Miriam's Brave Weekend

So I guess I am tweaking the freezing time idea, perhaps taking random days from the month to freeze instead of a full week. A sampling of days if you will.  I just have not carved out an hour each day for blogging and it was extremely difficult to fit in, which made the day not at all a normal day.  It's 1:03 am right now and I can't sleep, so this time was granted to me (unwillingly...making the best out of it).

So here is a Saturday...but those are all over the place, not a good sample of how life runs in general. This one is one required documentation for a few reasons.

First of all....I was determined to use the coupon for the Park City Olympic Park in the back of Miriam's 5th grade ski pass.  Darin will say it was FOMO, which it was absolutely, but this is the good kind of FOMO. The kind that gets you off your duff and makes you put a plan in motion so you won't miss out on a great opportunity. We asked a few different friends to come with us, but their schedules never grooved with ours until the last weekend before it expired.  

We found two neighborhood friends who also had passes and a free Saturday.  I planned to just watch them do the activities, but a really great thing happened! The family in line in front of us had 1/2 price prepaid tickets, they had more tickets than people, so they sold me an adult pass extra cheap, I couldn't pass on that deal...see what I mean...this was good/meant to be FOMO.

We did EVERYTHING:

 Multiple Zip lines (M and one of the girls couldn't do the extreme one because of weight limitations)

3 Ropes Courses
Alpine Slide

Extreme Sledding

Drop Tower

Watched alpine skiers jump and Red Bull 400 race

Miriam cried before trying some things, her anxiety kicked up into high gear for sure, but in the end she did it all.

I am very proud of her, and she is very proud of herself.  I just didn't want her over reactive nervous system to win, to keep her from doing things SHE wants to try. I don't want her to be a spectator in life when those uncomfortable feelings come. Also, I want her to be able to distinguish between real danger feelings and just plain nervousness. 

I only took pictures of the kid rope course and zip since that was the ONLY thing I sat and watched the girls do (Yea!).  They were so brave, and so determined to experience it all.  The intermediate ropes course about put me over the edge and I was about to call it a day until M's friends said "aren't we doing the advance? You HAVE to do the advance with us!".  Miriam and I both gave into peer pressure, next thing you know I am saying "Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh" over and over and over, which is just the thing I seem to do when I get nervous these days.

It was a super fun brave girl power day.

When we got home Miriam was all geared up to face what we left behind: homework and cleaning the rat cage. When she got all set up to clean the cage she realized that one of her rats had passed away.  This was not unexpected.  Nickolette Sandvanna Ray (named by Soren)  had been sick for awhile. She had ear infections which put her off balance for the last year.  She almost choked on peanut butter once. Miriam noticed her eating less, drinking less last weekend so she spent a very sweet Saturday just holding and petting her for hours.  Knowing it would be coming didn't prepare her for it to actually happen and she was/is heartbroken.  It seems like she spent 70% of that day in tears.  

On Sunday Darin helped her thoroughly clean the cage.  I told her that was a whole new level of bravery.  To pick up the peaces and move on when your heart is broken is the most courageous thing you can do.  I couldn't be more proud of her. 

Freezing Time- Tuesday

So much for a week of documentation. 

No pictures of today...zilch, didn't even cross my mind to get my phone out!
I guess that is indicative of how our days are as well, sometimes its all I can do to get through them.

6:00 am my alarm goes off, I zombie walk across the hall to wake up Miriam, zombie walk back to bed hoping to fall back asleep. That rarely works for me, once my mind wakes up it starts going it doesn't shut off well. Today I am suppose to do some of my 1/2 marathon training, so that weighs heavy on my mind.  I get out of bed at 6:15 and get ready.  I am at the track by 6:30 but only ran 7 out of the 12 400 meters on the schedule.  Time was running out, and my legs felt like led! Just a hard morning.

I get home at 7:05 and tell Miriam to get on the piano.  There is a bit of freakout because she needs to be at orchestra (first day) by 7:45 so she will only have 15 min to finish getting ready. Darin walks out of the bedroom and reassures her he can drop her off on his way to work.  That is a huge relief and hopefully that will work every Tuesday since she has her heart set on trying out the cello. Hard to walk/ride bike with a cello.

I make lunches and feed the boys (Miriam has already eaten).

7:40 Darin and Miriam walk out the door.

8:38 I drop off Byron at school. Soren and I run home to get ready for "church workout" which is, as it sounds, a workout at the church that I lead every other week. Today was my turn. I got to use my new phone (thank you Darin!) to play music on the speaker I got for free from DOMO. Feeling very techno-savvy.

