I've always thought of Fred as a dreamer and me as more of an idealist, but in truth I think the difference is just that he has grand illusions and I am merely delusional!
EXAMPLE
Rachel's "Visions Splendor" for Valentines Weekend:
1. Go on a romantic date.
2. Design and handmake three children's classroom valentines, creating a memorable, more meaningful experience.
3. Have a white tablecloth, formal Valentines breakfast.
4. Clean the house spotless, including everyone's bedrooms while they are all gone and have a gift for everyone on their pillow and Valentines music playing when they all get home.
5. Have a nice, early dinner. Have a memorable,Valentine theme F.H.E.
6.Create unique, individual valentines for Jordan.
7. Make special Valentines Treats for our neighborhood.
Rachel's Reality Check:
With children's input, design very cute Valentines on the computer that I then decide would be even cuter as bookmarks, thus they are not ready by the Friday school deadline and my little children are worried. I promise Abe, Lily and Sophie that we will spend Saturday making Valentines, then I get the sudden inspiration to paint the built in bookcases to offset the couch Olsen's gave us. So, Fred and my Friday night date starts at the craft store and ends at the Home Improvement store, but we are both alright with that and decide to have a Valentine lunch date on Monday (since I have no children at home).
Saturday morning I realize that since I don't have a car during the week, the grocery shopping will need to be done that day (the cupboards are getting pretty bare:). Fred offers to take Mikayla and do that so I can stay home and fulfill my promise to the younger children of finishing class Valentines. We cut and glue and tie fancy yarn for almost ninety Valentine bookmarks. It takes hours but is actually enjoyable for all of us, and I still have enough time to pull all of the 10+ boxes of books off of the bookshelves and give them a good wipe down before Fred and Mikayla got home with the endless loads of groceries. Fred and I spend the rest of the evening priming bookcases, instead of going to our Stake Valentines dance. We both enjoy it more, but I should be making sugar cookies for a R.S. assignment and appetizers for Abe's school Heritage Day, both which need to be ready Monday morning. Now I'm too tired. I make a poor choice and end up cooking on Sunday and missing out on "a day of rest". I pay the physical and spiritual price. Fred helps me out with my poor choice and I feel bad, but love him more for it.
Monday morning I get up at 6:00 and miraculously have the breakfast I pictured ready by 7:00 and very uncharacteristically our family sits down for a breakfast together on a school day. By the time everyone leaves the house is a bit disastrous. Fred and I realize that we can't have a lunch date because his class is from 11-2 and I have some morning errands. Mikayla leaves the truck and I venture outside of Middleton to quickly grab little gifts. Can't find exactly what I want so it takes me longer than the morning. I don't have a watch or a phone and end up pulling up as the children are walking in from school. The house is still a disaster, there is no music playing, Abe's mylar baloon has deflated and the flowers for the older girls are not a surprise. I am so disappointed that I cry and my children have to make it all better instead of the other way around. I am able to create more of an atmosphere before Fred get's home and F.H.E. is great, but lasts long and Fred and I finally manage just to fit a late night movie in for a Valentines date and only then does it sink in that things don't have to be ideal to turn out alright because the whole idea of Valentines Day is to let those around you know that you love them and I have done that and my family has done that........so, Happy Valentines Day!
EXAMPLE
Rachel's "Visions Splendor" for Valentines Weekend:
1. Go on a romantic date.
2. Design and handmake three children's classroom valentines, creating a memorable, more meaningful experience.
3. Have a white tablecloth, formal Valentines breakfast.
4. Clean the house spotless, including everyone's bedrooms while they are all gone and have a gift for everyone on their pillow and Valentines music playing when they all get home.
5. Have a nice, early dinner. Have a memorable,Valentine theme F.H.E.
6.Create unique, individual valentines for Jordan.
7. Make special Valentines Treats for our neighborhood.
Rachel's Reality Check:
With children's input, design very cute Valentines on the computer that I then decide would be even cuter as bookmarks, thus they are not ready by the Friday school deadline and my little children are worried. I promise Abe, Lily and Sophie that we will spend Saturday making Valentines, then I get the sudden inspiration to paint the built in bookcases to offset the couch Olsen's gave us. So, Fred and my Friday night date starts at the craft store and ends at the Home Improvement store, but we are both alright with that and decide to have a Valentine lunch date on Monday (since I have no children at home).
Saturday morning I realize that since I don't have a car during the week, the grocery shopping will need to be done that day (the cupboards are getting pretty bare:). Fred offers to take Mikayla and do that so I can stay home and fulfill my promise to the younger children of finishing class Valentines. We cut and glue and tie fancy yarn for almost ninety Valentine bookmarks. It takes hours but is actually enjoyable for all of us, and I still have enough time to pull all of the 10+ boxes of books off of the bookshelves and give them a good wipe down before Fred and Mikayla got home with the endless loads of groceries. Fred and I spend the rest of the evening priming bookcases, instead of going to our Stake Valentines dance. We both enjoy it more, but I should be making sugar cookies for a R.S. assignment and appetizers for Abe's school Heritage Day, both which need to be ready Monday morning. Now I'm too tired. I make a poor choice and end up cooking on Sunday and missing out on "a day of rest". I pay the physical and spiritual price. Fred helps me out with my poor choice and I feel bad, but love him more for it.
Monday morning I get up at 6:00 and miraculously have the breakfast I pictured ready by 7:00 and very uncharacteristically our family sits down for a breakfast together on a school day. By the time everyone leaves the house is a bit disastrous. Fred and I realize that we can't have a lunch date because his class is from 11-2 and I have some morning errands. Mikayla leaves the truck and I venture outside of Middleton to quickly grab little gifts. Can't find exactly what I want so it takes me longer than the morning. I don't have a watch or a phone and end up pulling up as the children are walking in from school. The house is still a disaster, there is no music playing, Abe's mylar baloon has deflated and the flowers for the older girls are not a surprise. I am so disappointed that I cry and my children have to make it all better instead of the other way around. I am able to create more of an atmosphere before Fred get's home and F.H.E. is great, but lasts long and Fred and I finally manage just to fit a late night movie in for a Valentines date and only then does it sink in that things don't have to be ideal to turn out alright because the whole idea of Valentines Day is to let those around you know that you love them and I have done that and my family has done that........so, Happy Valentines Day!
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