Busy!

How did we suddenly get so busy? I've always tried to be mindful about not over scheduling my kids. I want them to have time to just play, and I didn't want to be one of those families that is constantly running between practices and lessons and never seems to have time together.

Things naturally get busier the older your children are. Adriana is in the first grade Chinese immersion program this year, which means extra work outside of school. We knew what we were getting into when we chose to enroll her, and it's been a good experience for her. Miriam is also in preschool, which adds its own schedule constraints.

I have my own things that have kept me busy: meetings for my church calling, volunteering in Adriana's class twice a week, lately I've been trying to get to the temple each week, watching my niece twice a week.... What really has made things seem busy, though, are the lessons. Adriana started taking piano lessons from my mom last year in kindergarten and has continued this year. Not a problem, we can totally handle one lesson a week and practicing every day (OK, so she fights me on the practicing, but it's still not too bad).

Then for Christmas the girls were given ballet lessons from grandma and grandpa. Miriam now has ballet lessons on Thursday mornings (plus preschool MWF, and then library story time Tuesday mornings). She absolutely loves them. The after school classes for Adriana's age group were full, though, so she agreed to wait until fall to take ballet lessons and we went ahead and signed her up for swim lessons now. The swim lessons have been going well, but then a few weeks ago I received an email saying that they were adding two new after school ballet classes so Adriana could start taking lessons now. That led to an auditioning/placement class, and now ballet lessons for Adriana after school.

They are all good things, and the girls are loving the things they are involved in, but it's been interesting adjusting to having so many scheduled activities. I realize that we are not nearly as busy as many (most?) families, but it's felt busy to me. I do admit that I groaned, though, when Adriana brought home information today on soccer and softball. No thank you. We're scheduled enough.