Daunting

Daunting is how I would describe my feelings about blogging lately. I want to, but the thought of it just seems too overwhelming. Life is really crazy busy right now and living it is exhausting enough, but rehashing it on a keyboard is just not that appealing. So many things I could blog about and so many of them my kids might kill me if I did. All that makes blogging seem stressful. Mind you, I didn't say my life was stressful or unpleasant, just busy. Here is a low down on each person individually:

Me: Living in the car, being glued to my calendar trying not to miss something and trying to enjoy the things we're doing. I'm a "stew-er", meaning I have a hard time just letting things go. I need to deal with issues and then let them go as "dealt with" and not continue to think about them so much. Such as - why would a child leave their scriptures right out in the middle of the yard to be sprinkled on??? Just let it go, easier said than done for me. I'm counting every calorie and trying to be a runner again, but it's not being that easy this time. I do not feel good running like I did before and it's very frustrating. Terribly excited for Christmas and yet a little gloomy that it's coming so fast and that means it will go really fast as well. I have a million things around my house I want to get done, but all the "necessary" things keep getting in the way. I think a nice vacation of me at home and my family somewhere else for a week would be very productive! Not likely. This weekend was our Stake Fall Festival and I was helping put the basket auction together. I love doing stuff like that, but it was a crazy day. Rain was not my friend this day! Still trying to master CouponSense and get the deals. Sad that I'm down to two chickens. Black Friday and New Moon all just days away!

Glade: Training like a mad man for the Iron Man next summer. He has been really helpful in getting the garden done, doing the "chicken" thing and getting our swing set put up. Other than training, working and taking me out on the weekends, I don't know much else about what he does.

Chelsey: She is a wreck. She is at the turning point of becoming an actual adult and facing all those big decisions. She is more than ready to tackle them, but a little nervous and emotional about it all as well. She has applied to a couple different colleges, but has her heart set on NAU in Flagstaff. Her friends are starting to leave on missions and she is seeing the inevitable separation that happens as you graduate and everyone goes after their own goals. She backed into someone the other day in a parking lot, didn't hurt the van, but the other car was a little banged up. She just can't catch a break. I feel bad for her and at the same time I want to toss her out into the cruel world so she can appreciate what she has right now. She'll do great, I have no worries about that. She is about to start track again and is in several different choirs and the play at the PAC. She eats like crap and doesn't get enough sleep. I wish she talked more.

Whitley: Whitley is great as always. She's the one who always comes to say "hi" and "bye" and "goodnight". She's helpful and nice and can be counted on in a pinch. She's frustrated about her braces, but has moved on from moaning about that. She loves school and her friends and doing church things. She's still disorganized but keeping it together at school for the most part. She is in the Christmas Choir and in the play at the PAC as is Chelsey. They both love being involved in things. She has taught herself to play the piano and I love hearing actual songs being played softly in the background. Chelsey can play a little, but she doesn't just like to sit and play like Whitley does. She is way too boy crazy and counting the days till she turns 16. Way too cute.

Nick: Typical 15 year old here. Ok, so he's not quite 15 yet, but he doesn't realize that. He's a pain in the butt to his siblings but they still love him anyway. He is only going half days at school right now and did really well the first quarter, not so much the second. Trying to figure out this kids brain and lack of "caring" about his schooling. He played soccer and was by far one of the best ones on the team. Now he is doing flag football, but that won't last if he doesn't get his grades up. He loves taking care of the chickens. He goes out every morning to check on them and feed them. He even likes to sit and pet them. Who would have guessed. He has passed me up in height, which is a good thing. We weren't sure if he'd ever grow.

Stephen: Stephen is still Stephen. Very caring and emotional, falls behind in his classes because he's too lazy to do the little things. Then spends a great amount of effort to catch back up. He is Augustus Gloop in the play and has really enjoyed that. He too, played soccer and is playing flag football. He has to miss his first two games because the play and football overlap. Today is the geography bee, so we'll se how he does with that this year. He has been working really hard to lose some weight and become more active. He is down 8 lbs in the last month or so. Very proud of him for that.

Rhett: Rhett is a changed boy. No more gloomy Rhett. When I ask him to do anything, he responds with an enthusiastic "Sure!" I love it. He is in the play as an Oompa Loompa and has just started cross country running. He is a really good runner. He and I went out Friday night on a little date and I had a really good time with him. His grades are really average, which is much below his abilities. Cross country has inspired him to try a little harder so he doesn't get "grade checked". He had to give up orchestra for awhile to run though. He really likes playing the viola.

Brooklyn: She is trying really hard to enter puberty. She asked if she could get a bra the other day. Sigh. She plays the cello and loves it. She is an Oompa in the play as well. She has gotten some really great friends and settled down just a little. She is great with Katy and loves that responsibility. She reads to her every night before they lay down. (they share a room) Her grades are the best they have ever been! She still struggles with reading, but she is doing so well, very proud of her.

Dalin: Dalin is a space case. He is funny and smart and clever, but can't stay on task to save his life. A little like Whitley. His grades aren't that great this year, but not bad either. He has really started to like to read so I'm not forcing it on him all the time. He's working on controlling his emotions or should I say tantrums. He doesn't deal with losing very well. He has started scouts and really enjoys that. He is an Oompa with Brooklyn and Rhett. If he can learn to follow directions, he'll do a lot of really great things. He's a hoot to be around, always has been.

Bo: A ray of sunshine. This kid is just the best. His smile radiates goodness and love. He's dang smart too. He loves his preschool. He's trying to read everything he sees and loves being quizzed on simple addition. He has that gift to remember weird things like Stephen and his Dad. He lays with me every morning and tells me he loves me all the way around the world. He truly is just a really nice boy. He has mastered the bed wetting thing and hardly every has an accident. He can't stop thinking about starting kindergarten and all the fun things ahead for him. Last night his aunt asked him how old he was. He replied with "Four. Half way to baptism!" I love him. He has a great sense of humor as well. Did I mention his smile??

Katy: Ohhhh Katy. She is a pill. Right now she is peeing all over my house all day. She was completely potty trained and now has regressed to practically nothing. I'm at a loss of how to get her back. When I make her go potty she just screams and fights with me. If I don't, she pees in her pants. Diapers?? I think not. I will win! Other than that, she's mostly a sweet girl who knows what she wants and fights hard to get it. I've never had a kid this strong willed. I'll admit...I'm softer than I used to be with my little ones, but she's tougher than any of her other siblings. She loves to wear dresses and put on makeup. It's hard to be mad at her when you see her so deeply engaged in trying to get her make up just right. She colors all over my walls and throws fits in the store. Still, she is an angel (in Bo's words - straight from Heaven). She loves Dora and Diego and can almost always be comforted by an episode. Grateful for DVR.

Jack: Stupid chicken eater. That's how I look at him now. He has eaten 4 in the last few days. I know it's animal instinct, but I don't like it. I'm trying to forgive him, but mostly I just want to leave him out in the cold.

So, that's the family in a nutshell. As you can see, life is whirling with exciting and time consuming activities. By the end of the day, I'm ready to shut it all down and climb into my new comfy bed. Oh yah, water bed sprang a leak, had to get a new one, that was an ordeal. So it's not that I'm stressed in a bad way, just a lot going on and reliving it can be a bit daunting. Bring on the holidays!