Braces, Glasses, Swimming lessons, Oh my!

Every once in a while, I have such an incredibly full day that, in retrospect, I can't imagine how it all came together. This was one of those days. Samuel even commented tonight that today sure was a busy day. Sure was.

Just for the record, here's a full day:

5:00 My alarm goes off. I spend the next thirty minutes trying to justify staying in bed, and finally I conquer my sleepy self (I was drugged on codeine for my cough so it was no easy task to pull myself out of bed).

5:30 I actually get up, telling myself I'm just going to swim, but I grab some running socks anyway (just in case) and head downstairs.

5:34 I'm in my triathlon shorts and tank because I can run in it AND swim in it - just in case I do both.

5:36 I tricked myself into running. I run for the next 45 minutes. (6.25 miles).

6:25 Well, that wasn't so bad. Now I tell myself I'll just swim 1/2 mile (15 minutes or so).

7:00 35 minutes and one mile later, I am done (one pool-mile is different than a land-mile, by the way).

7:20-8:30 I have showered and dressed and am making lunches for the boys.

This hour I spend getting four children up, dressed, breakfasted, ready for school, and out the door. Sam does his piano practice. Jeff takes Oliver and Eleanor to school for me. Thanks!

8:30-9 I get Charlotte ready for the day, clean up from breakfast.

9-9:30 I get dinner going (Crockpot chili and breadmachine potato bread - I know this is the only chance I'll have to cook today).

9:30-10:30 I hang out with Charlotte in the playroom while I fold laundry and she plays around on the computer and with her toys. I actually put the folded clothes away. (That, in itself, is worthy of a full day).

10:30-11 Charlotte and I just play - we're dragons that breathe fire and have tea parties.

11 - Eleanor comes home! I get the girls their lunch.

-So far, the morning has been pretty easy, pretty normal, pretty low-key. This is where we push the speed-up button and things go crazy:

11:45 The girls and I check Samuel out of school

12:00 Sam has an orthodontist appointment. He's going to need teeth pulled (tomorrow!) and braces put on (in the next two weeks or so). Braces, I learn, cost thousands of dollars. But Sam definitely needs them so it's worth it. He's excited. For now, anyway.

1:10 We leave the orthodontist and head to the dentist to make an appointment for tomorrow's teeth extraction.

1:30 We check Oliver out of school and run a few errands.

2:00 -3:30 Samuel, Oliver, Eleanor and I all have our eyes checked. The kids get their daily reading done in between each other's appointments. Charlotte is very patient with us all. Samuel has the option of getting glasses, but decides he can handle one eye being off a little. Doc puts me in contacts. I hate them, but maybe I'll get used to them. Oliver needs glasses. He's excited. For now, anyway.

3:45 Everyone is hungry. We have a little snack while we wait for our swimming teacher to show up.

4:00 Daryn shows up for our first (trial-run) swimming lessons in our miniature pool. The boys go first, and it turns out they're too advanced to do much more in our pool. They'll need a big pool where they can splash and dive and stuff. Meanwhile, they can work on endurance in our pool, but Daryn doesn't need to teach them.

4:30-5 Daryn teaches the girls. There is PLENTY for the girls to learn from her. She'll keep coming back once a week or so to teach the girls. I'm relieved - the girls need the help and I don't mind so much paying for private lessons for half the kids. (I was seriously wondering if I'd be able to afford all four kids - but the boys don't need her, so that's good).

5 - Sam's off to basketball practice. Oliver does his piano practice. I spend the next half-hour talking with Daryn and cleaning up the pool room.

5:30-6 Oliver asked nicely so I agreed to a game of Slamwich. He wins. Of course.

6-7 Dinner.

7-7:30 PJs, teeth and toilet ("PTT" we call it). Jeff comes home.

7:30 - 8 The boys are allowed to watch a basketball game and the girls watch "The Wonder Pets". I clean up after dinner. Jeff goes out to snow blow all the new snow (it's a lot!)

8-8:30 I read to the girls, the boys finish up their basketball game and get some more reading done.

8:30-8:45 Family scriptures and prayer. Jeff comes in.

8:45 - 9:15 Sam is allowed to stay up and read a little more (Oliver decided he was just too tired), the girls are asleep, Jeff's on the phone, and I'm blogging. And pleased that so much has been done today.

If Jeff's not busy, I'm looking forward now to either watching an episode of Psych, or one from the BBC production "Lark Rise to Candleford". If he has work to do, then I'll read myself to sleep. I'm reading "Esperanza Rising" and have found myself drawn into the story fully. The main portion of the story is set in the heart of where I served my Spanish-speaking mission, and the main characters are Mexican, so I feel like I'm a part of this book in a small way.

Tomorrow, by the way, won't be any less chaotic. Sam has his teeth pulled at 11 and I drive the kindergarten carpool at 11 (Jeff will be around to help out), then I have an appointment to have my scars looked at in Idaho Falls at 3, then Oliver has basketball practice at 6, and we have a babysitter coming at 7 so Jeff and I can go to a play at 7:30. And in between all that, there's homework, piano practice, reading, cooking, cleaning, and just plain living to be done. I can't wait for Saturday. Oh, wait. Saturday. Two basketball games, Saturday chores, and preparing for a Relief Society activity...!!!!

One thing at a time. Just breathe....

No school Monday or Tuesday! I propose complete rest days. Please. :)