On Groundhog's Eve

It was so dang sunny today that I had to don my capris and sandales again. I am so turning into a person that isn't from AZ. When we first moved to cold country I would see these 'crazies' wearing capris in March. I thought they were nuts. You don't go to Costco when it is freezing in flip flops and capris. Well, I did just that today except I wore my Keen sandales.

Costco wasn't too exciting today as it was a soy milk and dog food run. (Okay, I also grabbed some almonds, broccoli, heavy cream, milk, and mini bagels.) It had to be a fast trip because I had to go to the dentist. I just love that place. The only thing that could make it better was if they would take all of my dang coupons.

The dentist was fine. I now have a nightguard that will hopefully keep my jaw from getting stuck. It hasn't been super horrible for a while but is catching again. It's only been really bad a few times and then I could only open it less than an inch. Maybe this will do the trick.

And then after school it was crazy Monday which means preschool pickup, violin lessons, and dance. M's violin teacher was bummed she couldn't go to the Suzuki institute. I wish she could but a. it's a pretty penny and b. it's at the same time as ballet intensive which is 27 hours a week for a month. I just can't manage it all. ( Have I written this before or is it just the story of my life?) I found out T needs a new violin. It's the only size we are missing. So I am in the market for one pretty much in the next day or so. I'm thinking of going with another Romanian one like the one I bought M. Well, maybe I would buy one that isn't quite as nice as M's. The good thing is that until the kids hit fulls I will have no more to buy. One more would give us 7 violins in one house.

Tonight, as DH is working late, I sat and pondered an article in this month's Ensign magazine. It was on over scheduled families. I feel like mine is over scheduled but I don't know how to fix it. Of course I would cut activities. It's an option but then they don't get much of a chance to develop any one thing. I usually only allow one athletic/dance thing and one musical thing. How is that taking over? Maybe it's where we live as well. You have to be good at everything it seems. Anyway, I don't have an answer and I think we are lacking balance.

Speaking of activities, T had a funny thing happen last Friday. I was overloaded and had to have T at swim practice in one town at the exact time I was supposed to have the dance carpool in another town. This one I just couldn't pull off so I decided to drop T off 15 minutes early. I told him to sit and read. (It's at a private pool and so he could do that type of thing.) I came back after dropping the girls off to watch the end of his practice (the other three were at a friend's house as I can't drive any carpool with all of the kids as I don't drive a bus). I walked back and found him on a giant mound of dirt with another boy on his team. They weren't wet and were just having so much fun. I asked him what he had been doing and he said it wasn't his turn yet and that some other group was practicing. I walked in and his coach looked so shocked. The little turkey didn't even pay attention to what was going on and missed over 2/3 of his practice. She didn't see him out there and just assumed we missed practice. He seemed surprised too. I would have been mad but he was just so cute playing on that giant mound of dirt (we are talking maybe and 8 ft mound as it's left over from the pool). That's what boys do. He had to get in and swim a few laps with the other boy that didn't make it in to practice. On the way home he says to me, "It just isn't fair." "What's not fair T?" "Some people have big dirt hills in their backyard."

Hmmm... can't help you with that one kid.