Another Musician

Today the kids didn't do great at practicing music after school. I got my two violin students to do their songs, but the jazz players all waited until too late. I take that back, Wes did a little bit after school, but then when Corey got home, he wanted to hear more. So Wes got out his trumpet again. Something real cute was that Owen wanted a turn and Wes was so delighted and surprised that Owen was able to make a sound! 

He brought this toddler around to show all of us "Look what Owen can do!"

Super cute! 

Then everyone wanted a turn.

Corey is behind them sitting on the bed helping Hyrum with math. As I was recording this video and thought to myself "There's a lot going on in this picture...." How do we manage it all? Eth took a nap after school so he started practicing his music at 8pm, and Lily started too late too. Actually it might have been the normal time to start practicing if you were to go off our family habits from last year, but we're starting a new year and new habits! We need to work together and do what is best for everyone, and that means go to bed early and get up early! So, as we heard the music throughout the house at 9:30, we told them "NO MORE PRACTICING LATE!" Cause that messes everything up. They gotta do it RIGHT after school or in the morning (Sophi and Natalie and I might do it in the mornings so that they can have free time after they get home from school until dinner). Corey just told the kids it's lights off at 10:30, so they got like another half hour. They complain about getting up early, but the problem is they don't go to bed on time. The teens crash from exhaustion when they get home and then they're not tired for bedtime. And when they are up with lights on, then all the little kids think they can be up too! The teens need to push through the hard after school, when their body wants a nap (from the habit they've created for themselves) and work and keep busy until it's time for bed. So that's the goal we'll keep working toward and pushing for. But I do belive they got that from the Hibbert side - I remember doing that in high school, and I thought I was a night owl. No more, I'm an early bird. I'm an early bird by choice. They are all compelled to be early birds, but if we go to bed at 10:30, it will be doable.

Earlier today the boys wanted to go out to the Dinosaur Museum. But I had to get stuff done here at home. So I got out the old Little People Toys, and my distraction worked. They have been playing nicely in the front room most of the morning.

And Peter was super good this morning, so I got a lot of cleaning done - toilets, loaded the dishwasher, washed pots and pans, I was checking lots off. It was a great morning. I ran to the store for some Masking tape, and we used that to tape some roads on to the carpet for the little people train and vehicles, so they've been having fun with that. Our missionary Joseph called a little late today, but it's all good. He was transferred to a new area in Guatemala: Chimaltenango

Time for bed, I need to go plan out tomorrow, Plan plan plan. I believe planning is going to be the key to our survival with juggling this many kids and so many moving parts.