I ought to be in bed snoozing away this extra hour I have found.  But I am too excited.  I just finished my last big project for the semester.  Do you ever have a day when your are so productive it blows you away?  If being in school this Fall has taught me nothing (not true BTW) it has taught me how much more I can do if I make a plan and stick to it.  I don't always want to be busy and productive.  I think I need to balance busy days with days for smelling the roses.  For myself and for my family.  But I love knowing what I am capable of doing - well no, I don't know that - I love knowing that I am capable of doing more.  I will call these sprints of checklist obliteration (because that's too long of a name) uber productivity.

Today I was uber productive, I : 

Put away laundry
Made doctor appointments
Cleaned the toilet (because at some point you look at that mess and say "I am better than this.")
Called the insurance company
Wrote emails for relief society
Wrote a Western Civilization essay and took a quiz
Cleaned the toy room - very messed
Built the BEST pretend castle-fort ever
Took Audrey to gymnastics
Took an Art History final
Wrote a long email to Art History professor to justify my "wrong" answers
Grocery shopping
Delivered dinner to a new family
Out to dinner with friends
Bathed, lotion-ed, brushed and tucked kiddos
Completed Jewelry final project and write-up

Now insert the all little side trackers that I managed without getting deterred like made beds, showered, dressedx3, fedx3, acquired toys etc, adjusted doll shoes etc, texts, personal phone calls, kids in and out of winter outerwearx6, made tunnels for matchbox cars, clipped coupons,  - WHEW.

It was an UBER PRODUCTIVE DAY.  Now, please let there be roses to smell tomorrow ;)

Audrey and Colin stayed at a friend's house for a couple hours yesterday.  My friend Lindsey, asked Audrey if Santa Claus was coming to our house soon.

Audrey quickly replied "Yes, I heard a song say Santa Claus is coming to town!"

We are home sick today.  Colin is convinced that Halloween candy will heal him and keeps informing me that he's "still not better" (and therefore must need candy).  Audrey wants the three of us to take on all the roles in the Rapunzel story and turn the day into full-costume dramatic reenactment.  Of course she plays Rapunzel and the good queen mother.  I am the "wicked witch."  Colin is the horse and  "prince."  He and I are not being very good sports.  However, after watching Audrey try to hold a blanket on her head as Rapunzel's "hair" I helped out by creating some long locks with a headband and an old ball of yarn.  This craft might make up for my unwillingness to act.

During a whirlwind house pick up today I was in a happy mood (induced by my Mindy Gledhill, Anchor album) and grabbed a handful of candy corn from the abused candy dish (perhaps the second cause of my energy surge:)

Distributing the goodies between Audrey and Colin,

Audrey asks "What's this for?"

"Because you two are soo cute," I reply.

A little while later Colin finds me and grins as he asks,

"Can I have some more cute?"

Audrey's 4th Birthday Party

John and Rachel's Wedding

I am in the kitchen cleaning. I can see the kids playing in the backyard. The sliding glass door is closed to keep the muggy hot air outside where it belongs.

I look up from my work to see Colin crouching on the patio and examining something. My gaze is redirected to a white and brown spot on the cement about the size of a golf ball. Alerts are sounding in my head as I nearly simultaneously 1. realize this is bird droppings and 2. notice Colin is extending a pudgy index finger toward the glistening smear 3. run across the kitchen 4. shout "Colin, NOOOOO!"

But he cannot hear me through the glass. Split seconds seem to pass as full minutes. Slow motion horror strikes as I'm dashing through the dining room, reaching for the door and see my pure, innocent baby dip and bring his once beautiful finger.....to his mouth.