The XBox Must DIE.

So to keep the kids from fighting over who gets the XBox next and how much time they get and wasting their lives either in front of it or waiting for their next crack at it, I made a *gasp* schedule.  They absolutely hate it.  We started it on Monday and things went relatively well, aside from the complaints about hating it....until today. 

One kid didn't check the schedule when he came home from school, missed his turn, and the kid who was supposed to end his turn and give it to the first kid was NOT honorable and played through that next hour.  Then the first kid griped, and then the schedule was all messed up and it affected a third kid's turn... we worked it out and set up new rules - CHECK THE SCHEDULE, and if you make someone else miss their turn, NO ONE gets it the next day.  There have been so many times when I've wanted to go all Gran on the thing and toss it out the window and into the street.  I like video games too but COME ON.  I guess discipline is never an easy thing to learn.

In other news, I received a book in the mail I ordered on Sunday.  Wow, quick!  It's called Back to Basics, a Reader's Digest book my parents owned when I was a little girl.  LOVED that book.  It was so fun to have it back in my hands again, to see all the old familiar pictures.  The book is about skills and crafts - anything from buying a piece of land and building a house and a well on it, to smithing, basketweaving, gardening, snowshoeing, skinning animals... raising trout in a kiddie pool in the backyard... it could not be more chock full of info.  I spent some good quality time with it to the exclusion of almost everything else, but now I know how to spin wool into yarn.  Sort of. 

 

I also made a list of what we want to grow in our garden this year, and went to the store.  Picked up and dropped off kids and did the usual stuff.  Hubby came home early and took Carter to an early afternoon practice; then he and Bella went to her practice later. 

 

I went to orchestra rehearsal tonight for the first time since our Mother of the Year gig at the Embassy Suites in Tigard, earlier this month.  A couple of ward members have joined it in the last few months - Keri W (also the ward choir director), who plays the violin and is a young mommy of two, including a new baby boy; and Spencer B, who is between Bella and Harrison in age and plays the cello.  VERY fun.  I mentioned to Harrison today that we should get another trombone for him and have him join me on Thursday nights.  Bella would of course be an awesome addition but her soccer FATHER wouldn't hear of it (joke). 

Held Keri's baby boy at orchestra and did not get baby hungry. For once.

Hubby always encourages me to go to orchestra, even when I don't feel like it - like tonight - and I'm always glad when he does.  It's always fun, challenging, enriching, wonderful... I go home inspired and happy and so grateful for all my blessings but especially my ability to make music.  Not that I'm great at it, but I do love it.  I appreciate Hubby for being my cheerleader.  :) 

Tonight, somewhere between midnight and 12:30 (our little joke), is our twenty-first anniversary.  I don't feel old enough to have had a twenty-first anniversary of anything except maybe being born.  Hubby is staying home tomorrow and we're planning a fun day of EATING.  And getting the cars' tags renewed.  Maybe one or two other things... a movie?