Why My Children are Driving Me Crazy and Other Pointless Rants: Week of Madness

I think I should label this school year the "Year of Madness" or maybe "Pure Insanity", but that might be slightly dramatic. But honestly with no drama included - last week was purely insane.

However, insanity includes a lot of crazy good fun with our family.

Life is full, busy, worthwhile, and rewarding.

Lately all my posts seem to follow this theme of craziness that is summed up with a string of pictures from the previous few days. This is truly my life at the moment. I'm completing one day at a time. I'm trying to document our life. I'm trying to keep up with my busy growing kids. I'm trying to complete my church calling. I'm trying to keep my house running. I'm trying to be a good wife and mother. I'm trying to find time for myself and for accomplishing things that I find important.

Sadly, I feel my journal is suffering…but I'm trying. If I post once a week now I'm thrilled.

It's not fancy or even well thought out…but I'm trying.

Here goes another string of pictures catching tidbits of our Dixon family.

I'm trying to fix Saylor's hair different every once in a while when I have a few spare minutes before we run out the door.

She's been patient with me and I'm happy to say her hair has grown out long enough to do fun things.

Obviously, I need a little ( a lot) of braiding practice.

Saylor now has swim lessons twice a week while the boys are at school. She is finally catching on and is getting more comfortable in the water.

This is how she is after lessons…worn out.

For the record, this is how my bed looks 90% of the time. Its always covered in clean, waiting to be folded clothes. To my embarrassment, some nights instead of folding, I throw the clean clothes in the corner and crawl into bed. Folding clothes at 10 pm is overrated.

Andrew had his first seminary morningside last Friday. He wasn't thrilled about having to wear church clothes to school all day…so he wore jeans. He perfected the Eastern Idaho farmer look of wearing jeans with shirt and ties. (I can say this because many of my relatives have done this in the past.)

He would have made a cute farmer.

My kitchen was a disaster most of last week as I cooked and baked for Andrew's swim team dinner.

(I made WAY too much food. Except for the 15 dozen cookies. Those got eaten.)

We had the dinner at Steve's office space after swim practice Friday evening. The space worked great.

The kids were gracious, polite, wonderful and ate their guts out.

Grady loved the cookies.

It was fun to watch the kids interact and have fun together.

Saylor loved the cookies too I guess.

By the time we cleaned up, it was late and Colby could not stay awake in the car.

The dinner was wonderful and totally worth it, but I'll admit I was glad when it was over. It was a lot (a ton) of work.

On a different note, we're working on Halloween around here.

Carter is loving his costume this year.

Saylor is mix and matching…we'll see what she finally decides on by the end of the month.

Steve's birthday was Sunday.

We had his parents and brother's darling family over for dinner and Steve made the famous Dixon Brown Sugar frosting for his spice cake.

The boys helped out and I'm in love with the fact that Steve is passing this skill on. They all took turns stirring the frosting. These boys will have this mastered!