9:00-10:00 Church workout.  We did Tabatta and EMOTM routines with Soren yelling "G0!" when it was time to move. I love church workout because I am surrounded by great women. Soren use to love church workout but all his friends there started 1st grade this year so it's just him and a 2 year old.  Soren isn't enthusiastic about little kids so it's not as fun anymore.

10:00-10:25 Soren and I do his homework on the sidewalk outside the church
10:30 we pick up Sadie and I drive them to kindergarten.  Soren asks me to wait with him in line which I do, but I shouldn't, it makes him weepy and clingy.

10:35 I go to FedEX, Costco, and the bank in my workout attire...yes I am one of THOSE gross women who shop all sweaty.  I had to choose between being productive or attractive, and I choose productive. This is no judgement on women who get gussied up to go shopping. Hopefully my choice will make them feel EXTRA pretty and fancy. Easy peasy service done for the day.

At home I unload all the groceries pick the meat off the chicken I bought, brown the sausage for dinner, saute the onions...all before showering because I hate smelling like meat and onions....or soup. "Soupy Sails" does anyone know that movie?

Finally I shower.

2:40 I run to Target to finish off my shopping list. I get out in time to pick up the kids at 3:25
I ate Costco samples, and pieces of chicken and sausage for lunch...and a bag of Funions.

4:15 Byron has scouts...we walk down and I realize I misread the text about it.  Fire station is NEXT week, this week is cleaning a stream and he needs water shoes.  So I walk back home and run his Keens down to him.

4:30 I start the Zupa Tuscana and let Soren watch Vat19.com.  By 5:00 I ask him to get off and he FREAKS OUT so I grab his beloved bear blankie and make him lay down on my bed with me while the soup simmers. He is NOT HAPPY but he needs it! We both need it, we zonk out fast, but I wake up at 5:30 when Byron walks in the door.

I reluctantly go get dinner on the table, getting frustrated that the kids keep asking for food, and opening the pantry door.  I tell them carrots, or a banana but nothing else. My pet peeve is when people eat WHILE I am preparing dinner!! Seriously, don't touch my shredded cheese! This is when I miss the days when the kids were little and we hung out at the townhouse playground until Darin came home. I keep telling Byron to start his homework, but without me physically putting the pencil in his hand it's not going to happen...and I am in the middle of dinner, so I let it go. Dull headache is coming on, that nap was not long enough.

Finally...Darin walks in the door, I can't say how much of a relief this moment is to me. God bless single mothers.  They deserve all the goodness the world has to offer.

6:30 ? We eat dinner, the kids get going on homework.
The boys get showered or bathed (Miriam does this every day on her own so it doesn't affect my day).  They smell wonderfully of conditioner, and the kitty breath has been brushed away.

8:15 we all start reading Shakelton's Stoweaway in the boys room while they are tucked into bed.  We are nearing the end, the gritty part where madness sets in, and toes are cut off.  Its good.

9:00 we hug and kiss the boys, send Miriam off to her room with a hug and kiss. Darin starts immediately reading the book, I jump on the computer...time passes.... about 10:30 I get a text. It's from Darin and it says "I would like to invite you to come get ready for bed".  That is a joke because we have had for real fights about him going to bed without telling me he is going to bed.  See what he has to deal with?! All kinds of crazy BUT on the flip side we have a really good marriage so my crazy must be helping us do something right.  I think his good humor about it all helps...a little.

Freezing Time

 "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around for awhile you could miss it"

- Ferris Bueller

Here is my attempt to document a random selected week through photos and sniptis of commentary.

I awoke Miriam up at 6:00 am at her insistence.  She likes space and time in the mornings, and as long as there is not a last minute freak out (she tends to be anxious and a bit dramatic) I let her do her own thing without micromanaging it all.  Only stipulation is that she must practice the piano at 7:00.

At 7:00 sharp she was practicing without any complaining! And it was a good practice where it seems like she really is trying to improve rather than slog through the 30 min. Happy Day!

I put Cherrios on the table and started making lunches. Make myself some tea.

Darin leaves at 7:30

Byron was on the piano by 7:40 unfortunately there were tears, but he is usually fairly compliant. 

