a day in the life.... (long post)

This is for me, so that I can look back and see what our days were like. I'll probably laugh when I reflect, however some days I can be found passed out from the exhaustion of it all.

Here is a view into our lives:

Sean's day is spent waking up at 6 so that he can enjoy quiet time before the crew gets up. He can be found reading, paying bills, checking stocks, packing his lunch, exercising, and getting ready for the day. He helps his wife load everyone into the car and is dropped off at work. At work (8-5 M-F) he can be found trying to comfort screaming patients, managing the drama that comes from an office full of hormonal women, returning phone calls, sorting out ridiculous insurance messes, and sitting down for a small breather. He is picked up, not so promptly, around 5. Depending on the day of the week, the next three hours can go differently. He is either taken to the church so that he can take an energetic toddler running through the gym, taken home so that he can eat dinner, both of those activities, or taken home and then racing off to the church to help lead a group of 12-14 year old boys as they tie knots, discuss video games, pick on one another, and anything else that a boy of that age finds fascinating. Around 8 pm he can be found reading and rocking Charlie to get him settled for the night. Throughout the day he is amused/annoyed/grateful for various texts/looks/discussions with his happy/exhausted/emotional wife. His head hits the pillow around 10. He is grateful if he gets a little time with his wife, but has learned that she is a little nuts right now and has to unwind before he can get a stable woman again. He also finishes off his day snuggling his sweet baby girl.

Sean dreams of having his wife back, consistent work-outs, hiking in the mountains, nice weather, purchasing stocks, and purchasing a practice.

Born to be a family man.

Enjoying the cannery.

His subtle ways of showing his love; bath tub messages with Charlie's bath crayons. I'm so lucky.

His one rule with me dressing up the baby-- no bows/flowers can be larger than Audri's head circumference. Oops.

Rachel's day starts between 2-4 when she feeds Audri, and then she goes back down for a nap. She tries to get up at 6:30 so that she can shower and get a healthy breakfast ready for a hungry family. When that plan fails (which it often does) she can be found with a pillow over her make-up streaked face, buried under covers. If she wasn't so ladylike/innocent/modest she may be found spewing choice words when she is woken up. She so gracefully throws on something she doesn't want to be seen in public in and loads the troops in the car. She drives slowly to the office to drop Sean off because she wants to enjoy the last interaction she has with an adult, until 5ish. She takes the long way home because she doesn't want to deal with the messy house and chores that await her and curses herself for not straightening the house the night before. She takes the shortcut and rejoices if she has showered and tidied the house. From 8-12 she can be found back in the cornfield starting various chores that she doesn't quite get to finish, stubbing her toes on toys, avoiding mirrors, dreaming of summer and days spent outdoors, singing and playing with her intelligent/busy/entertaining toddler, and feeding/burping/changing/holding her sweet little girl, all the while telling herself that this time is going to fly by and to enjoy these moments. From 12-1 she can be found feeding both children as well as herself, and getting, or trying desperately, them down for naps. From 1-4 she can be found face-planted into her pillow, returning phone calls, blogging, getting ready for the day, or sitting on her booty watching a show to relieve her of all her duties and ignoring all the other things that are needing to be done. From 4-5 we snack and get ready to go pick Sean up from work. In the car Rachel can be found pointing at tractors, trucks, trains, planes, and people that are ready for the day and seem to have things 'together'. From 5-8 she can be found preparing dinner (or just pulling it out of the freezer), enjoying broken up conversations with Sean, straightening up the house, bathing Charlie and Audri, singing fun songs with Charlie, or crying from a day that has been turned upside down, and listening to her husband tell her all about things that go on outside of her house in the lonely cornfield. From 8-10 she is found doing crafts, trying to enjoy time with Audri, bathing, eating chocolate, picking up toys, and spending time with Sean. When the house is quiet she reflects on the day and plans to do better tomorrow. She can also be found smiling over all the funny things her toddler said or did and how cute Audri looked with a ridiculously huge flower or bow on her head.

Rachel dreams of days spent outside, social events, living near family, losing her 'extra skin', a day of shopping, more chocolate, perfecting her role as a mother, and many many years with this wonderful family.

Helping Charlie locate Audri's features.

Spending my days in sweats.

Fitting crafts in whenever I possibly can.

