Life Without Kids

So, I have a little secret . . . when Chris and I left Utah on the 4th of July, we left the girls with Grandma and Grandpa to continue vacationing while we came home to spend 4 weeks home by ourselves! Whenever people find out about this we get one of three responses: 1) "Wow, I am so jealous! Is it like being on your honeymoon again?", 2) "How could you be without your kids for so long?!?", or 3) "What are you going to do with all your time?/Won't you be bored?" So let me clue you in . . .

1) Yes and no. It has been kind of like a honeymoon . . . a honeymoon with an eight month pregnant wife, that is. Chris and I have taken total advantage of not needing babysitters by going out to dinner, ice cream, and movies and perusing bookstores spontaneously. We have also loved all the time we've had to read books together, have uninterrupted conversations at the dinner table and also be able to sleep in until whenever we feel like it on various occasions. So yeah, nice break there.

2) 4 weeks is kind of a long time, and I do miss my girls tremendously - Chris and I both think that the house is much too quiet and wonder if this is the trial run of how it will be when we're empty nesters. However, I don't feel too guilty about leaving them with my parents because they are having a BLAST! The spent one week camping up at Red River, are currently up at Snowbird, will spend one week boating at Flaming Gorge, and during the one week they were actually at my parent's house, they had a sleepover with their cousins, went to see a movie, and pretty much got to do whatever they wanted. I know they are having a much more eventful summer in Utah than they would here. I am so slow and waddling these days. Also, I know that this is my window of opportunity before all the chaos ensues . . . my mom will bring the kiddos back, I'll have the baby, school will start, and we'll be back into our normal turbo speed mode (most of which I will experience through a haze of sleep deprivation, I'm sure.) So I'm trying to take advantage of this time and resting up as much as possible!

3) No. I am absolutely not bored. I am racing desperately to get to all the projects I've been putting off or never have time for because I'm taking care of my family. Chris has been working on projects of his own: taking care of my car, framing his degree, helping me with the garden, going through the garage, and a general "de-cluttering of his stuff" as he puts it. He's also back in school and working on his next thesis.

As for me, here is how I've been spending my time without children:

* I did not do ANY baby prep before we left for Utah, so I've been putting together the nursery and associated perafanelia (sp?), sorting through baby clothes and doing the associated laundry. I've also cooked 30 freezer meals to use after the baby is born because dinner is my most stressful time when I have an infant.

*I went through all my primary stuff to give to the new president - yes, it happened. I was released last Sunday. We have our Articles of Faith primary activity this Saturday, but then after that I am done! I really loved this calling and am going to miss it and the kids a ton. However I do feel ready to move on to the next season of my life and feel this is what is best for the primary as well.

*doctor's appointments and preadmission stuff/tours at the hospital

*getting a massage/taking naps (okay, so I'm pampering myself some!)

*reading

Things that remain on my to-do list are:

* putting together the diaper bag and packing for the hospital

*writing my church talk for Sunday

* putting together a professional family pictures and Christmas letter album.

*update 72 hour kits with Chris

Wish me luck!