Ho Hum.

I don't really have a lot to say. I mean I have TONS to say, but I don't feel that this is the appropriate place for those kinds of thoughts. Because honestly, I'm pretty cranky lately.

I am overwhelmed. Four kids seems about 10 more than 3 kids. And we even have an easy baby. And I even know people with 10 kids! And they are all alive, and what's more--dressed! 10 dressed kids! That's amazing.

I used to have lofty goals for teaching my kids things and feeding them nutritious food and for providing "a soft place to land". I've been fixated on that phrase for several years now. I heard someone describe their home that way, and I thought it was so lovely.

 I love it, I want it.

I can't do it.

Unless the soft place is my four-baby postpartum tum tum. Or bum bum.

It seems I can only get things done around here if I'm a crazy screeching banshee. A scary place to land.

But every night I go to bed and resolve to try again and do better.

It's not enough, really. I am going to have to seek outside help. More prayers, more use of resources, advice from other parents, perhaps a therapist. But I'll keep at it.

Wow, hope that wasn't too much of a downer. I'm fine, you're fine, we're all fine.

And even though I took hardly a picture this week, I do have exactly one photo of each kid doing something. Perfect.

This week:

June's teacher sent me this cute photo of that cute girl at school during snack time.

Gwen came home wearing this hat she made at school one day.

Here's a great question for the readers: What do you do with all of the stuff your kids bring home? Or what did your parents do? I am throw-away kinda gal myself. But I have to do it in secret because my kids have serious attachment issues. Not with me, to be sure. But with every post-it that has ever graced their hands or every single rock in the walking path at the park.

Maybe because post-its and rocks aren't banshees? Something to think on.

Here's Harris looking at a race car book Grandma Sandy sent him.

We couldn't find Harris after church today. He was waiting by our van in the parking lot. Which means he crossed the parking lot by himself. Yep.

And here's that baby. Number 4. Don't worry, kiddo! We don't blame you for all of the craziness. It's definitely been a team effort.

Another question for the readers--Who does this baby look like? I hear Gwen most of the time, and every once in awhile someone will say June.

And no Sunday pictures for the second week in a row! My excuse for today was that just as we were heading out to go to church, Gwen remembered this lesson Dan gave awhile back about Fast Offerings and wanted to pay a Fast Offering to the bishop. We were literally walking out the door when she remembered, and we said we could get her some money next week. And then she screamed and cried and ran around the house looking for loose change to give the bishop.

That's the last time we ever teach the commandments in this home.

Speaking of kids getting their way, June has been begging to go to a pizza place within walking distance of our house. Every time we pass it, June moans, "There's Johnny's Pizza! When do we get to eat there?" We finally obliged this past Friday night. I pushed a couple of kids in the stroller, and Dan drove the other kids down to meet us.

June and Dan watching the pizza chef toss the dough.

The food was okay, and the service wasn't great. But of course our kids can't wait to go back again.

And perhaps the biggest accomplishment of the week (besides 2-year old Harris navigating a parking lot full of departing vehicles all by himself) was that Dan and I finally watched Dances with Wolves.

This has been a goal of ours for close to the decade that has been our wedded bliss. I love the music, and whenever I hear it, I tell Dan we really need to watch the movie. We then rent said movie and fall asleep within the first 5 minutes. I mean, I fall asleep in everything but I've been especially doomed with this film because Kevin Costner's voice is flatter than the prairie-setting of the movie.

So we've probably rented it at least three or four times in our marriage and have always slept. For some reason, this time was different. Dan found that it was on Amazon Prime, and we started watching it Friday night. And we didn't recognize any of it, not the first scene, not nothin'. That's how pathetic our attempts have been. But this time, we watched it over three different viewing sessions (it's looooooooooooooooong), and we finished it! And we really liked it! It's really good. Which is why it won Best Picture in 1991. It's only taken me this long to get on the bandwagon.

The End.