April Showers . . .

or When it Rains, it Pours

I just finished a totally insane couple of weeks!

It started because my friend, Nicole, asked me (in the beginning of March) if I would make ten pioneer sunbonnets for her daughter Anna's birthday party on April 16, and I said I would. In the interim, she had asked if I'd also make Anna a pioneer dress and apron. Sure! No problem!

So, of course, I put it off until the last minute. Thursday (April 8) found me madly working on sunbonnets. That same Thursday Ryan reminded me that Pinewood Derby was on the 16th, and we hadn't even started making his car. I promised we would get to it ASAP.

Friday morning (April 9) I was about 2/3 done with the party bonnets when Nicole called to tell me that she was changing the party from the 16th to the 24th, so I'd have an extra week. Whew! "But," she said, "Anna is doing a "wax museum" at school, and the person she's chosen to be is Laura Ingalls Wilder, so could I still have Anna's stuff done by the 15th?" Naturally, I was almost done with everything except for Anna's stuff, which I hadn't even cut out. I said, "Sure. No problem."

I finished the first nine bonnets Friday afternoon. That evening I helped Melanie throw a bridal shower for Stephanie, our niece-to-be.

Saturday morning (April 10) I went to my exercise class—can't miss that! When I got home I pulled out the scroll-saw and cut out Ryan's car and got him started on the finishing (sanding, etc). It was also my birthday, and Bruce took me out that evening. :-)

Sunday (April 11) we had stake conference, so church was only two hours instead of three. Good! We spent the rest of the day making Lindsey's campaign posters.

Monday morning (April 12) I worked on the posters that we hadn't finished on Sunday—we thought Lindsey was supposed to put them up that morning. When they were done I rushed them to her at school only to find out that she couldn't put them up until after school anyway. That afternoon when I picked up the kids I helped Lindsey put up her posters.

Tuesday (April 13) I finally started on Anna's dress (I thought that she needed it for Thursday). During all the rest of this madness our computer got a nasty virus and we had to wipe all the drives. So I also copied all our important stuff onto discs that morning. By afternoon I was able to erase all the computer drives and I spent the evening installing stuff and doing updates. That night we all stayed up until 1 a.m. helping Lindsey write her campaign speech.

Wednesday (April 14), I took Michael to the orthodontist in the morning and then went to buy a few groceries. Back at home, I finished the pioneer dress and apron by 1:00—not bad! Then I got a phone-call from another friend who needed a ride to go run some errands in the afternoon; so I took her and got back just in time to pick the kids up from school. The kids and I delivered the sunbonnets and dress before we went home (I'll post the pictures after the b-day party). After dinner, Michael and I went to his board of review for his Eagle award that evening, and then returned some library books.

Thursday morning (April 15) I did major kitchen-cleaning because I was going to make Stephanie's wedding cake. Not much housework had happened the prior week. And on Thursday afternoon I started making the flowers for the cake. And sometime that day I also realized that, oh, crap! It's tax day! I'd started our taxes earlier, but didn't finish because of all the computer trouble. I had a super hard time getting into the online tax program, but I finally did manage to get my federal taxes in on time. Oh! And I also went to the school to see Lindsey deliver her speech that afternoon. Worked on flowers the rest of the evening.

Friday (April 16) I worked on the wedding cake all day until about midnight. I sent Bruce and the kids off to Pinewood Derby without me. Ryan came in 5th. This year is the last year we'll have a cub scout in the Pinewood Derby. (Dare I say, "Whoo-hoo!" ?

Saturday (April 17) I went to the stake exercise class in the morning :-) and then went home to work on the cake until 3:00. At that point it was ready to transport to the church. By 5 p.m. I was really all finished with it; I went home, fed the kids, and turned right back around to go to the actual reception. (Stephanie loved the cake!) As I was sitting in a stupor at one of the tables, thinking that at last I was done with all the craziness, I realized that I had to teach Relief Society the next day. Shoot!

Sunday (April 18) I taught my lesson, and it turned out all right.

All the stuff I'd done over the previous week or two is stuff I really enjoy. Any one of those projects in a week would be great—and keep them coming! A new one every week. All of it heaped together like that—on top of the everyday stuff—was a bit much. Although I have to admit I'm pleased with myself for getting it all done, done on time, and done well. ;-)

Monday (April 19) I thought things would be quiet again , but I ended up taking Kaylie to insta-care for a bladder infection. But I guess that, at least, is just normal mom-stuff. So, yeah, all is quiet on the Northern front—for now.