March Madness AKA - Our Busy Week

Monday was pretty busy.  After dropping kids off at school the girls and I did some grocery shopping in the city.  Mostly for the Relief Society dinner.  Of course I neglected to put a few things on the list, so they were forgotten.  I had to put Melanie down for a nap because she woke up really early, but she didn't transfer too well since the kids were noisy in the van.  So I had to stop and feed her because I didn't want to hear her scream for the last 5 minutes to the store.  I stopped at Wal-Mart and even though it wasn't originally on the list I ended up getting a few things I needed.  While we were at Fred Meyer Melanie actually fell asleep in the wrap, and I had to turn her around.  She slept through our trip to the shoe store and part of Costco.  I was nursed her in the van and then Amy told me she had to use the bathroom, so we went back into Costco.  Melanie almost stayed awake the whole way back home.  She didn't stay asleep long though, and was not happy when she woke up.  I had a ton of things I needed to do, and she wouldn't let me put her down!  For 3 hours I had to hold her.  She wouldn't eat or sleep.  Well, she would sleep, but not unless I had her over my shoulder.  I was trying to make another pound cake, and cut up all the ingredients for the chicken salad.  And make lunch, and posters, and handouts, and labels.  I also needed to send emails and make phone calls, and I didn't get hardly anything done.  I didn't get dinner in the crockpot like I was supposed to either, so I had to come up with something last minute, again.  After the boys got home Melanie was doing better, but then I had to run David to piano, stop by the library, one last trip to the store.  I couldn't find strawberry lemonade anywhere!  Then it was back home to cook more chicken (not for dinner mind you), and get David to baseball.  Then I worked on making the chicken salad, and threw together some peanut butter noodles using the leftover peanut dipping sauce I made last week.  Aaron picked up David on his way home from work, and we ate dinner just before 7:00.  The kids played a game with Dad while I worked on more food stuff (mini cheese cakes).  After the kids were in bed Aaron helped me cut the pound cake, and I frosted and layered them. I worked on computer stuff (emails, poster, handouts etc.), and eventually gave up and went to bed. I was exhausted.

Tuesday started out much better.  After my frantic complaint on Facebook, Melissa offered to take Amy after preschool.  I had several uninterrupted hours to work on things. I took the boys to school, put Melanie down for a nap, put a movie on for Amy, and started making the posters and putting the glaze on the petit fours.  They aren't hard to make, but they take a really long time!!!  A tip from me - don't used canned frosting even if the recipe says "just melt it a little and pour it on".  It doesn't look pretty, and doesn't get firm like the glaze.  The glaze was much easier and prettier.  I took Amy to preschool, and Melanie was a joy - thank goodness.  When she fussed I just held her and poured glaze with the other arm.  And she took long naps!!!!  I watched some TV shows on the computer while I worked and I realized at about 12:45 that I hadn't eaten any lunch.  I guess licking the frosting off my fingers kept me satiated - don't worry I washed them.  At about 2:10 I called Melissa letting her know she could bring Amy home, but it went straight to voice mail.  At 2:45 Melissa called and asked if she could bring Amy home while she coached track.  So Amy came home and was sad to not be playing with Paige anymore.  Pretty soon the boys came home and then Julianna (and Maria and Jose) came over to help put together cucumber sandwiches.  Kim came by to get the chicken salad and croissants and she put them together at her house.  At some point Cheryl called and said Costco didn't have any veggie trays.  What??!!!  So we got fruit instead.  At about 4:30 the sandwiches were done, and I attempted to clean up the kitchen, and finish last minute things.  The kitchen was still a mess, and I hadn't even started a dinner for the kids.  Aaron called just as I went out the door saying he could come get the kids at 6:00.  For some reason he was not on call as he usually is on Tuesdays.  I was so glad, I really needed his help.  All of the babysitters fell through for the nursery.  So he ran to the store to get the strawberry lemonade and ice, and when he got there I asked him to get a can opener and the creme puffs I forgot at home in the freezer. The kids all ate some of the dinner before Aaron took them home.

In the mean time Melanie should have been tired, but didn't take a nap, and didn't act tired really. However when 6:30 rolled around Melanie decided she was hungry.  So I asked Julianna to start the meeting for me, and I finished feeding Melanie as the opening prayer was being said.  We had a rather small group, but the food was good, and he decorations were great.  (Why didn't I take any pictures?) Tish found some old fashioned hats, gloves, broaches, and jewelry for the centerpieces.  She also made chocolate covered strawberries that were huge.  I had a short game of elegance and poise, a "walking with a book on your head" relay.  I also read something from the Relief Society History.  Mostly we just got to chat.  I was glad to see that Shari came, so I got to introduce her to everyone.  With a small group there were a lot of leftovers.  I left some in the fridge for Aaron and the youth the next evening.  I took home a lot of food.  Toward the end, when I was closing the meeting and introducing the next meeting, Bonnie was holding Melanie and she fell asleep finally.  I put her in her carseat while we cleaned up.  She stayed asleep until we were just about done.  We loaded up the car (since Aaron had taken the van) and I drove home, and she wasn't happy about that, but it's not that far.  When I got home there was further proof that I married the most awesome man ever!  First, all the kids were in bed, second, I noticed the kitchen was spotless, everything put away, dishes done, table clean, floor swept and mopped too.  When I went to say goodnight to Amy she said they'd had frozen yogurt.  I verified with Aaron that he had taken them up to the frozen yogurt place we visited on Saturday.  He took them out for a treat and then put then to work we they got home.  The living room and bathroom were clean too!  I fed Melanie while Aaron unloaded the car.

