Today is Lexi's birthday. Yesterday we spent the day together as a (partial) family. The twins, Mikey, Dad and I went down to San Antonio to pick up Lexi from Especially For Youth. On the way back we stopped at the Outlet Malls in San Marcos. We allotted two hours for ourselves so that we could get home at a decent hour. We had a good time together except that the babies do not like shopping. They like going to shoe stores if they are allowed to try them all on. Other than that, they fuss and scream a lot.

I have not been working out that much since summer started because if I have not been on the road I have been trying to catch up on housework while keeping the babies occupied or I have started on household projects. I have painted the kitchen and the babies' bedroom as well as the half-bath downstairs. Mike has requested that I not paint anything else until I have done our bathroom because somebody started on it and did not finish. This indicates a change in Mike's opinion of me, as for a long time he has not believed me capable of a good paint job. My recent projects have consistently proven otherwise. Yea!

It changes the dynamic so much to not have the other kids around. They are with their dad for mostly the rest of the summer. I really miss having helpers for the babies, but I still manage to get stuff done--and there are things that I don't have to do when the big kids are not around.

I don't know if I said anything about last Saturday's Karate Tournament. Mike posted some video of Mikey at his competition in Tyler. The babies saw the sparring matches and kept saying, "That's mean!" Andrew has been wanting to take Karate for a long time. I have just not gotten around to setting it up. I have made some calls to get that set up for him and any other kids who want to do it. Who knows, I might even join up. (Doubtful since I already have a gym membership and am under-utilizing it right now.)

Look at that. Two weeks in a row. BAM!