A much needed break

We have some friends in our ward that also have five kids. Their kids are like our kids. We will just say they are all busy and like to have fun. About two weeks ago we watched their kids. Three spent the night. They have a nursing baby so he went home after their date (running a 5k). Then one of their girls decided she wanted to go home too so we had them wake her up so she could go home with mom and dad. We are planning on swapping monthly for an overnighter.

SO last night was our night. WE took our kids over to their place around 4ish and they all slept over and then they got them ready for church this morning and even got their before we did. They had 10 kids (5 girls---5 boys) to get ready this morning. Can you imagine what that must have been like?

Something that is pretty funny about Don and I is that we can NEVER choose what we want to do. And by the time something has been decided it is pretty much time for our date to be over. We stopped off at the mall. Don wanted to show me how it felt to lay on a Sleep Number bed. I can pretty much sleep on any bed except if it is rock hard and fall asleep. Don, on the other hand, needs better support after injuring his back at basic training. I wish we could afford it for him but they were expensive. So off we went walking around.

We went to Olive Garden but the waiting time was supposed to be 40 minutes. NO THANKS. So then we ended up at a 50's, 60's, 70's restaurant. It was cute and the food was good and the service was AWESOME. We will probably go back.

The whole time in the car was basically, "what do you want to do?". We couldn't come up with anything. It was pouring down rain so that left a lot of the things we like to do out of the question. WE stopped at the store for milk and then looked at renting a movie. Nothing looked good so we went home and put in one we already had but that I hadn't seen. Both Don and I and alot of other people know what happens when I start watching a movie and it is a little bit late. YEP...I fall asleep. I have NO idea why but I can remember even growing up I did this. I remember my best friend loved watching movies but she would get so mad at me when I fell asleep. And that is why I am NOT a movie watcher. I would much rather go bowling or play miniature golf or other type of games. So I was determined not to fall asleep watching The Da vinci Code. I did SO good for a while but my eyes started getting so heavy and I knew....I just knew what was going to happen. I could feel Don continually looking over at me to see if I was still awake. And then if happened. He just smiled and turned it off and let me go to sleep. We decided maybe we could finish it during the day. :)

It was such a wonderful time being with Don alone. It was a great boost for our marriage and it helps me to be a better mom. It also is a great example for our kids. I want my kids to know that Don and I value our marriage and think it is important to do things together so we can be strengthened.

I am grateful for people so willing to take my kids. I rarely ask others to watch my kids. It is a tough job that not just anyone can do. But thankfully we have a chance to swap childcare once a month with this awesome family. I am so eternally grateful for this because I know it isn't easy taking on 10 kids at once under the age of 11.