The very start of the day is often one of my favorites.

Today, I started with a few minutes alone with Marc. I held him in bed before he got up to scrub up and get ready for the day. Then I walked into the kitchen to get the water boiling for oatmeal.

Ruby walked in, with my back to her as I faced the stove, and she greeted me with a happy sing song’ “Morning mom!” I turned and gave a big squeeze to my big girl wrapped up in her favorite blanket.

Moments later, we heard a Levi rush out, with green blanket, sword, and shield in hand. (His “shield” of choice these days is just the round plastic lid of a large kitchen mixing bowl). Levi and Ruby met in the hallway and stopped and had the sweetest little moment, exchanging hellos and a ,little bit longer than normal, hug. I got a smile and a sleepy sounding, “Mommy!!” and another hug. My Hazy girl joined us in the hallway and I got another hug.

Levi wanted to help with breakfast so I asked him to get me three bowls. He got me four and then continued to get out the rest commentating on how, “this is a nice orange bowl… purple is a good color.” And he finally decided on a green bowl for himself.

We all stood together in the kitchen as Marc said family prayer and we walked him out to his car so the kids could wave goodbye as he pulled down the driveway and finally disap around the corner at the end of the street. The morning air has finally gotten a little chilly and Ruby kindly wrapped Hazel up in half her blanket as they walked back in the house together like a giant pink ghost with their faces sticking out.

Two out of three of my kids finished their breakfast with happy contentment (Levi and Hazel love oatmeal). Ruby took some talking to, some angrily expressed feelings about the breakfast menu (on her part), there were some clenched fists, some space was given to make our own choices , three read aloud library books were shared, everyone got dressed for the day, and finally, a circling back to breakfast, now at the barstools, where she consented to the allotted numbered bites of breakfast “that will help fuel your body like a car needs gas.”

Then we surfed over to my workout class that is just down the road

We all played hard (me getting my booty kicked exercising with my friends and the kids running around with the small village of other children). I seriously love the women I work out with. And our group has a serious “it takes a village” mentality as the mothers all try to dance, jump tuck, and back kick our calories away without sucker punching a passing child to the face. Snacks, crayons, toys, and tablets are all community items during class. And for the most part, the kids stay pretty happy and moms get a high percentage of the workout in and tag team on child management.

Home again, home again jiggity jog where I made us all a post-work out spinach, banana, chocolate smoothie. While we downed our drink we Facedtimed my dad to say good morning and thank him for the newest book he mailed us, Hello Lighthouse. He made me a little nervous for a second when he questioned the kids with, “What is that green drink you have?” (Dad! Never bring up vegetables when kids are happily eating them) Luckily, chocolate smoothies are such a regular item that my kids never question how green it looks. #MomWin

Then Ruby and I busted through some math while Levi scribbled next to me and Hazel crawled under my chair sniffing her blanket and making up some story with a Polly Pocket and the large green gem stone she found. Ruby worked on some addition and we discussed ovals, circles, squares and rectangles.

Ruby insisted we take a picture of her math page when she finished it.

Next, was reading, hand writing, and sight words. And a general argument over the Banana-grams game between the three of them, that was eventually resolved by Levi and Hazel playing with the letter squares on my bed and Ruby got to help pick and prep lunch. Ruby was thrilled with being in charge of lunch and getting to pick what to have, cutting the apples and toast and setting the table. It’s amazing how much better everyone eats when they get some ownership in the meal.

Later we rode scooters in the front yard for a bit. And all was happy and good till it was time to come in for quiet time. Levi, who really really needs a nap, fights them and the girls protest too much. But for a small period of time, during a pause in Levi’s exhausted angry tears, Ruby, Levi, and I laid in a row in Levi’s bed, each with our own book in hand, quietly reading. And he almost fell asleep, twice, but alas ‘‘twas not so.

Since quiet time and a nap were a lost cause I then debated between a Sam’s Club run (we are on our last few breakfast cookies!) or curate activities at home with my kids. There was a quote by President Nelson that was repeated frequently last weekend during conference that really stuck with me, “It’s not the circumstances in our lives that determine our happiness but the focus in our lives.” So I thought, what is my focus this afternoon? Is it to get my monthly Sam’s Club run checked off my list or make small connecting moments at home? We stayed home.

I quickly chopped up the ingredients for our carrot curry soup for dinner. Levi was thrilled to have the job of putting all the carrots in the pot. Then we all went into the backyard for, what has become our ritual, popsicles in the backyard routine: we sit on the walkway, take turns/ fight over who sits on my lap, look up at the clouds and just talk- all of which forces us (me) to slowdown and have a minute together. Ruby took some pictures while we were outside.

Next we whipped up some extra dark chocolate cookies to door bell ditch at the neighbors.

Then after some house pick up the kids watched a little bit of Jake and the Neverland Pirates while I took a little bit of time to get some writing in.

Our spooky orange carrot soup turned out pretty good. The kids took a few bites but polished off their wheat toast croutons, cheese squares, and pumpkin seeds like pros.

Levi’s new obsession with butter knives makes me really apprehensive to have him help with the dishes. But at the same time, I don’t want to squash his desire to help in the kitchen. And he stops by the dishwasher anytime it’s open to survey the silverware holder for spare knives. Just be aware, if he does get one in hand, he will go all firedancer on you, twirling them around frantically with a few jabs and loud,”haw!!” and “yawh!!!” and a mischievous little boy glint in his eyes.

However, he can be temporarily distracted from the butter knives by over seeing the kitchen sink hose. So much water. So much joy.