Fast Fabulous February

* We are down to 3 chickens. One got sick when it was so snowy and Mark had to kill it. Two accidentally got left out, and well you know the rest of that story. We are going to try and garden this year. So Mark is busy getting our garden site ready and I am busy ordering seeds and trying to figure out all the how to's of growing a garden. Wish me luck!

* Belle gave her first primary scripture and prayer earlier this month. Mark helped her with it, unfortunately I just missed it. Bummer! She is really enjoying primary A LOT! She turned four this month and we had a little breakfast party. It turned out well and I had so much fun putting it together. All except the tissue paper flower arrangement which took a LOT longer than anticipated. What a sweet little girl, the other morning she helped me rinse the dishes and discovered how much fun can be had with a spoon and a stream of water. I really enjoy her company. I wonder if she will be bored next year when Calvin is in first grade. I am considering preschool for next fall. She would so love to go to "school", but I just don't know if I am ready to let her go. She would love all the crafts and socializing and probably even the school work. Do four year olds get bored? Maybe I just need to step it up and do more crafting & reading with her? I will have to consult my motherhood manual and see what it says I am supposed to do.

* Josie is walking! AND she is getting really good at going up and down stairs. She has fallen down once, no injuries, just a good scare. Her new favorite things are to sit on the kitchen table and stand in her high chair. This is a tough stage and yet when I snuggle that sweet girl in my arms at bedtime and she is so warm and snugly and she smiles like she will love me forever, oh who cares about getting her off the table all day long. This too shall pass, to fast I am afraid.

* Alyna's report card came today... All A's WOOHOO! 4.0! Way to go girl! She also celebrated her 13th birthday on Friday the 13th, is that AWESOME or what! This was her golden birthday so we went all out with the golden theme and had about 10 girls over for the evening. It was so fun to watch them play. Unfortunately Alyna was not feeling very well on her birthday, but she insisted that the show must go on. I have asked myself quite often lately how I feel about having a teenager and well so far it's great. She is a good girl. I enjoy talking with her about what is going on in her life and watching her interact with her friends. Honestly I just want to savor every moment of the next five years because boy oh boy do they go by fast. She starts track mid month.

*Calvin has been collecting mustang awards ( teachers hand these out when they "catch" the kids being safe, responsible or respectful) and he is now up to 25! Yippee! He also brought his report card home and is doing Excellent. His teacher said "Calvin is a sweet, bright and hardworking student. He is a JOY to have in class." He is working on "listening attentively" at home and at school. He is a master on the Wii, he would play Mario Kart all day long if we would let him. Usually his ticket to play is to read 10 short little stories, which he quickly does and does well. I don't know...do video games really turn your brain to mush or is that mother guilt talking. I'll have to look that up in my manual also.
Calvin Starts tee ball this week. He says he doesn't want to play but we are hoping he will change his mind. Either way a little outside, exercise time never hurt anyone!

* Caleb also starts baseball this week. The boys will be on different teams this year. That should be interesting. He is looking forward to playing and has been practicing with Mark here and there. Caleb is also reading well, it makes me smile when I catch him in his room reading. A whole new world is opening up to him. He continues to draw the most interesting pictures. His teachers is having a baby soon, which means a substitute for the rest of the year. I hope that is a smooth transition.

* Mark was released as the Young Men's President a couple of weeks ago. For me it was bitter sweet. In my opinion, being the wife of the Young Men's President is a demanding calling :0) and yet alot of fun! I am so proud of the way he served and how much he cared for and still cares for these young men. How fortunate I am to have a husband that willingly serves the Lord. Our lives have changed a lot in the almost six years he served. We have been abundantly blessed and I have learned a lot. He was called in the spring of 2003. Calvin was about 6 months old, Caleb would have been about a year and a half and Alyna was in first grade. Since he was called Belle & Josie have joined our family, we built our home, sold two duplexes and our old house. Kept a new business up and running and procured a salvage yard in Nebraska. We have lived, and laughed and loved. I believe that there are countless blessing both large and small received while in the service of God the Father and His son Jesus Christ.

* Me? What have I been up to? Keeping up with this crew! Mark and I went away for the weekend while my parents were here and that was... delightful! As much as I love being a mom, I so enjoyed getting away and just relaxing with my sweetheart. I look forward to spring; to new life, to sunny days, to digging in the earth, to baseball & tee ball, to track, to Easter. February has flown by and now I look forward to enjoying March! I have a few projects going on. Bunco is at my house this month, I have a quilt that is half way done that I would like to get back out and I think I am going to try my hand at starting some seeds indoors. Oh and I am brewing ideas for how to celebrate Mark's 40th birthday which isn't too far off just 81 days away. Any ideas?

Life is good, really good!