A really productive day...kind of (photos addded)

Zane, Ethan, and friend Kody. I was also trying to get a picture of my cobweb covered chandelier.
Liam and his friend Emma jumping on the trampoline with James begging to get on too.
One of the pictures I took for my uncle to show the entrance to the mudroom he added for us. I recently made the oversized canvas out of a hollow core door that we cut down and some Waverly fabric I had that I didn't know what else to do with. I found one at RC Willey about half this size for $250 whereas I made mine for about $14. I like the way it helps bring out my beloved blue ceiling.

Brad is out of town, which always makes my days a bit more scatter-brained than normal. I have no one to really appreciate my cleaning, cooking, or appearance, so I generally run around at a break-neck pace taking care of a bunch of nonsense projects. Make sense? Today was one of those days (and I took lots of pictures too, but since Brad isn't here, I can't seem to paste them in the right place so I'll add them later). We took about an hour-long family walk this morning just breathing in all the frosty air. It was great! Then Zane's friend, Kody, came over. He goes to year-round school and they're off track right now, plus his mom was having gall bladder surgery, so he spent the whole day with us. Zane and Ethan were so pre-occupied playing with him, that Liam felt left out so I let him have his little friend from next door, Emma, come over. I kindly sent everyone out back and then cleaned the house enough to take pictures for my uncle (who wanted some as he helped with our remodel). Next came lunch and school and then I realized it was 3:00 and I still hadn't taken a shower. I was feeling pretty gross! Liam, however, had chosen to take a nap in my room--so I couldn't go in to use my own bathroom. I climbed into the toy-filled kids' shower and washed my hair with their cherry-grape shampoo conditioner stuff (which actually made my hair really shiny!), and put on some of Brad's Old Spice deodarant I found in their medicine cabinet, put back on my pajamas/work out clothes and I was on my way :)!
Whew! Next came playing games, round 3 of diaper change, dinner, a trip to buy Ethan pants and socks, Zane and Kody to and from scouts, pajamas, drinks, snacks, stories, prayers, kisses, and ahhhhhhhh.......... some alone time! Doesn't that make it all worth it?!