And the award goes to...

I had a wonderful week last week with small moments that make me smile. It was a normal everyday week, but there was just something about being able to enjoy small moments.

Proudest Mommy Moment: The professional trainer telling me that Carter is really good at soccer. He said, "Some kids have it and some don't. We call it soccer IQ and Carter's got talent. He needs to try out for travel league. If you lived in Europe, he would have already been recruited." I smiled, thanked him, and then told him that if they didn't play games on Sunday, we'd be there. Carter enjoys being one of the best ones on the team and I'm afraid he'd get too frustrated when everyone else is as good or better. I promised the trainer that I wouldn't let his talent go to waste, but that we'd have to find an appropriate time/place to do it.

Favorite cuddle moment: Sitting in the rocking chair, cuddling my 2 year old. She's usually very wiggly, but for a few minutes, she sat there, smiling at me and giggling. I am afraid that it was one the last times I will ever have one of my babies wrapped in my arms, cuddling and cooing and giggling. It was so out of the ordinary that I don't know that it will happen again anytime soon. It is a moment that I will not soon forget.

Favorite daily activity: Having conversations with Miana. She is fun to talk to. Her insights to life are so simple and innocent. It's wonderful to have a fresh perspective on all of our daily activities. I just love her and I'm grateful for the smiles she brings to me through out the day.

Favorite over all moment: Shooting baskets with my 9 year old. He had pinkeye and was no longer contagious but his eye was still red so I thought I should wait a day before sending him back to school. We were at the scripture study class at the church and I couldn't let him go play with the other kids in the nursery so he was sitting out on the couch reading a book. I had to go to the bathroom and I went to check on him. He was bored and wanted to shoot some baskets. I went in with him for a few minutes and was amazed at how well he handled the ball (I'm quite sure I couldn't even get the ball up to the basket when I was 9, let alone, actually make baskets.) Basketball isn't a sport that we have tried yet, so now I'm convinced that we need to get him started in it. This was my favorite moment of the week because I just enjoyed my time with my son. Neither of us was in a hurry, neither one was thinking about something else, and it was just the 2 of us. This never happens. I have had very little alone time with my oldest since his brother was born! It's something that I definitely want to start making more time to do.

It was an ordinary week with some extraordinary moments. I hope every week is like that!

"You are my fire at night when I'm cold...

You are the only one I want to hold. Baby, I love you..." When we were growing up, my mom had a tape that we used to listen to in the car all the time. I think it was Michael McLean, but maybe one of you could tell me who it was. The words to this song popped into my head today as I walked down the stairs and into the family this afternoon.

So, it's allergy season. I've been hit hard the last couple of days and I am really worn down. I'm tired, I keep coughing, and it hurts to breathe. It took some convincing to get me to go to the doctor, but I went - just to make sure it hadn't moved into my lungs. He basically told me to go home and take some over the counter stuff and wait out the season. Um, thanks? I really needed some rest so I carefully planned everything so I could get some. I set out everything the boys would need for their homework, I got them a snack, and I wrote them 3 notes. The first note went on the door, instructing them to go straight to the kitchen table. The second note said where I was and what I needed them to do - basically, I'm upstairs resting, please do your homework and chores quickly and quietly, everything you need to do is listed on your list. The third note was a list of homework and chores for each child to complete before going out to play. I then went upstairs to rest.

I heard the boys come in. 3-4 minutes later, Spencer was at my bedside.

"Mom, I'm sorry to bother you, but I think you should punish me."

"Punish you, what for?"

"I started a fire."

"At school?!?!?"

"No," (half chuckling at my question) "at home"

"Right now?"

"Yes, but I'm not really a professional, so I got 2 tall cups of water ready just in case."

Sure enough, fire was going in the fire place. He had already used one of the glasses of water to put out part of the log because he heard a strange, crackling noise and it made him nervous. What does this teach me about my children? They are too independent for me to leave them alone, even for 5 minutes. It was cold and the boys were wet from their walk home in the rain and Spencer was just trying to help. Needless to say, we have once again gone over the list of activities that require adult participation. It's amazing that my children are still alive.