Prelude to Spring Break

Well, all I have to say about this week is WOW----we made it through! Hallelujah! There were a few days there when I thought everything might fall apart, but thankfully, we made it to Spring Break and here we are, recovering!

Joseph finished his play-----thank you, thank you to Grandmother and Papa Joe for trekking all the way back up here just to see him perform. He did a great job! He had yet ANOTHER orchestra concert the next night----I think he's a little over orchestra at the moment and needs a BIG BREAK! He's been out running and trying to get back into shape for Track and Soccer.

(We could really use some DRY days around here so that everyone could stay OUTSIDE for awhile and get some exercise! But, I'm sure we'll be grateful for the moisture when it's the middle of July!)

Samuel presented his Congressional Hearing program on Wednesday---he did a great job on his speech and answered the questions very confidently. Plus he looked very handsome. I'd post a picture if I'd remembered my camera that night----where was my brain!?!

I was very late to Samuel's program because I'd been to Pocatello that day for an eye appointment for Jacob and we had some car problems on the way back. Actually, I'd convinced my Mother-in-law to come with me to Pocatello, because I didn't want to go alone with both little boys. At the last minute, she called and asked if Scott could come with since he was going stir crazy in the house (it was snowing it's head off outside). Well, I think Scott was very inspired to go stir crazy at just that minute, because if he hadn't been with us in Pocatello, I probably wouldn't have made it home and I would have had a really awful day instead of just a kind of little terrible couple of minutes. Thank you so much for going with us and saving the day!

We found out this week at the Eye doctor's that Jacob is going to need to start wearing glasses. His far-sightedness is getting a little worse, plus his eyes are starting to cross because of this. So Friday we took him in to see what kind of glasses we are going to have to try and keep on our cute little bug---this should be fun! There was a big whopping one choice of frames----but they were plastic and the lenses are also plastic and they are strapped together around the head----this is good. Only, Jacob looks like a superhero in a mask with them on----they were little white round frames. When I asked if they came in any other colors, the lady suggested blue or pink----wow, just what I would pick! I actually thought going with the white would probably be the best option from these choices, but she convinced me to try the blues, saying they were "so cute." We'll see---I have her word that she'll swap me out the white frames if I absolutely hate the blue! (I'm prepared to hate the blue!)

Here's cute little Jacob in his favorite 'ducky' tub chewing on the scrubber! I wonder if he'll have to wear glasses in the tub? This could be interesting!

Benjamin did a great job on his "Flubber" science project. He was very excited about it and enjoyed putting the whole thing together. The 3rd grade teachers are getting smarter, though. They required that the science projects be at the school a full day before they were displayed. There went my usual plan of last minute preparations and Benjamin was sad that I didn't keep him home the day before his project, like I did with Samuel. So, even if the teachers are getting sneakier, it was nice to have it finished early!

Benjamin testing out his "Flubber"

David took a bunch of AR tests at school and was quite impressed that we finally made it through "Junie B, First Grader...." Me too! since I kept falling asleep everytime I was reading it to him. Even though he usually reads the books himself, when I'm there to help him take the AR tests, he insists that I read the book again before he takes the test. So, at top speed, I race through the book and hope that Mrs. Clark, his teacher, doesn't think I'm over there helping David 'cheat' on his test. I'll be SO GLAD when he can take his own AR tests!

We've decided that Jonathan is addicted to videos----this is a bitter sweet dilemma. It's nice that I can entertain him so easily some days when things are hectic, but I don't know if it's worth the drama when I make him turn off the TV or I 'break' the TV (unplug the VCR from it) so he can't watch it. Poor kid----he's been having some serious withdrawal pains today! Oh, please HURRY Spring! Where ARE YOU!?!

I learned a lesson of my own today. I have been trying to get my Sunday morning routine down so that I can quit being the last one to church. Thank heavens Scott, my father-in-law, picks up the older boys 30 minutes before church starts so that I have a few minutes to get ready and get Jacob in the car. Well, since we went to the Temple yesterday and got back pretty late last night, there were some missing items as far as clothing goes this morning and a missing bottle----the worst crisis of all! So as I hunted for the bottle and Jacob's pants, tearing the house apart in my wake, I was getting pretty stressed that I was missing part of Sacrament meeting. So after awhile of fruitless searching I just decided, what the heck, I was already late, I'd just take my time getting there. Well.......the Jepsen's were speaking today and I absolutely love hearing them speak and one of my voice students was singing on the program. So, I missed the song and a lot of the talks. I could have kicked myself! That is it, I think I wil just put everyone to bed in their clothes, myself included, on Saturday night and then I will make sure that I am ready FIRST so that I can dash out the door and throw the boys in the car without waking them up. Well, I've got to at least try.....! But I don't want to miss a program like that again!