Early Mornings

Just about every week day morning, I drag myself out of bed around 5:20 AM-- much too early for my health.  However, on a good day, I'm showered, dressed and ready to start my day around 10 AM.  It takes me five and half hours before I am ready to work.  What is up with that???????

Maybe it is because I spend about 2 hours driving David to seminary, waiting for seminary to end, driving David to school, and then navigating the some 2,500 students, teachers, and adminstrators funneling through the two high school entrances just to make it home by 7:30 AM.  Or maybe it is because I spend 45 minutes exercising each morning or maybe it is because I need to play mom in order to get Max and Bram out the door to catch the school bus by 8:45 AM.    Maybe it's because I start a load of laundry, clean up the kitchen and prepare the evening meal .

I could certainly use some time managment techniques-- Does it take you over 5 hours just to get showered and dressed.  Any advice?

Moment of Joy

For the past three Saturdays, David and I have left the house at 6:45 AM.  I think we're totally insane for getting up this early on a Saturday morning especially since we leave the house every week day at 5:35 AM.  Why do we leave the house this early -- we have a standing 7 AM appointment with our personal trainer. 

We start with our warm-up-- David runs a 7 minute mile on the treadmill while I'm right next to him blazing on the elliptical.  We than do our dynamic stretches; we plow through these at about the same pace.  Then David starts to kick my butt.  He lifts heavier weights, he can do more reps and blows me away with the ab routine.  My flexibility is the only exercise I can do better than him.

As we're pumping the iron, twisting like a pretzel and trading weights between sets, I marvel that a 15-year old teenage boy will get up early on a Saturday to work out with his middle aged mom.  The pain and fatigue from performing those exercises I just hate, melts away as I pretend to use my sweat towel to hide my bewildered, joyful tears.  I find it difficult to articulate the joys of spending this time with David.  I'm on borrowed time; I expect any day for David to realize it is just not "cool" to spend such time with his mother.

Today's Happy Thought

I love fresh cut flowers, and whenever I see a good deal or cannot resist the urge, I bring home a bunch to display on the dining room table.  The boys (including the big boy, Neal) all know they can always make me cry upon presenting a flower bouquet.

Today, I was arranging a bunch of flowers, picked up at Aldi's for $3.99, when Max and Bram arrived home from school.  Max asked, "Why did you buy some flowers?"  I replied, "I love fresh cut flowers, and they were cheap."  To which Max replied, "I love fresh vegetables!"

Moment of Joy - March 7, 2010

Today, Taylor found me in our mud room putting stuff away. She spontaneously gave me a hug and said, "I love you!" What can be more joyful than your teenage daughter extending her tender mercies.

--March 7, 2010

Breakfast @ IHOP

Summer has began, and so we have commenced with our "Summer Reading Challenge."  Our first benchmark reward was breakfast at IHOP.  We always reach the first benchmark quickly because books that are in process when the chart is posted are quickly added.  It is like reading a book that starts on page 20 even though you don't read the first 20 pages because it is just miscellaneous information.  Fortunately, Taylor participates in our reading challenge.  She is our heavy weight reader and added 1,260 pages towards our first 2000 page benchmark.

Max and Bram both discussed frequently their anticipated breakfast orders for two days prior to our schedule IHOP date.  They both had their menu planned down to the chocolate sprinkles in their hot chocolate.  Breakfast is always a hit at IHOP, and we love to see our favorite personal waitress.

Our conversation on the return trip drifted toward the topic of flatulence.  Taylor proclaimed that if she ever has boys they will never fart.  In fact, they will be put on time-out for farting.  Bram informed us that he has the following names for his farts--

• Bubble farts
• Push-out farts
• Machine gun farts
• Walking farts
• Gracie farts
• Wet farts

Next time you see Bram, ask him to explain all the above farts.  It will lead to a very interesting discussion. Fun times @ the Top Family

Palm Springs Movie - Take Two

Past Happy Thoughts

Max & Bram- Having the missionaries over for dinner!




David - Showing the missionaries his beat-boxing skill.



Taylor - Sharing her dessert with the missionaries.