Saturday in Review

There is nothing particularly different or humorous about yesterday but in an attempt to include a few more details into what will become a family journal (slowly but surely....), here's our yesterday in review. No two Saturdays are ever the same but this is a snapshot of what went on around our place.

I guess the 'spectacular' part of the day was the fact that it began at 5:30am with a visit to the local gym made by Aaron and myself. After lifting weights and doing cardiovascular on the elliptical, we headed home by 7am. Tanner was at an overnight Scout campout so we told Brinley we would be at the gym in the morning in case Quinn or Elsie woke up (which is often the case). She is not really a morning person so we were relieved to find everybody still sleeping upon our return. But not for long.

Next came breakfast. Then I dutifully picked up my Bountiful Basket at 8:15am. I have been a huge fan for a year now. We went over the chore list and schedule for the day before Aaron left for the 9am Worldwide Leadership Training meeting at church. I didn't know when Tanner would return from his camp-out so I preceded to get everybody ready to go up to the college campus for Brinley's violin Festival. Just short of loading them all into the car, Tanner walked in the door with all of his campfire smelling gear. Hooray! Now I didn't have to drag the four youngest along. Elsie wanted to go so she was in tears. I know what it's like taking her along, so I promised she could go to Jantzen's basketball game after lunch instead:) Brinley played Humoresque by Dvorak in Suzuki Book 3 for the judge and did a beautiful job. In keeping with tradition, we enjoyed a little frozen yogurt afterwards.

After a couple of quick errands and redeeming her Book It personal pan pizza coupon (something from school), Brinley and I headed back home to get lunch ready for the others and check up on chores. Aaron was back from his meetings and there was a buzz of activity - as always. After taking inventory of everybody, Aaron left with Jantzen and Elsie for a 3-on-3 basketball game. Brinley and Anna decided to stay home and work on Valentine's while Tanner was doing laundry and keeping an eye on Quinn. I went to my long overdue haircut appointment.

Our family gift for Christmas this past year was a large framed family photo. Unfortunately, we have had a few issues with the whole gig which has required numerous drives to the nearest thriving metropolis 30 miles south of us. (In fact, I've driven there more in the past two months than I did during the entire previous year--and it's not convenient). Yesterday I planned to pick up the picture once and for all! Tanner joined me for the outing and we were off around 3pm.

During our drive together, I was prepared to introduce him to a whole new world of financial responsibility. We discussed the annual clothing/school supply budget and how it will work going forward. I shared with him a chart of how much money he will need to save each month from now until his mission and our savings match program to encourage him along the way. We discussed his new job starting next Saturday and what to expect (cleaning/maintaining the Home Care Pulse office in town). Then I showed him first hand what it means to be a smart-shopper at Kohl's. February is clearance month so we scoured the racks for future school clothes. It's too premature to buy shoes/pants for him since he's growing like a weed, but we were safe with shirts. He was thrilled to find two collared polo shirts in colors he liked for $2.60 along with a couple of t-shirts for $1.60. His gym shorts were the most expensive item but even they were on sale and we got an additional 20% off our entire purchase. It took some time but we were both thrilled with the results. It took us a few hours but after completing our other errands, we headed back home. In the meantime, Aaron had the fun job of making dinner, bathing the children, and getting them to bed. He was hoping to work on taxes but that surely didn't happen.

I try not to be a night-owl now that I'm getting up earlier in the mornings but it was our Stake Valentine's Dance last night. At 9pm Aaron and I dressed up and headed over to the church for an hour. Um, let's just say the decorations were wonderful and the treats were tasty but the music was interesting. Nothing from the past 30 years I could really recognize. Not very fun for dancing unless you REALLY know how to ballroom dance. Aaron wanted to go more than I did but after we got home he said, "Yeah, I think I would have rather stayed home and watched a movie with you." We'll remember that next year.

Just another fine day in paradise.