Time

I never have enough time it seems. All day long I feel like I running, running, running. Going places, running errands, entertaining to kids, cleaning, cooking, changing diapers. I never seem to have enough time to read a book, to do a project, or even write a blog. I wonder how other moms seem to be able to do more than just run a household. I wish I could give up watching t.v. to get more spare time, but I don't watch television. I wish I could spend less time on Facebook to get more spare time but I only spend about 5 minutes there every other day. I would love to give up doing to dishes or folding laundry to read a book but if I don't do it no one will and it will just mean more work for me the next morning.

Surprisingly, I did find one thing that has given me more time: I organized the toys. Previously, all of the toys were kept in a large, open chest in the front room. The toys were all jumbled up and hard to find. At the end of the day all the toys would be on the floor where the kids tossed them without playing with them. Because the toys were all jumbled, they could not find what they wanted, and they would get bored. Once a week I would clean out the toy chest, it would take about an hour to reorganize everything. But it would take the kids 2 seconds to mix it all up again trying to get out the toys they wanted. And they would not help clean up.

Last week we got rid of the toy chest. Now all the toys are organized in Tupperware bins. There is one for the trains, for the cars, for the block, and so on. And they are kept on the top bunk of James' bed (since it is currently not needed as a bed) so I have to get the toys down of them. Oh, it has been wonderful. I get down one or two at time and when they are done playing with that particular toy they actually help clean it up, so they can get another toy down. Because each toy is kept together with all its parts they actually play with their toys! Dinner is so much quicker to prepare at night, the house stays cleaner, the kids are happier, and I have a few more minutes to read a paragraph or two at night.

Anna

Anna is my snugly child, my daring child, my mothering child, my temperamental child. She is so opposite from James who does not like to snuggle, who is cautious (and still runs from the vacuum while Anna dances in front of it), who only just learned to say "no" and uses it sparingly whereas Anna says it frequently and with great force. Oh yes, she my look cute and sweet but ...


She knows how to torment her brother by knocking down his train set, or her personal favorite, grabbing a train car and running away giggling, leaving wails of dismay in her wake.


But she is always willing to kiss and make up. Or give comfort when she thinks it is needed. Or make friends with animals and babies.

James

I am continually amazed by my children, how much they grow and change and the things they do and say that completely surprise me. Take James, for example, he really wanted an airplane for Christmas but I could not find one that was right for him. Instead of being disappointed, he made his own. This is his airplane.

What amazed me was that he thought to make one on his own and that he actually said "made airplane" when I asked what he was doing instead of parroting back what I said. It is so much fun now that he actually speaks for himself. Here a few things I hear him say throughout the day.

"No, no Nanny!!" (he calls Anna Nana or Nanny)

"Scooby Doo? Watch Scooby Doo?"

"Daddy go on timeout?" (he loves to put people on timeout, probably because he spends so much time on it!)

The other day Brigham asked James how his little man was to which James replied, "James big man."