the day of sabbath and not a lot of rest

The Day of Sabbath, traditionally known for a day of rest. I wonder when, exactly, that particular tradition ceased to exist. In today's society, weekends are exceptionally busy for most, each person trying to cram all they possibly can into two short days. Each hour planned down to the minute, so that time can be used efficiently and productively. And in the end, this cycle creates more chaos and stress, which is ironic, considering the weekend is our supposed "time off."

I'm not one to talk, because Saturdays and Sundays tend to be my busiest days. My husband's job requires him to travel sporadically during the week, but more often than not, he's gone on the weekends. While most are anxiously awaiting Friday's arrival, I dig my heels in, knowing the craziness has only begun. And Monday, the day dreaded by all, happens to be my favorite day. It's usually the day we welcome the man of the house home, with open and very tired arms. So yes, weekends are busy for me and I have no option but to stay busy, making it impossible to enjoy a day of rest.

While most may think I'm crazy, I don't mind being home alone with my children. I much prefer a busy day to a day of doing nothing, and of course, being home alone with three little ones under the age of 4 keeps me on some very busy toes. I try to keep it fun and interesting for my girls, though I do keep in mind that children benefit from having a day of rest and relaxation more than anyone. That is why, when contemplating loading my girls up for the weekend and driving them 3 hours north, less than a day after getting home from spending a week with the Grandparents (or in Chloe's case, toted around the nation), I opted to stay home with them. It was a hard decision for me, knowing that staying home meant not running in the 10k race I had signed up for, but I knew in my heart of hearts it was the best decision...for them, at least.

So yesterday, our Sabbath, was in a way, a day of rest, though it began bright and early at 5:00am. After going to church and working in the nursery all morning, me and the girls enjoyed some quality time at home. We ate a relaxing not-so-relaxing lunch together, because really, how can you relax when you're trying to feed a 4 and 2 year old who don't understand the concept of sitting still at the table, all the while trying to puree peas and bananas for the hungry little baby, who in the end, gagged on the peas and only nibbled on the bananas. Somehow I found the time to mix together a quick lunch for me, but I can guarantee I ate that lunch standing up, between throwing food on the table for the older girls and attempting to squeeze food between Chloe's pursed lips.

The afternoon and evening were much more enjoyable. Britten and Chloe took good naps, while Ella and I put together a puzzle and enjoyed interesting conversation. When they woke up, I decided it'd be fun to make cookies together, all 4 of us! Why on earth I thought it'd be fun is beyond me, but it did turn out to be an interesting little endeavor, and at least the end product turned out scrumptious. Here's a little taste of our afternoon:

It began a little like this....

...and with the help of these big girls...

...and this little one (given the fact Chloe is 7 months old, she did not actually participate in the measuring or mixing of the ingredients, but she did a darn great job of sitting quietly in the laundry basket* and looking cute)!

It came together like this...

...and ended like that!

* In case you're wondering about the laundry basket, I find it to be a more comfortable place for Chloe to sit while we're in the kitchen together. She finds her highchair confining, and because of a few instances of her head hitting the hard, tile floor, I needed to find a better and safer alternative to sitting on the floor.