Still Here....

No pictures to post today, but I thought I'd check in because that picture of my kids and neighbor friend standing in the snow makes me cold and it's time for an update. We are plugging right along in the Benson house. Why is it that I love my routines and schedules until January/February-ish and then it all begins to feel like one endless "Goundhog Day"? Up at the alarm, breakfast, kids ready, Livvy to the bus, exercise, jobs/errands, lunch, "quiet time" (aka: an hour of me telling Caleb to go lay back down on his blanket with his movie or books or I'm putting him in his bed, darn it!), primary stuff, chipping away at the old "To-Do" list, Livvy home, piano students, homework, dinner, family time, bedtime, fall into bed myself... all just to do it again the next day?
We do occasionally add in some excitement though. Like yesterday when Caleb and I went to the Valentines Day party for the neighborhood playgroup and I got to wonder all over again at the amazing moms I get to live by. And then later in the afternoon when a high school kid trying to earn money for prom knocked on my door and offered to take down my Christmas lights for twenty bucks. "Hallelujiah YES!" I said, because the few days Cameron has had off of work in the last six weeks or so have all been way too icy and cold to scramble around on our ridiculously steeply pitched roof. And then when my sweet husband came down with a raging case of kidney stone while at work and we spent the evening at the Insta-Care in Orem and then the pharmacy and radiology lab in Riverton trying to figure out what on earth was happening to him and then if they'd have to break it up and or just medicate him and hope for the best. (They chose the latter which I've decided is probably the best thing for our insurance/finances, but really not so fun for poor Cameron...)
From this experience I have decided a few things. A) when push comes to shove my kids really can behave themselves and be helpful and patient (Olivia and Caleb - I will remember this next time you're acting up in sacrament meeting you stinkers!) They were amazing to spend so much time driving in the car, waiting in the waiting room and then going to bed for Grandpa while I was with Cameron at the hospital. B) THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to Cameron's sister April (who lives in Orem and was willing to bag her evening and wag her two little ones out in the cold to take Cameron to the insta care) and Cameron's dad for coming out in the dead of night to watch my kids and put them to bed for me. And C) Maybe I don't mind my normal, routine of an evening after all.