What's up

Josh is in Australia...with the computer...which has my memory stick still in it. So no pictures this week! It hasn't been as challenging as it usually is when it's 4 kids/1 parent. That's probably because TNT have been taking great care of us!

* Teresa is more than happy to cuddle, change, rock, and love on Caleb. I really just step in when it's time for him to eat! Plus, that frees me up to get things done and to hang out with the older kids. We've been having lots of fun at the pool!

* They took me on date night last night! I was sans date, of course, but we still had lots of fun. We went to a restaurant that I've been wanting to try and then to a movie, via Starbucks. Tom is my Starbucks buddy. Josh and Teresa like it, but Tom and I both recognize and respect the magnificence of a caramel macchiato.

* They offer to stay with the kids so that I can get a run in. I definitely have more patience and energy for single parenthood when I get out by myself and let those endorphins loose. Very therapeutic!

* I've run a marathon! And it only took me 8 workouts. I guess I need to quicken the pace if I actually want to attempt a marathon.

* I downloaded a bunch of one-hit wonders from the 90's for running. "I love you always forever, near or far, closer together..."

* Teresa is taking me for the treat of all treats tomorrow! Mani/pedi followed by lunch at Cyma, one of our favorite restaurants here. It's Mediterranean, which is probably my favorite cuisine at the moment.

* Mackenzie update: She's happy to be back in school and SO excited for her bestie, Abby, to be back at the end of the month. She's become the little cruise director in coordinating an excursion to Enchanted Kingdom for all of her friends and their families.

* Bella update: She has a birthday party to go to tomorrow and is practically shaking with excitement. She said she wanted to go to bed immediately after supper so that the party would come sooner.

* Deacon update: We've been talking about Angry Bird undies. He's been back in diapers for a week and hasn't stepped up to the potty by himself. But the Angry Bird undies were a game changer. He wants them. He wants to buy them. He wants to wear them. But I keep telling him that he can't buy them until he's ready to wear them all the time. Hopefully, his desire will become overwhelming and he'll forget all about the power struggle!

* Caleb update: He might be potty trained before Deacon! He seems to treat his Bumbo seat as a toilet (which is funny, because Deacon has called it "Caleb's toilet" since he first got it). Almost every time he sits in it, he ends up with a dirty diaper or a blowout.

* We just started facilitating a Growing Kids God's Way class at our house! I'm really excited about it. It's our third time taking the class and I learn new things every time we study it. We tend to apply the material to our kids current age, so the info we're applying with a 7,5,3, and 5 month old might be a little different than when we had a 6,4, and 2 year old.

* I'm playing Words With Friends with Teresa, Skype-ing with Josh, and posting this blog, all at the same time. This is probably a good place to call it quits on this post.