they camed home

Since I last checked in, this is what has happened.

Thursday October 25th.

• Zack and Ben's last day of school
• Shopping for camping gear, ward party supplies and birthday cupcakes at 9:00 pm.  Aaron and I filled up 2 carts and had all five kids running around. It was nutzo. Roma screamed for a banana and I caved at gave it to her in the cart.  She squished it in her hand, wiped it on her clothes and threw it on the ground.   
• We picked up the bounce house and firewood around 10:00 pm.

Friday October 26th

• We set up the bounce house in our driveway at 8:00 am.  If Aaron hadn't helped me before he left for work, I would have been in big trouble.  We should have put it in back, but the concrete was too fresh.  The bounce house kept sliding down our driveway and into the street.  fun times.
• Before Aaron left, he grabbed me by the shoulders and said, "you're psycho."  as if I didn't know.
• Simon's birthday party at 10:00 am.  it was colder that anticipated.  everyone needed jackets and socks in the bounce house.  Everyone had a great time.  Love my friends and my kids' friends.
• Aaron takes Ben and Luke and 12 other scouts on an overnighter.  Ben almost forgot his bag.  I ran it to the church before they left.
• Zack, Simon, Ro and I pick up pizza on the way home from the church.
• Vaughn and Mason come to sleep over.  Jane has had my kids over a few times and it was my turn.  Crazy weekend to do this, but that's the way I work it.
• Kate and kids come over for a late-night jump in the bounce house.  It's still pretty cold!
• Four boys go to bed around midnight, but they played well and let me organize Roma's clothes.  Goodbye sundresses and shorts.  Time to break out the sweaters and boots.

Saturday Oct 27th

• wake up early.. shower, feed the kids breakfast and clean up the house.
• Take kids over to Jane's.  Pack the car with ward party items.
• wait for Aaron to come home from the camp out.  He arrives minutes before the ward party starts.  He goes smelling like roasted hot dogs.  
• soups & salads at the church pavilion.  Donut eating contest, Daddy Mummy wrap, meeting new ward members, bounce house, kids in costume.  The ward party was a success.  Michelle and B came with family.  So fun.  I went as Waldo.
• came home and made dinner for the Sister Missionaries.  Chili and baked potatoes.  easy.
• cleaned while everyone else napped.
• got in costume again for another ward's trunk or treat.  The Sisters needed a ride, and well... it's hard for me to turn down a party.  The kids had a blast.  I went as a nun.

Sunday Oct 28th

• ward council
• Aaron got the kids ready for church.  he's a pro.  Roma was in pink from head to toe.  (he thinks it matches if it's all pink.  cute.)
• Relief Society was good, but I came home from church and cried.  Feeling overwhelmed.
• Ben and Zack wrote me sweet notes and left them under my pillow.  darlings.
• Went to Leigh Ann's to be zoned.  Love her.  stayed too late.

Monday Oct 29th

• threw things in the van for Utah.  Packed all our warm clothes.  we didn't need them.  the Sunshine followed us all the way there.
• was late to my presidency meeting at the church.  cried during my meeting.  not typical of me.
• packed the kids up and hit the freeway around 10:30 am.
• needed a break in St. George.  Decided to hit up the DI and get Ben a pair of pants.  Everything that fit him last winter is 5 sizes too small.  that kid is growing like a weed.
• had a blast in the dressing room with all five of my kids.  Everyone found a treasure or two.
• took 2.5 hours to get from St George to Cedar.  what the.... everyone was DYING to get out of the car, including me.
• Picked up Cafe Rio in the drive thru (why can't they all be built this way?) Took the food to McD's and ate there.  The kids played for another 90 minutes.  Longest drive already and we weren't even half way there.
• stop again in Nephi.  Simon has to go #2.  Glad he's potty trained but it can be annoying. 
• arrive at nancy and Julie's about 9:00 pm.  more than 9 hours on the road.
• Scott and Amy are there for dinner.  We have fun visiting and the kids have a blast in the basement.
• the boys stay up in my bedroom watching "nightmare before christmas" on a VHS.

Tuesday Oct 30th

• Nance and Julie make breakfast and go into work late so we can catch up.  Nancy is sick and has no voice but she still makes great conversation.  Love these women!
• I take the boys to The Hostess Shop by my Grandma's old house.  We bought six loaves of old bread for a dollar.  We drive through the neighborhood and hit up the duck pond. 
• We fed ducks on the bridge and ran through the leaves at the park.  I was feeling very nostalgic.  The leaves were red and gold and the kids were in heaven.  I didn't want to leave.  I called Aaron from the park bench while I watched the kids play.  Someone is looking down on us and blessing us.
• We eventually pack up and leave.. but not before checking out Grandma's club house where I learned how to swim.  It looks exactly the same.  I feel so grateful for the memories I made with her as a child.  She molded me.
• While driving to Salt Lake, I think about how special is it I have a daughter named Roma.  Every day I get to tell someone why I named her that and how special my Grandma was to me.  I always knew I wanted a Roma, but I never knew it would give me the opportunity to share such personal information with total strangers.
• We arrive at Debbie's house around lunch.  I make soup for the cousin party while watching a political  show on TV.  Can't get enough.  can't wait for Nov 6th.
• Party at Lori's house.  Dinner and costumes and kids everywhere.  We make and decorate the letters we'll take to the airport.  Everyone is SO excited!!
• Hit a haunted house on the way home with Debbie's girls.  Luke and Zack were telling the girls how much I love Halloween.  Ben follows up with, "Not to mention, she basically loves every single holiday that was ever invented."  Aaron thought that was so.hilarious.  I hope they always remember that about me after I die.

