Busy, Busy, Busy

After a few days without blogging, I've realized how much I depend on writing to decompress. I feel like a wound-up toy. Go, go, go. My thoughts are all jumbled and can't really think of a point. It's just been a busy couple of days and nothing is going to change until Sunday.

It's crunch time for Evening of the Arts. It's amazing how much time something like this takes. I've thought a lot recently about why we do things like this. It's a stake event, and my instructions were to pull together some of the very best talent in our stake for a classy evening of entertainment. As motivation for the performers, advertising and my own sanity, I've been wondering....why? As best as I can come up with, it is that Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy this life. I've researched online old stories about uplifting entertainment, music, song and dance and have learned that throughout history, the Lord encourages and directs us to be cheerful, be happy, seek out good things and develop talents. I suppose this is an opportunity for all of those things...mostly for those coming to listen. The dress rehearsal was last night and I do think the talent is amazing. People who come will be entertained. And I hope the performers find some joy in doing it as well. I'll mostly be glad when it's over. I performed in it a couple of years ago and it's WAY easier to sing a little ditty than to organize it. I guess because I can compare the two, I'm frustrated with those who can't sacrifice a little bit of time. We have 12 performances all together. 4 called yesterday before the dress rehearsal to say they would be late. One called to ask if he could go first so he could leave early. One called to see when would be the best time for her to come so that she wouldn't have to be there the whole time. One forgot about it because he just never checks the email address that he gave me. He told me he should have given me his work one and I thought...."well...duh!" Anyway, it should all work out and no one will have to listen to my nagging on this blessed event any longer. It'll be about the Christmas Creche Choir!

We did FHE Halloween Phantoming on Monday night. Our ward doesn't follow the rule if you've been hit you can't be hit again so chances are good that you get hit several times. The instructions are to go out the following Monday night and hit two more families but I just wanted to get ours done with so we went out and did eight homes! It took awhile and the boys got caught 3 of the times but Seth, with his good nature, called it one of his best nights yet. Jay and I were clenching our teeth by the end of the night with the fun job of rebuckling seatbelts every 5-10 minutes. Seth panics if the car moves and Sam's not buckled (it's usually his job to get Sam buckled) so there were some tears too. Good times!

I volunteered in Seth's class again today and watched my friends' boys this afternoon. I took them all to Costco and the library and you should see the stares I got. Several people asked me if they were all mine. I suppose 4 boys ages 5 and younger seems outrageous but so what? Thankfully, I only needed formula (but ended up with milk, cookie dough, jeans, and fruit leathers) so there was room in the cart for everyone! And I bribed them with frozen swirl yogurt if they could make it through the store without getting 3 warnings. Success.

Tonight I'm making the candles. Tomorrow I've got a hair appointment, need to go get a special lightbulb and pick up programs and get them folded, find some piano lights to borrow and pick up a babysitter. We are going to the temple for Ward Temple Night and I won't even embarrass myself by revealing how long it's been since I went last.

I've hardly seen Jay. We just pass occasionally. Quick hugs, apologies and thank-yous. I recruited him to be my second spotlight guy at E of A so he'll have a job that night too! What a guy.

'till next time.....