Our weekend

I haven't been very good about writing lately and that's a shame because there are many things I would hope to have recorded about my life right now.  I haven't been as on the ball with picture taking either, which is also a shame because I have some pretty cute little boys who are often doing cute or funny things. 

I feel like I'm just now breathing after the weekend.  Kevin had to take a big test for work yesterday.  I should preface this by saying that our life right now hasn't allowed much time for quiet study.  I think I mentioned that Kevin started his own financial firm a few months back.  Overall, things have gone very smoothly but there have been a lot of hurdles to get over.  This test was a big one of those, but he couldn't dedicate many working hours to it because of all of the other things he has going on there.  Here at home, we're adjusting to five and keeping our heads above water.  Needless to say, when he gets home there's not a lot of alone time that he can dedicate to studying until after the boys are in bed, which is also the only time we have to just breath and hang out together.  He's had a lot on his plate and I've been very impressed with how he's managed to balance things. 

All that being said ,when he went to bed on Monday night after studying for a few hours, I didn't have a lot of hope that he would pass.  It was a big test, covering a lot of specific, nitty-gritty information and he seemed less than confident.  He studied all day on Tuesday, reviewing all of the chapters he had read and by the time he left to take the test, he thought there may be a chance he'd pass.  Not passing would mean the loss of a percentage of commissions until he did pass, and he is not allowed to take the test again for 30 days.  We sent up a lot of prayers, including Jack's blessing at dinner when he said "and bless dad that he can ask all of the questions right on his test."  I think Heavenly Father understood what he meant.  And, miraculously, Kevin passed!  Shakes for everyone!  It was great news and I'm relieved to be done with it.  He called this morning to say there's another test deadline in a month that he had already paid the fee for long ago.  If he doesn't take it by June 30, we'll have to pay $650 for him to take it later...back in the saddle so soon?  Okay.  I don't love it, but okay.

The truth is, even with the stress of the test, we had a really wonderful weekend.  Abbie babysat on Friday and we went out to dinner with Luke and Marlee.  I went yardsaling with Marlee on Saturday morning, finding some clothes for the boys, a $5 couch that is better than the one we have, and a new "rat-a-tat cat" game.  I taught Jack and Taylor how to play and we've been playing many times daily ever since.  It's a quick little game and I've found that I can get them to do a little chore in between games while I shuffle and deal.  "pick up all of the toys in the family room while I get it set up, then we'll play again!"  And they're off, racing to get it done so we can get back to playing the game.

On Saturday evening the boys were antsy, so we decided to go up the canyon to bridal veil falls.  Mikelle and Mitchell met us there and we had a great time.  We had a little picnic of rolls with ham and provolone cheese, a bag of chips, and, most importantly, squeeze its to drink.   Austin sat by me when we were at the waterfall, throwing rocks into the water.  He's such a good little companion these days, when he's willing to stay nearby.  I was worried it would be too cold, but apart from a few moments when a cloud would drift in front of the sun, the weather was perfect. 

Unexpected good weather seemed to be a theme this weekend.  After church we decided to go up to Salt Lake to the Church History Museum and walk around temple square.  It rained as we drove and we had to run from the car to the museum to avoid getting drenched.  The boys had a great time in the children's section of the museum when we were done, the sky was blue, making for a beautiful afternoon walk around the temple.  Because it had been raining all day not many people were out and it was easy to keep track of all of the boys. 

When we got home Kev went home teaching and I found myself alone with the boys for a few hours.  We usually have my sisters over on Sundays, or go to Kevin's parents for dinner sometimes.  This was the first Sunday in quite a while without anyone else and it was peaceful.  We went to the backyard and I gave the boys various assignments,  "I want 10 yellow dandelions and 10 poofy ones."  "Now I need seventeen sticks..." They'd scatter and bring me fistfulls of whatever I'd requested as I swung on the hammock.  A boy would join me from time to time, then get motivated to gather again when he'd see his brothers' offerings. 

Sadly, Adam woke up and rolled off the couch and I rushed in to find him traumatized by the event. Once in my arms he continuted to cry - stopping for a moment, then remembering how horrible it was, he'd start up again.  I felt awful and took him to the hammock.  He calmed down and nestled into the blankets with me as we rocked together, he'd inhale deeply and quickly from time to time, as children do when getting over a hard cry.  His round little body in a bundle in the nook of my arm, little boys popping over to us with one of 35 long weeds I'd assigned them to find then dashing off for another.  Good, good moments.

I'd promised the boys a walk when Kevin got home, but by the time he arrived the sky was promising rain.  And rain it did, and thunder, and lightning, and hail.  Not good walking weather.  Instead we sat in the garage (on our old couch), and watched the storm while under blankets and drank hot chocolate.  We ventured  out of the garage a few times, but it was really cold rain and the hail stones were big enough to hurt, so it didn't last long.  The storm itself didn't last long and was over within 15 minutes.  And then it was bedtime.

And I want to post this before my computer dies because it's late and I'm too lazy to track down the power cord.