Wednesday October 31st

• early morning costume parade at the charter school.  way fun.  Roma danced through the whole thing.
• head to my parents house for hard work!  The carpets are cleaned and everything looks amazing.  So proud of my siblings for everything they've done.  still A LOT to do before they get home.  So excited!
• Meet Jade and John for a quick dinner at Dickie's.  They are almost parents!  Zack is sick through dinner and won't eat a thing...  
• find some purple pants and cut them into shorts for Ben's halloween costume.  Ro was supposed to be Hulk and Ben was going to be Hawkeye.  We waited to buy a baby Hulk costume, so she was stuck being a Monkey... and she was a darn cute one.  Ben pieced together his costume last minute (using a t-shirt he already owned.)  He looked amazing... He loves Halloween like I do.
• We trick or treat with Lori's kids.  It turns out to be SO chaotic and crazy.  Lori and I lost all the kids (waiting for the toddlers).  I worried for a minute, but we were in Utah, there's no bad people there.  
• Simon loves running from house to house until he hates it.  He starts screaming at me when I tell him to use the sidewalk, "Don't tell me anything.  Don't talk to me."  People around were laughing hard and Lori and I dying.  This was supposed to be fun.  Ro loved her dum-dums.
• We finally found the older boys and they weren't even together!  They were all just running from house to house as fast as they could.  Boys are so weird.  But they got tons of candy and stayed up all night.
• We all slept at Lori's.  I stayed up watching Obama's America 2016.  We need to get more food storage and emergency preparedness. 
• The kids would NOT to go sleep.  They were laughing so hard at 3 am.  I told them if they didn't turn off the lights and shut up! we would never sleep at the Singletons again.  My threats always work.
• My van was parked behind Philip's and I woke up at 6 am to move it.  Terrible night's sleep.  I missed my bed.  and my husband.

Thursday November 1st.  

• Busy day at the Grandparents.  Lori and I leave all the kids at her house and get some caffeine on the way to Moms.  Annette, Deb, Amy & Jen show up too.  Katie is home without a husband and sick kids :(  We literally work ALL day.  I paint the door red to add to the chaos.
• The kids are all alive when we return home.  We get Sconecutter for dinner and end up sleeping back at Moms because there is still work to do.
• Buy a playpen for Grandma's nursery.  She needs it...
• Val stops over for a minute while I'm bathing 6 or 7 or 8 kids.  Love that she lives down the street.  She is the only friend I see all week... sad about that.

Friday November 2nd.  

• Today is the day!  Dusting and bathrooms get scrubbed.  Fridge is cleaned out and stocked with good food.  Lori and I spend $200 on dinner for that night (of course everyone chips in later.)  Big party planned for when they get home!
• make the banner about an hour before we leave for the airport.  I outlined it and 10 kids help fill it in with little markers.  Everyone is excited!
• I drive to Deb's house to get ready (quickly).  Mom and Dad's plane is delayed an hour..  
• Everyone meets at their house to carpool to the airport.  There are 16 cars on the street and kids everywhere.  We hang the banner just minutes before it's time to leave.  Lori is my hero.
• the airport is magical.  the kids line up with their letters that spell WELCOME HOME GRANDMA AND GRANDPA! 29 letters in all.  people are stopping in their tracks and taking pictures of these cute kids.  
• When Grandma and Grandpa finally arrive, the kids don't move a muscle.  They just stay lined up with their letters until Grandma finally kneels down and reaches her arms out for a hug.  They swarm her.  
• Grandpa meets Roma first and gives her a kiss on the cheek.  She is a little shy but gives him a sweet smile.
• There is lots of laughter, tears and pictures being taken.  The kids are now running wild.
• Paisley follows the boys while playing and gets stuck... on the OUTSIDE of the ESCALATOR and is carried up to the second floor screaming her guts out.  A strange man runs up the escalator and pulls her over the other side.  We were all so scared, but as soon as she was safe, we laughed and laughed and laughed. 
• Aaron flew in but missed Paisley's dramatic escalator adventure by minutes.  We were SO happy to see Daddy!  He looks so handsome.  Zack wrote him a special letter and filled it with Whoppers.  
• We drive back to Mom and Dad's with Cindy and baby Aubrey.  We were happy to find they were still being released at the Stake Center.
• The kids played in the leaves in the backyard with their cousins.  I was happy to catch a shot through the blinds.  They love each other and have such a great time together.

that's all I can type for now.. my husband is in bed and it's time to turn off the lights.  Pictures and more events of this crazy week later...