Rough Week...

I'm hoping today is going to be a happier more patient day (on my end). I'm not too hopeful since Grant woke up about 4 times before 1:30 and three times between then and 7:30. So, I'm going on little sleep, which usually leads to little patience.

We're trying to get used to a new routine and way of life with the Elmer's gone. Monday we started the morning out playing with bubbles and side walk chalk that Grandma had sent. Then we packed a picnic and went on a walk down the trail to find a spot for our picnic. Still, by the end of the day I was lonely and tired. I'm used to having Amanda here to talk with and hang out with all day, and the kids are used to having their cousins here to play with.(can I just tell you how happy it makes me that my kids love this little watering can? When I worked at the Fudge Factory, one of my FAVORITE jobs was watering the flowers with a big green watering can. Then one year Katy got me this great little watering can. And even though the sun has bleached it out some, we still use it!)Tuesday I went visiting teaching then we went to the library after that. I got a lot of books with different quilt patterns in them. I am so excited to try our some of them. I need to go get some fabric though, so I'm hoping to do that this weekend.

Yesterday I had a busy morning planned. I had another visiting teaching appointment then I had to run to the Elmer's house to let the carpet cleaner in. Then I had our weekly lunch group. Well, I loaded the kids up and started pulling out of our driveway when my neighbor came running over waving his arms. He informed me I had a flat tire, and sure enough, my back right tire was COMPLETELY flat. So, I had to unload all the kids, load all their car seats into Steven's small car, load the kids back up, and then we were off. It was such a headache loading the kids in Steven's car. It made me really appreciate having my van!! We had a rough afternoon with kids insisting they needed to be jumping and screaming right in Grant's face. Messes galore, selective hearing problems, impatience, whining, CONSTANT pleas for food (even though I had JUST fed them) and a laundry list of other things. So I decided to take the kids on a walk (and of course they complained most of the way). We walked down the trail to a pond and they had fun throwing sticks into the water. But still, by the time Steven came home I was at my wits end. We hurried and had dinner then we had to go to the church to get our temple recommends renewed with the Stake. Afterwards Steven took the tire in to get patched (a different neighbor had tried to put air in it sometime during the day, but there was a screw in the tire, so it kept losing air) while I put the kids to bed. Needless to say, once they were all asleep I was SO ready for a break!Anyway, we don't have anything planned today. Hopefully I'll be able to get some housework done. My laundry pile is about to eat us all up!! If the rain will hold off, I think we might go to the park. Here's to hoping for a better day for me with less missing Amanda and more patience with my kids!