Sometimes I feel crazy

In order to keep myself on  more even keel we set up a little schedule to help summer go more smoothly. It goes like this:

1. Breakfast
2. get dressed/shower
3. go for morning walk (the exersize really helps my mood swings) I like endorphins
4. Read scriptures together and have family prayer
5. Work time (the girls can earn 10 cents for each job they do) 
6. Each child reads to me for 20 minutes 
7. Fun activity ( get swimming pool out, make jam together, paint fingernails, ect)

We have been on schedule for 2 days, I am so proud. Sometimes it is tricky to say no when some of our cute little neighbor friends come to see if the kids can play or my children want neighbor friends to come on walks with us. I think the trick is, just being consistent and reminding the kids that it is family time. 

I find it very interesting that very seldom would Eli do something that completely frosts my cookies. I tend to think I am quite patient with him, but the combination of some of his quirks and my pregnancy hormones have made for some unpleasant moments. I get sad just thinking about some of my bad behavior. So I am trying to do better. Gratefully my children are patient and forgiving and Jed always tells me that there is nothing to feel bad about, that "it's not you, it's the pregnancy" He is nice and has been so super helpful. When we were contemplating another baby I told him straight out that I was going to need his help. I don't think he realized what he was getting himself into. :) But I am grateful that with all he has going on he makes time to help when he is here.

Jed has a 2 week break from school. Which I am most excited about, this last 3 1/2 months has been hard for me. I will also get to go to Young Womens activities, for the next few weeks and will also be getting away for a few days for Youth Conference. It will be the longest I have been away.

My kids love being outside, Ruby and Emma can mostly manage themselves and I don't have to worry about them too much, they know the rules and they are pretty good at following them .Mr. Eli however needs constant supervision. He has crossed the street a few times even when I have been out watching him, he also loves to put rocks down our neighbor's window well grates. He calls it the "net", his other joys include having the hose turned on just a little bit and being in charge of it, and jumping on our neighbors trampoline. I am secretly hoping that a trampoline will be in the cards for Christmas.

When I am outside watching Eli I have taken up reading books and indexing. Our youth have a summer challenge for indexing and there is a BBQ with the stake presidency and prizes involved. At the begining of the year I set a goal to index 5000 names and have set a goal to do 3000 in the contest period which will equal 50 names a day. I find so much joy and fascination in just seeing the names and how many children they had, if they had lodgers living with them and other things you can find out. It has been a great source of service for me and I feel happy when I do it. I love indexing. I would like to jump on the family history wagon.