunches together
7:50am - Inspected Ethan's face and hair, homework
7:55am - Breakfast for the tods
8:15am - Checked my email, check my work assignments and read a FEW blogs
8:30am - Finished lunch for DH
8:35am - Stand at the door w/ tods to wave bye bye to DH
8:40am - Change DeClan's diaper
8:50am - Clean up breakfast dishes/unload/load dishwasher (can't get my cast wet)
9:15am - Start another load of clothes
9:30am - My work @ home assignments w/ tods coloring, working on letters, books
10:30am - Tods tell me it is time for snack
11:00am - Take a call from Ethan's school ..oops gotta go up there
11:05am - Get tods dressed (w/ one hand)
11:20am - Shower/get dressed
11:50am - Load tods in the van
12:00pm - Leave

All that hard work for a 1 minute drive to the school and 5 minutes w/ the staff! Whew!

12:15pm - Come home, unload tods
12:20pm - Make lunch
12:45pm - Tods go down for a nap that never happens
12:45pm - Work @ home assignments
2:30pm - Make last calls for the afternoon
2:40pm - Change DeClan's diaper, search for shoes for tods (I hate this)
2:45pm - Load tods who NEVER slept in the van
2:50pm - Leave for carpool
3:00pm - Pick up first child in the carpool
3:12pm - Pick up second and third child in the carpool
3:35pm - Pick my own child
4:00pm - Drop off Children 1, 2 and 3 @ their home - go back to mine
4:20pm - Stop @ Wal-Mart, because I have not been able to grocery/coupon shop
5:15pm - Come home
5:25pm - Sit down
5:25:30 - Get back up to help Austin in the bathroom
5:30pm - Try to do more of my @ home work
6:00pm - Start dinner
6:15pm - Referee arguments w/ the boys
6:25pm - Read to the tods
6:45pm - DH home
7:15pm - Eat dinner

And then the evening routine begins .. I am NOT even gonna try to list all the things I do, but let's just say it feels like more than all the things above combined.

I know I am not doing these things ALL right and I plan to switch some things around, but that will only allow some more items for the list NOT decrease the list. (If you noticed, cleaning the house was not mentioned ONE time today, except for the dishes) I want to get cleaning done during the day, so I can begin to go to bed earlier ..

I will also say that prayer will help, because when I give my day to the Lord FIRST .. He seems to give me more day to complete my lists ...


Heavenly Father .. do what You need to do to MY list ... I just want to be a servant of yours.

There are some things that have taken me away from you ....

(Please forgive the jumbled post, blogger is on the fritz today)

For more than a month now, I have been packing for a week long trip that is more than a week away ...

Hubby thinks I am crazy for starting so soon, but I needed to know that everything that needs to be packed will be packed. I don't feel like finding a Wal-Mart to fill in the gaps while I am on vacation. (SMILE)

We have only allowed 1 suitcase per person (I guess that is enough) so it has made packing and planning very interesting. (Thank you very much airline officials), especially with two todds in tow.

And so the suitcases have become part of the decor as I add to my list of things we don't have in groups of 5, but it will all be over soon ... the suitcases will close, the trip to the airport will come, we will land and get to the resort and discover that even after all this careful planning ....

"Mom, I forgot my toothbrush" will come ringing in the first day at Disney!

Have a great day!