and I take a deep breath.

I sit down....scratch that...I crash on my bed and stare at my computer and finally (yes! finally!) take a big deep breath - because that's the kind of evening afternoon day weekend week that I have had. It's been great - and I am pooped!

My day started off with me waking up at 6:15am to pack up for a road bike ride  with my mom - and Daniel close behind me in the Chariot. Normally I would roll out of bed and onto my bike, but as Daniel is coming, suddenly packing and strategizing and actual preparation is required. Suddenly, a flat 20 miles felt like a canyon carrying all that extra weight (not Daniel, the weight of the trailer.) Daniel loved every minute of the ride! It was great. His very first time out on the trailer. Also, his very first time out to the Great Salt Lake Marina.

Then take mom home. This is when the day starts to gain momentum.  On my way home, Daniel decides he's hungry. Caught half-way between my house and Mom's house - he's just going to have to wait 10 more minutes until we're home! Dang....I forgot to pick up the large tubs for girls' camp. I am borrowing them from my mom. Can't turn around - Daniel won't last - I'll have to get them later (hopefully).

I get home. Daniel eats lunch. I decide to get on top of things and get dinner started for a friend. Yum. I've been looking forward to making this lasagna for a very long time. It's one of my favorite meals. It also means with the left-overs I'll get to eat it alllll week. Daniel is crying. He does not like the cooking as much. I stick the sprinkler on the lawn. By the time Mike gets home, it (the lawn) might be dead. I am hoping to keep it's heart beating long enough for Mike to get home. Daniel is fussing. I replace the batteries on what I call his baby TV and he's happy. So happy, in fact, that he doesn't realize I have yet to put pants on him. His baby legs are so cute though. With legs that cute, who needs pants?

How did 3:30pm come so quickly? My day is quickly running out of time! I cheat with the bread I'm making and put it in the hot car to accellerate the rising process. This backfires. My loaf of bread is now "flatbread." It tastes the same though. Daniel eats again and together we assemble the lasagna (my favorite part of this process). I then realize that I have a meeting tonight that I ALMOST forgot about! With daniel down for a nap, I heat up the Chi and start getting ready.

I found one of my favorite pairs of dress pants I haven't worn in like a year and a half. Excited, I pull on the dress pants and heels and straighten the hair and slap some make-up on. I vaguely remember ripping some pants last summer, I do a quick inspection but see nothing (few! it wasn't these pants - these are my favorite dress pants!). I load the car. Mom is here just in time saving me from an extra errand - she brought the buckets. I jam them in the Mazda (only slightly burning myself on the hot  black car). Then I load Daniel in the car and we're off!

The car is hot. So much for cute hair and make-up, I'm sweating! I'm sweating and feeling WAY on top of things because I'm running on time and actually enjoying myself.

First stop, Susan's. I drop off all of the supplies for girl's camp. The girl's should be set in the snack and tent department now.

Next stop, deliver dinner! I successfully carried the lasanga, daniel and another bag all at the same time. That's the kind of coordination that only comes with motherhood.

Next stop to Patricia's! I'm going to drop off Daniel so he can play with Patricia and Alex while I run to my meeting. I feel great. I feel on top of things. I feel so organized. And with my cute outfit, I even look as pulled together as I feel.

Not!

Patricia had me do a quick twirl to check out my cute outfit and that's when she found it. A seven inch hole in the rear end of my pants. That's right ladies and gentlemen, these puppies were torn from belt loop to crotch and I didn't even notice! My friend that I delievered a meal to claims she didn't notice, but I don't know how one DOESN'T notice a rip of this proportion. It's like not noticing we live next to the mountains.

So much for being on time! So now I am in a pickle. I've really got to make it to this meeting. Any other girl would borrow their sister's clothes. Maybe you'd suggest the same thing? Newsflash. I'm about 5 inches taller than my sister and she weighs like 100 pounds. We dig. And Dig. And Dig through her clothes only to find a nice pair of stretchy pants. She said they were long on her so they should fit fine. They hit me mid-calf. I roll them up, call them capris and borrow a pair of shoes that go better than the heels I was wearing (at least we share a shoe size...almost).

And off I go again!

I hit up the meeting and have to step out a little early to make it to dinner with the Garff's. On my way to dinner, I swoop back to Patricia's and pick up Daniel. Together, we meet the rest of the family at the restaurant. The Irwin's are leaving on their mission in the morning. It was so fun to talk to them and hear about the experience in the MTC this last week. It's crazy to think that next time they see Daniel he will be 3 1/2!

After dinner I slowly walk to my car. I slowly clip Daniel in. We slowly drive home. I kick of my Patricia's dress shoes and swap out my pants Patricia's pants for something more comfortable. I tuck Daniel in for bed and stare at him for a while because I've been staring at him for 4 1/2 months but I still can't get over how cute he is and how much I love him.

I sit down....scratch that...I crash on my bed and stare at my computer and finally (yes! finally!) take a big deep breath - and I start to write about my crazy day. My friend texts me and asks if I want any strawberry shortcake that she's making (she lives nextdoor). I don't think I've ever needed strawberry shortcake more in my life!

What a day!