Friday Night

It's Friday night and I am cleaning my house in my pajamas.

Don't go getting the wrong idea and thinking that my life is this glamorous every Friday night.

It feels good to get some housework done after letting it slide this week while I worked on stories.

An editor I really like at the newspaper called and told me there is a new magazine in the works (put out by the newspaper) and she is in charge.  She wants me to be one of her writers.  I said -- yes!  I wrote a piece on bridal fashion.  It turned out, I had to do a lot of research to write with authority on this topic.  Now, I don't know if writing for the magazine is really worth it.

I'm happy I finished in time for the weekend.

Brian is with the older kids skiing.  They have a ski class every Friday in January.  Last Friday, I took Katie on a special night out.  We went to a restaurant so she could redeem her coupon for a free kid's meal -- something she earned for being student of the month.  After dinner, we met a friend and her two boys to play at the Treehouse Children's Museum.

Last Saturday, Brian's parents took us out.  We went to a new teppanyaki grill in Ogden called Tokyo Station.  We decided the wait of 45-minutes was too long, so we crossed the street and ate at Harley & Buck's.  It was a popular restaurant in Ogden Valley for 10-years and moved to Ogden a few months ago.

The food was delicious.  Everyone's dinner was yummy.  I think everything on the menu is probably fabulous.  And, almost all of it is gluten-free.  There was live music.  Usually, I don't care for live music in a restaurant, but I really enjoyed this performer who played the violin, bass and sang.  It was fun to double date with the parents.

Sunday, I met my new primary class of four-year-olds.  They might be the biggest handful I have had in all my years of teaching.  And, I had two pretty rambunctious boys two years ago.

Brian's family came over for dinner.  We had lots of soup.  My brother called and said he was in charge of a linger longer for his ward and he ended up with several gallons of hot cocoa.  He brought it over and his family joined us for dinner.

The kids had the day off from school last Monday because of the quarter ending.  I was planning to take them to Classic Fun Center in Layton.  But, the forecast said there was a 100% chance of snow.  Since my van isn't great in the snow, we stayed home instead.

That morning before the rain turned to snow, Brian and I went bathtub shopping.  I was pretty sure I wanted a bathtub in the downstairs bathroom we are building.  I love taking baths.  Sophie loves them even more than me.  Isaac takes baths about half the time.  And, Katie is little enough that she hasn't started taking showers.  I guess that makes our family an anomaly.  Apparently, taking a bath is so out of style.

After thinking it over a lot, maybe one bathtub is enough and we should build a shower downstairs instead of a tub/shower like I thought.  Brian will be happy when I tell him that.

I got custom orthotics for my plantar fasciitis.  I think they are helping a lot.  I am really excited for the day that this flare up calms down.  That is what I am told is suppose to happen, but it has been going on since I ran Ragnar in June.  The doctor said I probably need an MRI and possibly surgery.  I am determined that will not happen.

For one thing, I need all of my money for this basement re-model.  And, braces.  To celebrate MLK Day on Monday, Sophie and Ian are both getting braces.

Last night, Sophie wanted me to take her to a movie so she could eat theater popcorn one more time before the braces.  We saw "Annie."  I love the original "Annie" and I thought this one was darling, even if it was a little cheesy at times.  Who cares.  I loved it.

Now it's Friday again and I am cleaning house in my pajamas while Brian and the older kids ski.  My niece (who is Katie's age) and my nephew (who is younger) and one of Katie's friends came over to play.  They are happy as can be.  There was a time when I would have found cleaning in my pajamas on a Friday night depressing.  Now, it's pretty much perfect.

I am decorating my living room.  It is a fun project.  I'm having a really hard time deciding what curtains I like.  I think it will be easier to decide when the rug I ordered comes in.  If anyone is an expert on curtains, please come over and help me.

The front tire on our van kept slowly losing air.  Brian told me to take it to a tire shop to have it fixed.  I said, "Every time I go to a tire shop, they tell me I need four new tires."  I took it in and they said, "You need four new tires."  I was in denial until I called my brother who knows a lot about tires and he said he had noticed I needed new tires.  When someone notices your tires without you even asking them to look, it's probably time for new tires.

My parents have been in Hawaii for a week and a half.  I miss them.  They get back next week and then they are off to spend the entire month of February in San Diego.  The price of gas is so low, I am tempted to take a road trip to the beach to see them.  I haven't completely vetoed the idea.  But, there is the basement remodel and the braces and the new tires.  So . . . ?