It's Been A Really, Really Messed Up Week

As one of our favorite songs says, "It's been a really, really messed up week". And though it hasn't been 7 days of torture or 7 days of bitter (unless you count the cold weather), it has been quite a busy week.

Last week ended on a good note. We spent Friday evening with the Dugan's, sharing a meal, some play time and time visiting baby Mara. Time with them does all of our spirits good. We've missed hanging out with them as much as we did in the summer months.

We managed a picture of all 6 kids. Get a good look. Pictures of all of them together can be few and far between. They sure are cute though and we are so blessed that they are all such wonderful friends already.

Saturday was a pajama day at the Mowry house. Earl was working at the hospital and the kids and I stayed in our pj's playing, cleaning up, playing some more and watching movies until late in the afternoon. When Earl called to say he was coming home McKenna said, "We better get dressed or Dad will have a fit when he gets here." And so, we made a mad dash to the showers!

I had originally invited Gram and Pap Landis for a visit on Monday, until I realized that Carolyn would be here cleaning and that just wouldn't work. So on the way to church I made a quick call to see if they could come Sunday instead. Luckily they were happy to change their plans.

Kinley and Mom-Mom all dressed up, purse in hand. I think they're headed to the Bon-Ton!

Kinley looked so pretty in her purple bow!

McKenna and Cooper were in what we lovingly refer to as "rare form" all day Sunday. They had a case of the sillies for most of the day. I have no idea what was going on with the pillows. Some type of amusement park ride involving pillows and a slippery hard wood floor. Thankfully no one broke any bones.

They did calm down enough to put a puzzle ball together with Pappy. Mimi and Pappy joined us for dinner and dessert before everyone headed home for the night. The kids and I were excited that Monday was a holiday and so we could stay up later than usual.

Kinley was such a good girl and slept all night Sunday night into Monday. She woke up at 5:3oam, ate, and went back to sleep until...are you ready for this...9am! I got to sleep until 8:30!!! I thought I was surely in heaven. Thanks to McKenna and Cooper for playing quietly and letting Mommy get a little extra shut eye.

My good night sleep and therefore very pleasant mood paid off for them though. After I got up we quickly dressed, ate and headed off to the movies. We needed something to do that did not include being contained to the four walls of our house for another minute. Mimi joined us to watch one of our favorites, Beauty and the Beast, in 3D.

Kinley did wonderfully. She slept the entire way to the theater, through the opening previews and woke up just as the movie started. The only time she made a single peep was when she started "talking" during a few of the songs. She watched attentively the rest of the time, only occasionally turning around to look at me, probably wondering what in the heck I was wearing those silly glasses for.

Kinley after her first princess movie!

Tuesday was a whirlwind as I headed to work, to Bloomsburg and then for a hair cut. I quickly learned that traversing the Bloomsburg University campus in 3 1/2 inch heels is the wrong thing to do. But I am officially Bloomsburg faculty complete with an ID and a parking permit. And my hair is back to looking wonderful thanks to my great stylist. Of course, none of Tuesday would have been possible without my parents and their child care and a little help from Earl too! A little after 4pm I was back home and quite happy to be there.

Wednesday after the morning drop off's for school I headed back home to work on dinner. I whipped up a couple quick meals to get us through the next couple of days and then ran a meal up to the Dugans. It was nice to drop in and see Megan and Mara for quick visit. Kinley and I then headed back to pick Cooper up and be home when McKenna got off the bus.

Another trip to Bloomsburg this morning meant that we all had to get up extra early and run on a very tight schedule from the word go. This trip to drop off paperwork would take less than 15 minutes once on campus had I been alone. However, with Kinley and Cooper along it took far longer. Cooper took his own Cars backpack filled with toys to keep him occupied. Kinley was bundled in her snow suit and tucked safely in the baby wrap and off we went. Thankfully classes are not yet in session because we must have looked like a sight parading around. But, we got the job done. Cooper was thrilled that he "got to go to college" and wanted to know why the water fountains were so high at this school.

Back in Lewisburg we had 20 minutes to spare before we had to have Cooper at the dentist. We made a quick stop a Wal-Mart for a new DS game for the kids and then headed to see Dr. J. where THANKFULLY we got a good report. As a good friend once lamented, I always feel like mother of the year when I leave there. (Please note the sarcasm.)

So, as another wise friend said yesterday, it wasn't a particularly bad week. It had a lot of great moments, tempered with a lot of very busy, sometimes trying moments. But, we made it. And tonight I sit here praying that the snow falls a little harder than predicted and we luck out with a two hour delay tomorrow! That would officially end this really, really messed up week on a really, really good note!