On Sunday, after we put the girls down for bed, Marc and I grabbed a blanket and we went and laid on the tramp to look at the stars.

The stars helps calm us both down and brings quiet peace and hush the weeks hustle and bustle and potential early Monday blues.

We talked about our girls, and Jenny Denton loosing her job, and Elder Bednar’s talk on meekness. He says-

The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others.

And that is what we want to teach our girls. In a social climate were protesting, anger, and violence reign we want to teach meekness, kindness, quiet dignity, and love.

We also planned for the following week that we watched Jo and Ty’s kids while they went to Utah to visit Grandmother and Grandfather Pace. So from Friday morning till Sunday night I was the mother of 5 kids under 5. Jones- 4.5, Calvin- 3, Ruby -2, Margo, 1.5, and Hazel 9 months.

For the most part it was really a great time! We ate lots of egos, strawberries, blues (blueberries), cheese crisps, and applesauce. We played on the baby bouncy house and trampoline and even busted out the baby swimming pool.

everyone needed to be on a chair and “help” and watch marc make the pancakes.

We call time outs “cool fives” at our house and Jones and CalMan we always eager when Ruby has to take a cool five but less enthusiastic when it was their turn. But Marc and I aren’t shy to use them, and everyone was really good at nice-ing up with a cool five warning for the most part.

We colored lots of pictures and danced around to the Greatest Showman. I tried to make sure to give them all a few hugs through out the day and let them know I loved them. I know I’m not their mom, but especially at the end of the day, if I want as good I made sure to stop and hold them, give a few kisses and let them know.

And as much fun as it was to have five kids, it was even funnier that they all went to bed at 7pm. Nightly Melatonin gummies were definitely a thing. Because that is exhausting. Ruby was Hazel were thrilled to have a bath tub to wash up in. We did baths in shifts. The three olders then the two baby girls. One or both of the boys would be crying by the end of the bath.

Saturday we had a Papa and pizza party!! We borrowed Buba’s laser tag guns. The boys we SO excited to play with REAL guns. And when the babies went to bed we played 3 round a of Settlers of Catan. Dad won 1, I won 2.

Sunday, I was a little nervous to do church with all the babies. But we did a lot of preplanning. I let everyone pick their own coloring book page before we left, and their own crayons with their name on the bag, packed water cups and fruit snacks for everyone. And we made it though sacrament meeting like champs. And I thought, Marc and I can totally handle church with more than 2 babies.

this is Jo’s car with 5 car seats and 5 babies!

We had dinner with Papa, abby and Grammy were in Cali, and then Dad helped us get the kids home, bathed, and clean and sanitize the house for Jo. And we played 3 round a of Settlers of Catan. Dad won 1, I won 2. Poor Marc.