.starting new.

.i SWEAR lindsey d either writes on her blog exactly what i need to hear, or exactly what im about to write about...she is just fast, and beats me to it.

.her last post was perfect for me, maybe because i needed to hear someone else say that they aren't perfect either....but she is A LOT better than me.

.so monday i blogged about how grumpy i was and with that being said, i have NOT been good on my goals i posted about. 

.but yesterday was different.

.me and the kids were up, ready and out the door by 9:30am. and they weren't in p.j.'s or sweats and neither was i. (thats pretty good, cause i have no problem going out in sweats and a tshirt...i played basketball, its not a big deal).

.we got back, and had some lunch, kids went down for a nap, and me too...WAHOO.

.than we played and we walked out to the mail, went and filled up the strollers tires and my car with gas, and than went for a walk for about 45 minutes.

.came home. made dinner. went through out budget and how we are going to make it work to go home this summer, got some dessert, played and bathed and kids, put the kids down and i WORKED OUT.

.finally, i worked out. and i am sore but it felt great. and the day was great. and everyone was happy. 

.its a change to something new.

.i know things i want to accomplish, and how i can do that, but someone other things come in the way that are more important and need to be done and take priority over. my kids being happy and going to bed knowing their mommy loves them is much more important than having my dishes done throughout the day or my house clean all the time in case someone stops by (i currently am surrounded by toys).

.there are things i do throughout the week that help keep things in order, and everyone a little happier, but they arent things that i am going to be in trouble for if i didnt get it done that day....but usually my week consists of this.

Sunday- we go to church at 9am. we come home and get some lunch and kids go down for a nap. (sometimes us too). andrew and i usually have pizza for lunch (i know...SO UNHEALTHY) but its 4 bucks for a pizza and it feeds us and its quick and easy, and we enjoy having our pizza afternoons. the rest of the day is relaxing and enjoying the day with our kids and each other.

mondays- i usually do laundry, its usually only 2 loads (darks and whites) but it just makes the week go by better knowing that all laundry is caught up and clean for the week.

thursdays- is our last day we get garbage pickup until sunday. and if i am being forced to pay for it, i take FULL advantage. i go through the fridge and make sure we dont have any leftovers that need to be dumped and all the food is in code, and all garbages are emptied, and wipe down our couches...it starts our weekend off nice, and makes it easy for me to write a list knowing what we have and to restock on what.

fridays-laundry day. i do about 4 loads this day (crazy i know). i do a load of darks, a load of whites, all the towels, bibs, burp cloths, kitchen towels and all the bedding on everyone's bed. i also clean the bathroom and vacuum the apartment (sometimes i do some of this on thursday just so friday isnt all about cleaning). during naptime i sit down and make a menu for the following week. this has been SO nice. because on the weekend, all the clothes and bedding is clean, and we dont have any cleaning that needs to be done over the weekend. its been a great.

saturday- family day. we go on walks, sometimes we go somewhere (lately we go to chick-fi-la and let brooklynn play on the playset, and all of us (all four of us) share a shake that costs us 3 dollars. its affordable and still lets us get out and for b to get all her energy out. during naptime on saturday i usually venture out KID FREE and go grocery shopping for the following week. we know once we are in a house, saturday will be our day to work on the house, but for now, we are truly enjoying family time. in the evening i ALWAYS make sure the diaper bag is packed for church and the kids clothes are laid out. 

.we also have dinner between 5:30-6:00. i usually try really hard to have dinner ready for andrew when he comes home. than we play with the kids and at 7 we bath them. (one parent baths, the other cleans the kitchen, does dishes and picks up toys)...7:30 we give both a snack. 7:45 we are saying prayers and off to bed by 8. 

.sometimes things come up, and so it doesn't go as planned (kids went to bed at 8:30...no big deal), but these are just a few things that i try to stick with as best as possible that keep me sane and make everyone's week go by better.

.but here are a few things i have realized after yesterday that will make our week even better. 

.OUTSIDE time. my kids LOVE it outside and we are fortunate to live in san antonio where the weather is really nice. even if its a walk to get the mail or down through the neighborhood behind us, it makes everyone happy. i know how it is to feel like you need to get OUT...i know what the kids are going through...i know it will help when we are in a house that allows them to go play outside in the backyard or across the street at the neighborhood playground, but for now, we need to do what we can and thats go outside for a walk and get out. 

.WORKOUT. i feel SO much better about myself when i work out. i need MY time to workout, and so i workout while the kids are down for the night. its a great time, and works out wonderfully. and i feel better about myself and how i feel.

.FHE (Family Home Evening)-holy cow. we usually do family night, but have never been good about sitting down and teaching a lesson. we have been doing this for the past 2 weeks. and its been great. their attention is short, but i feel good still taking the time to sing and dance and talk about the gospel with our children. its important and its a good "time out" for our family, and a great start to our week.

 .so brooklynn is IN LOVE with elmo lately. my sister's think its hilarious to send her ugly shirts...my sister kristina got brooklynn a ugly dora shirt that i HATE and brooklynn LOVES...needless to say, b and i have had MANY fights over it. its ridiculous.

 .so for brooklynn's early birthday present, my sister sent her an elmo shirt...this one is not AS UGLY, and a little more girly, but still. really? thanks sisters!

 .parker is totally moble now, he crawls EVERYWHERE and pulls himself up on EVERYTHING. its weird to put him down and have him follow you into another room.

 .this is brooklynn's new thing. if you hear parker crying...its mostly likely because brooklynn pulled him into her closet and closed the door. she thinks its so funny. i, however, do not.

 .this kid, is SO MUCH happier now that he can crawl around and get into EVERYTHING.

 .so i was changing parker's diaper and realized i needed some butt cream and that was in the other room, so i put him in brooklynn's crib for the time being....and went to get it....and walked into this. b had climbed into her crib (NO shock there)...but that BOTH of them were standing up in the crib. it was from this point on, he realized he could pull himself up....and it hasnt stopped.

.tub time.

.these two LOVE tub time. especially together.

-thanks for reading!