The last weekend before school starts...

It is now the last Thursday before school starts for me. I am both excited (because this pushes me a little bit more toward my goal of becoming a nurse) and anxious (there will be a lot of studying for the classes this semester and less time to have get togethers with friends). I'm looking forward to my anatomy and physiology class and hoping that I'm able to do as well in it as I did with the rest of my classes last semester. I've really enjoyed my time off. Jake was off most of the boys Christmas break and, while it was nice to have some time to myself during the day, I wasn't at the point of "Get my children out of my house before I lose it!" It was nice to have time to spend with our little family. Then, after the boys went back to school I had a week and a half of laidback housewife-life. I went to coffee with friends. I visited some of those same friends. I went to playdates that were for the kids, without my kids, and visited with my mom-friends. I kept the house relatively clean. I cooked dinner for the family where we were able to sit together around the table.

Sitting together around the table is something I'm hoping eventually pays off. Right now it's a bit of a chore. We are trying to push the learning of manners. This is something I have to teach not only the children, but my husband. We had rolls tonight and my husband took his butter knife and cut (read smooshed it through) the middle of his roll, and the roll he was preparing for a child. I said, "I know this is advanced manners, but you aren't supposed to cut your dinner roll." He said, "Pssshhhh. Whatever, that's stupid." Then he proceeded to say, "Would you pass me a roll?" I said, "You didn't ask politely." So he looked at Monkey and said, "Please, would you pass me a roll, please." Then he felt the need to bring up Lambert's, which I feel is not a good idea when you're trying to instill table manners. Luckily, the boys didn't pick that up and run with it. It's bad enough teaching table manners to three boys without them thinking it's okay to throw food around the room.

I also wanted to mention a dear soul who passed away and will be dearly missed. Our neighbors across the street lost their dear Greta after twelve loving years. Our sympathy goes out to you M and D.