An accurate depiction of our life: frizzy hair, no make-up, and a lap full of children.

One day we'll all be looking at the camera with smiles.

Charlie's day is the most entertaining of them all. He wakes hungry anywhere from 7-7:30. He gets loaded into the car in his jammies and stares at all the things his mom points to. As he says good-bye to his dad he wishes he could go to work with him. He gets home and spends the hours of 8-12 running around, watching a movie, sitting in a sink full of bubbles (so his mom can clean the kitchen), smothering his sister in kisses, singing any of the following: 'Twinkle Twinkle', 'Do As I'm Doing', 'Itsy Bitsy Spider', 'If You're Happy and You Know It', 'I Am a Child of God', 'I Love To See The Temple', 'ABCs', 'Elmo's Song', 'I Have a Dream' (from Tangled), 'I'm A Little Teapot', 'The Wheels On The Bus', 'Old MacDonald', 'B-I-N-G-O', 'How Much Is That Doggy', 'Popcorn Popping', and 'Love One Another', doing various art projects, playing with play-doh, putting vinegar on baking soda, playing dress-up with mom's post-labor items, and any other cute or mischievous activity to keep mom on her toes. He enjoys watching the trucks and tractors work in the surrounding fields and across the street at the cemetery. He eats/plays with his food around noon and then runs away from his mom as she tries to get him to sit and read books before his naps. He is so energetic throughout the day that he sleeps well during his nap. He will sleep anywhere from 2-3 1/2 hours, but his mom won't let him sleep past 4 because he won't go down for bed if he sleeps that long. He wakes up and climbs out of his crib to see what he's been missing out on. From 4-5 he tries to wake up. He loves to be cuddled and is excited to pick dad up from work. He is ecstatic when we go to the church to run around in the gym. He loves it so much that he dramatically expresses his desire to stay when we pack him into the car. He enjoys eating dinner as a family. Squeals can be heard, from the little dude, as he gets to take a bath with Elmo bubbles. As he is getting ready to go to bed he happily lays down and lets dad brush his teeth with his 'Thomas the Train' toothbrush and asks for more and more 'paste' on his toothbrush. He loves his dad putting him to bed and enjoys looking for goldbug in his Richard Scary book, and singing songs. He is out and usually sleeps soundly, but occasionally will wake up and want to hang out in our bed from 2-4.

Charlie dreams of eating as much gum as he can stand, running free outdoors, always being naked, climbing to the tops of bookshelves and cupboards, being around other children, spending time with Grandpa, and blowing bubbles.

He is entertaining and so loved.

Playing at the church in his gift from Santa. Audri just wanted fed.

Sweet cousin love. Lacey and Charlie are 7 weeks apart and love each other!

Getting a break from our house-- 40 degree weather called for a trip outdoors in Charlie's new wagon from Grandma and Grandpa.

Always loving Audri

Trying to avoid getting in his car seat.

One of my favorite toddler moments: Charlie found my post-labor box and ran around the house acting like a horse.

Vinegar and baking soda project that provided enough of a distraction so I could mop the floor. 

Costco is better than Disneyland!

Entertaining us all

Charlie's FAVORITE person. No one exists when grandpa Randy is around.

Audri spends her days sleeping, eating, wanting to be held and then put back to sleep. She can be found repeating this cycle between 2-4 am, 7, 10, 1, 4, 7, and 10 pm. She loves her sleep and sleeps well through the night. She can be found, on a daily basis, being dressed up by her mother. She is tolerant of the bows and flowers that she wears, but is grateful that her dad put a stop to any flower/bow that is larger than the circumference of her head. She doesn't enjoy crying and just squeaks most of the time. If she is really mad she can scream, but that only happens when she has a bubble in her tummy or hasn't pooped in a couple of days. She even enjoys being sat on and smothered in kisses by her brother. She loves to be cuddled, baths, and is irresistible to her parents. She is greatly loved.

She dreams of food, sleep and baths.

First day home without extra help.

Let the dress-up begin!

Sleeping through EVERYTHING!

The one time she fit into this dress she never left her car seat. Go figure!

Loving this sweet lady (and her cheeks, of course)!

Through all the chaos, life has greatly changed. We are grounded to the house for a bit, with hopes to leave, run, and socialize one day.

I want to remember all these crazy days, but mostly that we smile and laugh daily.