using energy wisely

After getting up early and reading all day for a few days in a row I've come to the conclusion that I'm not happy when using my energy unwisely. Here's what I've realized:

I almost always have energy to:

• read novels
• organize
• visit with friends in person
• go shopping
• play the piano
• exercise

I rarely have the energy to:

• cook
• clean
• sew
• iron
• launder mountains of clothes
• go on walks with the kids
• do a kids art project
• did I mention cooking

Things that give me energy:

• a clean house (probably my greatest source of peace)
• exercise (its true that sometimes the really hard classes make me tired)
• reading scriptures in the early morning
• getting dressed, fixing my hear and putting makeup on before the kids wake up
• finishing a project (only if the house is still clean when I'm done)

Things that drain me of energy:

• Chasing after Grant in any store.
• a messy kitchen (there's nothing I can't do with a clean kitchen.)
• reading all day
• laying around watching movies
• talking on the phone too long
• kids taking soooo long to get to bed

So, this is what I've decided. I have a lot more energy in the morning than I do at any other time of the day. So what I need to do is use that morning energy better by doing the things on the "rarely have energy" list in the morning. I've been trying to clean for 1 hour after the kids go to school. I don't always make the entire hour but enough usually gets cleaned that I feel happy and have a better idea of the things I need during the day. (My mind works well when I clean for some reason). Since I really don't ever have a desire to cook I've found if I cook, prepare things to cook later or at least plan out what to make for after school snack and dinner, things are usually much smoother after school when my energy is pretty low. I've also found that if I start one bedroom of laundry when the kids are getting ready for school I can usually have it folded and put away in a couple of hours. I never do all the laundry anymore-just one load a few times a week.

Basically, do the hard stuff when I have energy (for me in the morning) and save the easy stuff that I always have energy for to fill in the rest of the day.

Grant talk

"Hey, I want to go to yours house so I can see yours wittle dogs."

"Don't say everything nobody" (interpretation: don't say anything to anyone)

"Katie, it not matters!" (meaning: no big deal, stop crying about it)

"Dad, I wiwee sked." (I'm really scared)

Meet Cooper

Meet Cooper

Meet Cooper's tormentor

Despite the fact that we said we'd never have an indoor dog and that we'd never EVER have a white, moppy dog, we've decided to keep Cooper (who was given to us by Aunt Amy) because:

• He keeps Grant busy
• He's already potty trained
• He doesn't bark much
• He puts up with Grant
• When his hair is cut (not in this picture) he's kind of cute
• He's great with kids
• He lays on the kids laps when they sit still
• He's very patient
• He's small enough to live in the house
• At least one of the kids likes cleaning up after him (if you know what I mean)

THREE CHEERS FOR SCHOOL

Alex: Grant you have to give me a hug because I'm going to be gone ALL DAY.