It was the BEST of times..it is the...

WORST OF TIMES!

I remember several months ago telling my

MOM

that I was loving the age of my kids!

I love that I no longer have to carry a diaper bag...

a bottle...

change a diaper...

or put three kids in car seats when it is 115 degrees outside.

I don't use a stroller...

and I don't have to go to McDonald's or Peter Piper Pizza

unless I want to!

Although this is true...

and I don't miss any of it,

I believe every "stage" or "season" of life brings us

the Best of Times...

and the worst of Times.

I spent another night in the hospital...

this time with Chris.
 

Luckily no broken bones but getting a phone call

during your daughter's soccer game

that your son who is in a volleyball game needs to be taken to the hospital...
 

isn't my idea of a good time!

Especially when I just put a cast on my daughter...

on Monday.

It is also my week to wake up at 5:45 a.m.  to drive 5 teenagers to high school,

one of the many carpools I'm in!

I don't think I can go through one week of a school week without one of my kids forgetting a homework assignment,

a lunchbox, money for a field trip 

or recently to bring "extra" clothes because hers got wet...

but she needed them for her soccer game so I run home to 

wash and dry...

to run back up again!

Let's just say the lady at the school has become one of my

dear friends!

I remember when I could put my kids to bed by 8 p.m. and I would have the rest of the night to myself...

now I'm usually asleep before my oldest three

and my youngest wakes up the next morning before me!

There are NO more nights or mornings to myself!

I also find myself fighting more emotional battles...

teaching my children how to deal with

BULLIES

who sometimes are their "friends"...

or teachers who can't see their true potential...

or coaches

who scream or yell

and make my children feel less than they truly are!

Yes there are HARD times now...

but I believe my children and sweet hubby

have given me the

BEST

of times...

no matter how tired, stressed, emotional or cranky I get!

************************

One of the exercise craze that is HOT right now is

ZUMBA!
 

Chelsea's (my awesome daughter-in-law) mom teaches it and she was kind enough to teach for

Young Women's

Tuesday night.  I was going to take pictures but I was

LOVING

every minute of it and it was such a great workout I didn't want to stop long enough to take pictures!

Let's just say I have found my new form of exercise!

Thanks Lisa Davies for kicking all of our behinds...

you were the BEST!         

************************************

Ron spent a great day at 

Willow Springs Lake

up in Northern Arizona with his bestest friend

Dennis!

The snow around the lake lets me know it was a little too cold for me but I'm glad they got to go

and catch all those yummy fish!