Mary Poppins Day

No, we didn't watch Mary Poppins or sing "A Spoonful of Sugar" as my kids took medicine or end up on the ceiling because we were laughing our heads off at nothing in particular.  But today was a Mary Poppins Day -- Practically Perfect in EVERY Way. 

We didn't get up early.  The kids actually slept in until after 8:00 this morning. And since Dave and I had sat and watched a movie last night - Citizen Kane, a cultural classic that neither of us was familiar with - it was just wonderful to get to enjoy that moment AND not have to pay for it this morning.

Dave took Isaac and got the oil changed in the car and picked up a shampooer to shampoo Abby and Isaac's carpets from all the "oops" moments Abby has had in her "I'm-determined-to-take-off-my-diaper-every-time-I-go-to-the-bathroom-or-simply-want-to-take-it-off-and-pee-on-the-floor" moments.  They had a marvelous time shopping together. 

Abby and I had a mommy/Abby morning. I fed Brianna just before they left and put her down for a nap and then Abby and I showered (since she got tubes in her ears, she takes showers with me instead of baths - so we try to make it kind of fun for her since she doesn't get to play with toys in the tub any more), drew flowers and squares and houses and cars and buses on the chalkboard, made homemade pizza for everyone for lunch, and cuddled for a few minutes.

I caught up with some friends on the phone, which was VERY fun! Doing so always makes me thankful for my many blessings - paramount of which are GOOD FRIENDS - and determined to do better in so many ways.

Everyone took a nice. long. winter's. nap. (minus the winter because we live in the desert and winter exists for just two weeks of the year here).  It was really nice since we have all been sick for the last three days (I literally spent the last three days in bed and was SO THANKFUL that Dave had hours saved up to take some time off of work and give me some R&R - or as close to R&R as you get when you have allergies on top of two-week flu and are still nursing a baby who also has the allergies and flu). ;-D

We made caramel popcorn and Dave read the lesson outline for the lesson he is teaching in church tomorrow OUT LOUD so we could both hear it and benefit and discuss.  I LOVE those moments with him!

We rented two movies from Redbox - Despicable Me and A Golden Christmas - and got my picnic quilt out and had a caramel popcorn and Sun Chips picnic on the floor with the kids.  It was SO FUN! Especially since I got to hold Brianna through a good part of it and dance with her and watch her face light up as she giggled and squealed with laughter ever time we "boogy-boogy-boogy"-ed to the music on the movie or just from whatever I made up in my head.  I mean, you would make things up during a movie too, if you got to see her smiles and delight every time you did it!

Dave shampooed the floors while I entertained and fed and went back and forth between children.

The kids are having a slumber party in the living room while their carpets dry. We read stories, sang some silly songs, read scriptures, sang "I Love to See the Temple" (STILL their favorite and #1 requested song night after night after night), had prayers, and got them to bed in less than 30 MINUTES!  That's a RECORD, I think, for most nights when they aren't in their own rooms/beds and are out of their routines.

Dave and I reviewed some journal and blog entries/memories from our first year of marriage for the scrapbook/story we are putting together before we get much further behind.

Like I said - it was a Mary Poppins Day!  And now I am going to go plan my week so that I can start tomorrow on a good foot and have a Mary Poppins week!  I have more to write about last week and my trek to Utah for dear Bennett Wilkinson's funeral (the 20-month-old baby boy of one of my oldest and dearest friends), but that will have to wait until tomorrow because my success for the rest of the week is banking on me starting it out RIGHT the FIRST day of it!

Buenas noches, queridos amigos -- Buenas noches!