8:15 more tears because he saw the Mamba wrapper robot he and Darin made at church in the garbage can.  I told him it was technically garbage, and it was left on the living room floor so I threw it away.  That didn't help.  He would not pull it out because a tissue was on top!! So I let out a huge huffy exasperated breath (Thats ALWAYS so helpful in these moments).  We argued garbage/treasure for a few minutes and then I said "Buddy, the joy is in the creation not in the keeping.  You and dad had a great time quietly folding candy wrappers into a recycled robot during sacrament meeting. Just let that be a great moment and not keep the trash..okay?" It had to be okay.

 8:20 Miriam is out the door, headed to Tiffany's house.  I know Tiff won't be ready yet...in fact Tiffany's mom very well might end up driving them because she is running behind.   I let her go anyway because like I mentioned before...trying not to micromanage the stuff that doesn't matter.

8:30 I load up the boys and drive Byron to his school 5 min. away because there is no one in our neighborhood for him to walk with. Next year will be so great when the boys can walk, scoot, or ride bikes together!! 

8:55 Soren and I hit cross fit where I do, among other things 20 overhead squats, rip the skin in my hand attempting toes to bar, and 200 double unders...SO HARD!
Soren played video games the whole time.

10:15 Soren and I pick up the book Darin has reserved at the library "The Marshmallow Test mastering self-control" because we think it's something we could all work on.

10:30 Sarah and Sadie pick up Soren for school.  There are not tears today as he leaves which is a huge breakthrough.

Monday is laundry day.

My favorite, and I am not even being facetious, I really enjoy doing laundry.

I love beds made with clean sheets, I love the smell of laundry detergent and fabric softner. I also love listening to podcasts or talking on the phone while folding and ironing. I Love Love Love when I get it all done, folded, ironed and put away in one day! What a triumph! It takes not doing any errands -at all- the entire day...today was my day. Done and Done:)

Today it was the Mystery Show podcast...so good, and phone conversations with Julia and Mirissa.

I had caprese salad again for lunch.  I always get obsessed with this when my maters get ripe. I didn't know I was planting orange cheery tomatoes last spring but it's been a happy mistake because they are so sweet, much sweeter than the red ones. I have no idea what kind they are. 

I have been eating this almost every day since the end of August.

Thats normal for me, I get on seasonal food jags all the time.  Eat the same thing over and over for months at a time. 

Vacuum the upstairs...do a little time wasting on the 'puter (really should have had a nap instead) and then its time to pick up these guys! Byron and Soren have the cutest carpool friends.

Tonight was the 6th grade star party, where they bring out the school telescope, and ask families to bring ones if they own them, to the school field to get a closer look at Saturn and the moon.  Families are invited and everyone wanted to go so I had to the get kids right onto their homework after school.

4:45 All of us head to Ballet. It's in Farmington 15 min away so we stick around Farmington rather than drive back and forth.  The boys play at "sand park" while we wait...I might re-name that park "goat head park" because goat head weeds are taking over! Goat Heads are my arch nemesis.

6:30 ish...Darin walks in the door HOORAY back up has arrived! We have spring rolls, rice, and oriental cabbage salad for dinner.  It's a Costco meal, even the salad came pre-made from Costco. 

7:00 Made Bub do his typing. He HATES typing practice. 

8:00 Star Party! We all stand in lines to take turns squinting up at the planets and then let the boys play tag in the dark while Miriam hangs with some friends.  

9:00 Kids bed time. Darin and I veg till 10:30

Just a regular old Thursday FULL OF EAGLE SPIRIT!!

Miriam LOOOOVES being on the Student Council. Those essays, interviews and the skit were worth it, although at the time the stress it caused her made me want to make her quit!

She takes her duties very seriously! 

At this spirit night event they unveiled the new mascot Echo the Eagle!!

(Miriam told me one of the names in the running was DJ Barbecue Sauce, good choice Student Council)

These two aren't Eagles anymore, which I am not going to lie, makes me sad.

I believe...I hope....I think this chinese immersion thing is the right choice but when I see all our neighbors and so many friends hanging out at spirit night together I can't help but miss that. The problem with our new school is that everything is so new.

This green-eyed boy has been doing fantastic with the transition. Taking all the newness in stride, not stressing about understanding zilch during the Chinese part of the day.  He made a new friend and seems happy to go to school every day. Soccer has started up again, Thursdays are practice days

 Surprisingly, this hazel-eyed boy is having a hard transition.   He sometimes has to sit in the "power chair" during class until he has the power to stop crying.  When I ask him what is making him sad he just says "I just sometimes REALLY want to be home with you".  Mom heart breaker right there. He and I have been spending a little more one-on-one time before school starts to read and snuggle. Here's to hoping his little soul gets use to things soon.