Saturdays....

We pretty much follow the same routine around here on Saturdays every week.  We hardly ever go out of town, so it's pretty easy to stick to what we need to do.  Every Saturday I go on a long run while Allen plays all kinds of adventure games with the kids and gets the sheets washed.  I used to call it Sheet Washing Day when I tried to do that by myself on a week day, but it's pretty challenging to attempt washing, drying, and remaking the sheets on the beds of all the kids between the time we wake up and nap time (And you better make sure their blankets are dry and warm or they will refuse to lay down for a nap!)  So, now that has become Allen's job while I go out and get some exercise and a mental break from the chaos of Ingram School.  I love coming home from a run and finding out what the kids have done with Allen because this is their day off, too, and they come up with some pretty crazy things to do!  One week they took all the dirty sheets/blankets/pillowcases and made a tower where the girls were princesses, Ford was a knight, and Allen was a dragon.  The tower slowly dwindled as things made their way to the wash because I wouldn't let them use clean stuff.  Today they worked on (surprise!) a Lego track to go around the Pixie Hollow houses and also watched some old movies we found of Ford as a baby...so cute!  On warmer days they've been known to go hiking and come back covered in mud and dirt--which means they have to strip down before they come in and/or take a nap on clean sheets!  I love that they get this special time with their Papa and have a chance to just play and do things I don't do with them and explore places I wouldn't think to go.  I'm also thankful for the time this gives me to get out of the house, clear my head, and get some exercise.  This is really the only time I have to myself (or with a good running buddy) during daylight hours.  I don't feel like I have to be away from my kids to re-energize myself, but it is easier to think and have a conversation without three small people talking to me at once.
Saturdays are also a good time for us to do meal planning and grocery shopping and get stocked up for the next week.  Allen had to go out of town this afternoon, so I took all three kids grocery shopping.  Normally, we do okay, but today was more or a challenge.  I'm glad the shopping is done, though, including chocolate for Valentine's Day this week.  Then we went to my parents' house so that they could watch one more Tinkerbell movie which was their reward for doing so well on their charts and their first week back in a routine.  We ate dinner at Mom and Dad's, then came home and everyone went to bed fairly quickly because they were exhausted.
Tomorrow we go to Sunday School and then rest and relax the rest of the day.  Allen will go for a long run before Sunday School and I'll spend nap time or time after bed getting new charts made for next week and planning what Valentine's activities we will do.
Weekends are more relaxing, but they're still full of plenty of activity!