Sometimes, I think Mike is a better parent.

This past week, for like 6 days or something crazy, I've been up till midnight or later getting patterns ready for a trunk show (at pine needles/gardeners village for all you utah people who should most definitely GO). I'm walking around like a zombie. My house is a disaster. Yesterday, Mitchell never got dressed. My hair hasn't been in anything but a pony tail. And make up, well, that's just laughable.

Last Saturday, I spent almost 15 hours in my bedroom, with the laptop and a zillion papers everywhere. And Mike? He brought me a huge *sonic* diet coke, some ho-hos, and locked the door and told me to take all day if I wanted. Then babysat both kids and was laughing and playing with them. (Is it possible to babysit your own kids?) And I'm so grateful he's so supportive and kind.

I'm not quite sure why, or how for that matter, he puts up with me. The only thing I've accomplished as a housewife and mother is food. At least I make dinner, even if everything else is in shambles. I am the worlds worst housekeeper. That is not a joke. The more I like you, the less clean my house is. Which means for Mikey, it's always a disaster.

But I'm finally done with my part in the patterns shenanigans. Now my mother is in high-crisis mode trying to get binding on quilts before thursday. We (erm, TJ) actually took pictures of the quilt without binding. hahaha. It's been intense!

We decided, and got accepted, to go to "market", which is like the Superbowl, prom, and Carnegie hall of the quilting world. We're honored/amazed/freaked out to be a part of it. Cross your fingers we stay alive and are a little tiny bit successful (I mean, at least). We've just got to figure out how to make our booth the cutest of them all and I am not a decorator. I actually suggested we map it out with legos. Mom's like "uhhhhh....graph paper maybe instead?" oh, right.

Mikey-poo passed his project management test, and is officially certified. Which hopefully means he can move up in life, and can pay for more shoes and chocolate for me. (right, honey?) We knew he could do it! And now the every-spare-second-of-every-day studying phase is over, and I have my husband back. And Ali is so happy. Mitchell is content to watch Monsters Inc 6 times in a row and not be bothered. I'm so so happy. I even let him beat me in monopoly last night.

And Mitchell is the cutest kid ever. I finally figured out he's been saying "thank you" it sounds so much like "tickle" but that didn't make much sense ever. He was SO proud of himself when I finally realized this. I feel like such a good mom that he has some manners. Burping and passing gas are still sooooo hilarious to him, thanks to his encouraging father. Thank you babe.

Mike, of all time, has been the most successful parent at getting the kids (um yeah, both of them) to bed. In fact, when I try, Ali wakes up 30 mins later. And Mitchell just doesn't take me seriously.

Side note: This picture was taken when Mitchell was taking pictures of himself. Happens a lot. I snuck in, and he was laughing SO HARD.

After prayers and scriptures, Mike helps Mitch brush his teeth, then he comes and says goodnight to me. I guess I've never been paying attention, because the other night, after Mitch kissed me goodnight, he walked into his room, turned off his light, turned off his fish tank, and crawled into bed without saying a word. Mike then tucked him in, kissed him, and walked out of the room.

Um, what? Is it really that easy!?

Yes, says Mike. He's been doing all that for awhile....

Fine. So I don't give Mitchell enough credit. Maybe I should make a chore chart, and maybe things would get done around here. ha.

So one night last week, I was tired. Mike was working late, and I was cleaning up dinner. The house, being neglected by me all day, was a disaster, and piles of toys were all over the living room. I've said that sometimes it looks like a toys r us explosion. And it totally did.

Usually, I'll sigh and start picking up, and start suggesting to Mitchell that he should help. Teaching by example should work eventually right?

But I changed it up a bit and just said "Mitchell, it's clean up time. Put all your toys back in the bag please" Our toy storage system is a bunch of re-usable grocery bags, then they all go in to toy box. Mike thinks that's way too specific, and it might be, but it makes me happy. Anyway, that's all it took. He cleaned up his toys without saying anything. And then he took that huge bag and placed it in the toy box. There were a few toys left behind, but then I realized those were Ali's toys. Awesome. All I have to do is ask?

No. Asking still doesn't work for eating dinner. Nor does it work for things like jumping on the couch. But this gives me considerably more hope. Thank you Mike for inadvertently teaching me that asking of the children is sometimes more effective then, well, nothing. ha.

And Miss Ali has been grabbing food off plates, and getting all excited when she's near food of any kind. So we started rice cereal and sweet potatoes and squash, and green beans, and she had a field day.

She's officially earned her little spot at our table.

And now our family of four eats dinner together, all at the same table.

I'm so lucky and crazy about these people.