Later when I put Melanie down for bed, she smiled up at me and then promptly threw up, with milk coming out of her nose!!!  She was still smiling.  Her sheet was soaked, as was her blanket, so I asked Aaron to help me change the crib sheets.  He won't hold her if he is still wearing the clothes he wore to work - we don't need to pass on anything more than the colds she gets frequently.  After he got a new sheet on the mattress I put her down again, and thankfully she went right to sleep.

Wednesday was mostly just laundry.  I decided instead of my normal workout on the exercise bike I would go to a Pilates class.  A few ladies are meeting at the church Mon-Fri to do a Pilates workout.
There were just 5 of us, but it was a 45 minute DVD and it was a great workout.  I was pretty sore the nest day.  Amy had fun because her friends from preschool were there, and they played in the nursery.  I brought Melanie's swing, and she did great for the most part.  About halfway through she was a bit fussy, so I pulled her out and held her for a bit.  Then I set her on the floor on top of a blanket.  Eventually Linda asked if she could hold her for a few minutes.  After the video was over we headed home.  I think Melanie fell asleep on the way home, or maybe I put her down for a nap - either way I showered and then made lunch.  I don't remember much else about the afternoon.  I didn't think David had scout since they were going somewhere the next day, but Aaron called and said all the other Webelos were there, so I drove him over and he was only a few minutes late.  Melanie was giving me a hard time going to bed, and I ended up nursing her to sleep.  After Aaron and David came home and the kids were in bed Aaron helped me iron the rest of the clothes, and then we went to bed a little late.  Timothy came down at about 9:00 to let me know he lost his tooth.  That gave the tooth fairy little time to forget to come.  Usually she forgets and has to sneak the money in after he has already woken up and can't find the money.

Thursday - March Madness begins - for basketball that is.  It was also preschool for Amy and Pilates for me.  This time Melanie did great until about halfway through when I fed her and then she played on her blanket until we were done.  By the end of the day I was really sore - it felt good.  Aaron had gone into work for a couple of things and then to the store.  He was home working on things when I got back.  I showered and then picked up Amy.  Melanie stayed with Aaron.  He fed her some oatmeal cereal but it was a little thick. 

Then Melanie slept while we had lunch.  After lunch Aaron and Amy painted the bathroom.  We got the paint a while ago, but never got a chance until now.  The color is "bridal bouquet".  It's a little more pink than I thought it would be, but I think it works.

Aaron picked up the boys from school so they would have time for a snack before going on a Cub Scout outing.  They went to the Humane Society to deliver donations they had collected.  They were short drivers, so Aaron took them up and back.  They got back in time for David to go to baseball.  Timothy and Aaron stayed there while Amy and I made dinner.  Melanie wouldn't sleep at bed time again, so I nursed her to sleep - I was seeing a bad pattern developing.

Friday Melanie woke up around 6:30.  So I put her down for a nap at 8:30 thinking she would wake up at 9:30, then I could feed her and go to Pilates.  At 9:50 she was still sleeping, so I decided I'd just go late when she woke up.  She slept until 10:30!!!  By the time I fed her I knew I would miss the entire thing by the time I got to the church, so I stayed home and after lunch I put her down for a nap and rode the bike.  She woke up 2 seconds after I finished.  That afternoon I don't remember doing much.  When David came home he had a certificate and a new water bottle for being Citizen of the Week.  Apparently his teacher said it wasn't any one thing that he did, but rather that he deserves it every week, so they finally gave it to him. 

Saturday we cleaned house. Aaron took David up to the city to do some shopping.  Hardware store, outdoors supply store, and a few in between, including McDonald's for lunch.  Glad I wasn't there.  Ick.  I spent most of the morning cleaning.  There's nothing like expecting house guests to motivate me to clean the house.  Melanie took another long morning nap, so I got a lot done.  Somehow I missed cleaning my own bathroom though.  That afternoon Aaron and David worked on a Cub Scout project.  The rest of us just played and watched basketball.  Even with picking Gonzaga to win the whole thing, somehow I'm still tied for 1st in the tournament challenge I entered.  And somehow I didn't finish filling out my bracket on the other challenge, and so I lost before it began.  Aaron grilled up some steaks that night.  Delicious!

Sunday Aaron let me sleep in.  I was so glad Melanie didn't need to eat.  She'd kept me up way too much that night, and she won't go to sleep as well as she used to.  Aaron made a yummy blueberry/huckleberry breakfast cake.  We got ready for church, and Melanie didn't fall asleep on the way there, so Aaron got her to sleep early on during church.  I fed her during the last talk.  It was great to hear talks about conversion.  There were some great stories shared.  Amy went right to primary - yay!!!  Melanie was a bit fussy during Sunday School, but we made it through just fine.  I ended up conducting again as Julianna was helping in the nursery and Cheryl had to go home.  Nikki G* gave the lesson and did a wonderful job.  Melanie got tired toward the end, and I took her out in the hall as she moaned before falling asleep, pretty easily.  I was grateful to David who put hymn books away for me while I held her.  She slept until I put her in the van. After lunch Aaron and Timothy did some home teaching.  Aaron attempted to invite the K* family over for dinner, but they refused, and said they owed us a dinner.  So after an early FHE we went over to their home for dinner.  They made spaghetti, and we made some sourdough bread - it wasn't quite sour enough, but we only started it a couple of days ago.  The kids always have fun together.  Crystal got to hold Melanie for a bit too.  We enjoyed some conversation before Aaron (and Jonathan) had to go to the youth fireside.  I took our kids home and got them ready for bed.  The rest belongs in another post.