There's something nice about Ben

It is easy to speak negative of my brother Ben. He has now been off drugs for just over 3 months. He is living in the apartment behind my parent's house.
Tonight I stopped by my parent's house after I got the kids to bed. Who am I kidding? I was really just running away from the kids for a little while because they made me feel nuts today.
I happened to be there when they had family prayer. Ben actually offered a sincere prayer. And in his prayer he was thankful that I came to visit, and prayed for me to go home safely. I thought that was very sweet of him. I only live 5 miles away.
Also, whenever I talk to him on the phone, he always ends with "I love you". It is almost funny to me because probably the only other people I know that end calls like that with me are Dan and one of Dan's Grandmas.
Even though Ben isn't perfect, I wanted to mention that he can be quite sweet. I love him, and I'm glad he's my brother.

Another round of Sunday Randomness

Caleb was really good at tying some fleece blankets that we made recently.
He is doing really well in school this year. He has a great teacher who is very patient with him. His teacher always tells me how much she loves having Caleb in her class. It is a big contrast from last year, when his teacher sent him to the principal for every little thing he did. I can't say enough about how thankful for his teacher I am. Switching to a charter school was a good thing for him. He had developed a bit of anxiety about being sent to the office all of the time at the last school. He is happy at school. He says he wants to teach there when he grows up.
Often times before school, he will get his room clean, piano practiced, and the dishwasher unloaded. All without me asking him to. I really appreciate that about him.

Rachel will be 10 in a few weeks. I can't believe she is getting so old! She is fun to shop with now that she is getting older.

Anna wears dress-ups and dresses a good portion of the time. I think she has only worn pants once in the last month. And she screamed about it for at least 10 minutes. She changed a while later when I wasn't looking. Disney dress-ups don't fare so well in the wash. Homemade dress-ups do much better. She put her headband in by herself.

I was trying to get Anna to let me take a picture of her braids. She loves to have her hair braided. It is hard to braid curly hair. Her hair actually goes half-way down her back. But you'd never know since it is naturally curly. When I do braids, they curl up too.

This picture I would call "Joy in a Cupcake". Alex was excited to eat cupcakes that were leftover from dinner at Grandma Marchant's house.
Alex is actually outgrowing some of his mischievious behaviors. He still thinks the kitchen is an all-you-can-eat-buffet when anyone happens to leave something out or leave the cupboard or fridge unlocked. At least he is not picky. He'll eat everything. On Saturday morning, he came to my room to tell me that the chocolate milk was too heavy. He had carried the full bottle most of the way down the hall to my room so I could pour him some. Luckily he didn't spill it all over.

Alex is such a joy to me. He has a really sweet personality. He has this special little way he likes me to hold him, with his arms tucked under.

I've been really busy the last few weeks. March is a really busy time for the company I do QA for. I've been putting in hours after the kids go to bed. I'm glad that March will end, and I will be back to only a couple of hours a week.

I recently interviewed for a 3 month management internship position. It was the hardest interview I have ever been through. I did not get it. But it was actually a relief not to get it. It is a virtual company, and all of the work would be from home. However, that still doesn't give me more time in the day. I love my kids and love being a mom. I do like having something to do beside just housework. Sometimes it seems funny to me, when I am downstairs working from home, and Dan is upstairs working from home. Technology has come a long way.

I've started playing the organ in sacrament meeting every other week. The main problem I have is nervousness. Even if I can play perfectly when I practice, I get nervous and shaky when I am playing in sacrament meeting. I hit a wrong note in every single song today. When I go to sit with my family after the sacrament hymn, my legs are always shaky when I walk to the bench. I know that it will go away in time. When I used to teach Gospel Doctrine, I would feel really shaky when I was up there. By the time I was released, I was actually comfortable up there. I keep telling myself that I will feel comfortable someday doing this too.

Funny Kids.....

Today as we were pulling into the bank parking lot, Alex excitedly exclaimed, "The sucker church". I thought that was funny that he thought the bank was a church that hands out suckers. Our bank always gives the kids dum dum suckers. What I need is a chocolate church.

On Sunday when we were at the Rowley's house, Anna wanted me to come see what she spelled on the fridge with the magnetic letters. She said, "Look Mom! I spelled ABC.com". It was actually ABC.KOM. The M was actually an upside down W. I thought that was quite funny that she would be spelling out web addresses.

Sunday was fast Sunday. Rachel moaned and groaned because I told her that she needed to fast breakfast. Caleb was grumpy because I told him that he needed to hurry and eat breakfast before 9:00 am church. He wanted to fast. Dan stayed home with Alex, who had a bad cold. Alex cried and screamed because he wanted to go to church. He loves church. Anna cried because she wanted to stay home from church. I made her come since she wasn't sick. I just thought it was funny that all the kids wanted the opposite of what they got.