Without a Hitch!

Last night was the first of the ten dates I will be taking Gary on as we walk down memory lane. We dropped the kids off at Ashly's house-because she is my best and favorite and cheapest babysitter-and went to Provo to leave Kaleb at the Draschil's for Wills birthday. (Yes, Will's birthday was in May and yes, it is a bit odd to be having a birthday this many months after; but there's no law against it! I think it is actually a good idea to celebrate birthdays twice a year!) Gary kept trying to guess where we were going and Kaleb even threw his two cents in as well. I finally told them to stop guessing and just be patient. The only information he was going off of was the fact that I told him to be home by 5:30 and no later-he got home at 3:30-so that he could shower and get ready. I also told him we had reservations. With these as the only clues he immediately guessed The Chef's Table, which of course was wrong. As we were driving, he looked at me and asked if he was forgetting an important date or occasion. Why would we dress up and go somewhere requiring reservations in the middle of September? Who does that? Well, a lot of people do! In fact, there were many such people having dinner around us last night that do this! I guess when you're not "rolling in the dough" it is out of place but I think we need to do it at least a few times a year. It is super expensive but it helps when you have a 50% off dinner for two certificate from hosting!
Anyway, we dropped off Kaleb and then made one more stop for work-of course-before we headed North on University Ave in Provo. As we were driving, I figured he would probably figure it out once we got to the mouth of Provo canyon. So, I pulled out a card I had made him that had a number one on the front and written above it was the word "year". He looked at me confused and said, "year one?" "Just open it!" I said. He opened it and proceeded to read the explanation inside that told him this was the first of ten dates we would be taking culminating on our actual anniversary. He was surprised and I think, pretty much in awe at his wife's awesome idea and creativity. What can I say, I am truly one of a kind! Anyway, enough about me. I could tell the rest of the night when his mind would wander that he was trying to figure out the rest of the dates. I told him to be patient and just enjoy it! I sat down and planned each date and I think I did a pretty good job! Next week corresponds with 2002 and that was the year he finished the fire academy at UVSC and shortly after we moved to California. That year we moved three times! Anyway, I thought we would go to the California Pizza Kitchen for dinner and for dessert we would "move" to another location like the park or down by the lake and have dessert, which will be sugar cookies in the shape of either fire badges or fire engines. I am still ironing out the details. I plan on writing him a letter with each date to help him understand my thoughts and actions and then at the end I am going to put them all together in a book. Needless to say, the date was awesome, the food was expensive but delicious (their halibut ceviche was amazing!) and Hot Chocolate for the ride home topped it off. We stopped at Bishop and Marie Sampson's on the way home to see their remodeled home-beautiful!- and visited with them while we waited for Kaleb to get back from the party. By the time we got the rest of the kids and got home we were both exhausted! Gary apologized and asked for a rain check on the lovin and I told him it was just like our first year of marriage and the first anniversary! Kaleb was only 3 weeks old on our first anniversary so there was definitely no lovin that night either! Don't worry, I will keep it PG in these blogs so no one will be embarrassed-least of all me! Shout out to Amy B and Ashly McD! Thanks for actually reading that mini novel last time!
Kids report:
Picture day was today and I spent the morning in the bathroom "practicing" with the kids on the proper way to smile. Let's just say they have a problem in this area as can be seen by last years pictures. Gary and I scrambled around the house trying to get breakfast done, scripture study and getting the kids bathed and dressed on time. When they finally went out the door it was two more trips inside for Kaleb's homework and picture form with money, then looking through the car for Karly's take home reading book. As they drove away with the neighbor, Gary asked me why our mornings are always so crazy? I blamed getting up at 7 instead of 6:30. He replied that it is still crazy when we get up earlier. I just told him that it's because they are kids and have no concept of time. They are also really good at tuning me out! I think I have asked Kaleb to put away his pile of clean, folded clothes that I placed on top of his dresser, next to his bed-see how convenient I made it for him without actually doing it myself- about 8 times in the past 24 hours and yet it is still not done. Isn't it hard as a mom to teach them responsibility and accountability! It would be so much faster, easier and simpler to just do everything in this house, but what would that really accomplish? There are days that I wish I could drink! A nice Margarita or pina colada after a crazy day with the kids would be nice. Just numb the senses enough to forget. I think I have found an alternative though, reading a book while hiding from my kids. They usually find me within a few pages, but I just try to find a different spot-like the bathroom where the door locks! I have only done this twice-please don't judge me! Most of the time they are on my lap or in my face. In fact, I love that Evan and Tanner will come in my bedroom every morning and climb up onto my bed and cuddle with me. Evan says,"I yuy0u mom" and Tanner just gives me that grin and lays next to me. I am sandwiched between my kids many a morning and many a night-not as cute I might add. Kaleb and Karly use to do this every morning as well but lately it only happens when I am not up before them.
Totally forgot to blog about this! A couple Sunday's ago, Gary and I had been up late the night before so we decided to sleep in! The kids all got up and realized we were still in bed sleeping so they came in and got Ryan, who was awake. Then, they went downstairs and made us breakfast and brought it to us. It was so sweet! They made me toast with butter and Gary toast with Jam and we each had a soda on our plate. Mine was Barqs root beer and Gary's was cherry coke. Can't beat soda and toast! It really is the breakfast of tired parents! Kaleb explained that they wanted to let us sleep in and make us breakfast in bed. We were awake by the time they came up because we could hear Karly and Tanner fighting about waiting to go up and the toast wasn't done and not going up until they were ready. Still, we were surprised they had thought of it. We usually only do breakfast in bed on Mother's and Father's day or when one of us is really sick. Cute kids! I really am blessed to have such wonderful children. I know they may drive others crazy and sometimes me as well, but I wouldn't trade them for the world!