"Helping Mama"

My two little guys helping me make mashed potatoes. How sweet is that? Justice pulled up a chair and Clayton found himself a big plastic container to sit on. Justice worked hard with the extra potato peeler, and Clayton went through the drawer and tried out just about every tool in it. He did wind up with the potato masher. Isn't HE a smart boy ;) .

In other news, my hubby has been WAY better to me than I deserve for my birthday. He's been planning and squirreling away money just for me. I got a new memory card for my camera, Photo Shop AND he arranged for me to have a sitter all night last night, today, tonight and a good chunk of tomorrow. How great is he?! I so don't deserve all of this. Unfortunately, I've been so incredibly busy that I haven't had hardly any time to practice piano this whole week. I was about to have a nervous break down. I'm accompanying our Stake Choir in our Christmas Program this year, and I need a LOT, LOT, LOT, LLLLOOOOTTT of practice to be able to play confidently in front of people. (I had no idea that Bruce was sending my kids away this weekend). So, I'm planning on spending like 5 hours or more if I can stand it at my piano today. What a crappy way to spend my time sans-kids. It's totally necessary though. I am literally on the edge of freaking out because of lack of practice. I've been a mean, crabby person all week. (I can hear Bruce saying sarcastically in my head "Really, I hadn't noticed a difference." Implying that I'm always mean and crabby. Which, unfortunately is kind of true. Argh, I suck!)

On another subject, I've been riding my bike in the basement a LOT the past month. My hip has been giving me troubles, so I haven't been running much at all. (I'm doing a 10 mile race -running- tomorrow. I'm pretty sure this year won't be a PR (personal record) for me! My hip is feeling much better, so I think I'll be okay there. I hope.) Anyway, the bike didn't hurt my hip, so I've been doing that instead. It's a regular bike on a trainer, which is a thing that you put on your back tire that creates friction equal to riding outside, only you don't go anywhere. If the back tire isn't aired up properly, the friction is a LOT less, hence the workout is not as effective. I've been thinking that I need a new inner tube for the thing, because I've had to air the back tire up nearly every time I get on it. Yesterday I was downstairs doing laundry when I heard a hissing noise. I turned around and saw Clayton attaching the air pump to the back tire just enough to let the air out. There is nothing wrong with my tire at all. Clayton's been "helping" me again.