Busy, Busy, Dreadfully Busy

Sorry for the lack of posting lately.  I usually do all my posts when I download the pictures off my camera and just schedule them to post every 2-3 days.  But, I have not even had time to get the pictures off my camera, and I have nothing interesting to talk about without my pictures in front of me to remind what has happened over the last month.  I promise to get to it at some point, but the longer I go the more daunting the task seems.  I have over 100 pictures on my camera and the longer I go without saving them to the computer, the more pictures there are just accumulating.  You get the picture......big job, no time!

We have been SO busy this fall, more so than I ever would have imagined.  All three boys are in soccer.  They each have 2 practices and 1 game a week.  They are all enjoying it, which makes it worth it, but it is tiring to be so busy.  Monday nights are Logan's practice, Tuesdays are Preston's and Brayden's practices, Wednesday nights are piano lessons (for Brayden) and church, Thursdays are Preston and Brayden's practice night again, Friday is Logan's 2nd practice night and Saturday we have 3 soccer games to attend.  Sunday we have church and then that afternoon is our time as a family to relax, hang out and prepare for the next week.

On top of soccer and church, Logan and Brayden also have homework and reading to complete for school.  Now that Brayden is in 3rd grade, the time he needs to spend on homework has increased.  We have tried our best to get it all done on the weekends so that he doesn't have to set aside time each evening with everything else going on.  Logan gets his homework on Monday and it is due on Thursday, so we usually try and complete it all on Monday or Tuesday night.  Also, for AWANA, each boy has verses to learn each week and Brayden, now that he is in T&T, has quite a bit more work to complete a section.  He is handling it very well, but it just seems like he's always busy doing something! 

I'm not even couponing very much right now!  (GASP!!)  I used to be so good about doing coupon matchups on my grocery shopping each week and saving at least 50% on my bill.  Now I just get what I need to make dinner that week and maybe a really good sale or two, but mostly I'm just getting by.  And I used to do Rite Aid each week, but I haven't been in at least a month or two.  My stash of free deoderant and razors and toothpaste and other stuff is running low, I need to get back into it!

One of the most major downsides to all this busyness is that we have very little family time.  Last weekend it was very rainy and cold and the soccer games all got cancelled.  We found ourselves with a whole day and no plans!  It was wonderful.  We spent the morning and early afternoon watching TV and relaxing and then in the afternoon we spent some time out of the house as a family.  It was so wonderful!  I miss that, I defininitely took it for granted.  Most nights we don't even get to eat dinner as a family.

I will be glad when soccer is over, not because I don't enjoy watching the boys run around, improve their skills and have fun, but I think it will just give us a lot more down time.  The boys will have more time to get their school work done.  The kids will have more time at home to play and not just do work.  We will be able to eat dinner as a family most nights again.  Saturdays will be boring again!

So I say all this not so you'll feel sorry for me, but just so you know......in my spare time, I'm not blogging.  I'm either hanging out with my precious family or you might occasionally (okay it's way more than occasionally, try daily!) find me on the couch resting, playing angry birds completely concked out (zzzzzz).