This Week at Our House #35

1. John started work on Wednesday. The company is an infant start up company that is in the process of developing it's new product. John did better than I thought with having to get up and get going. After 6 months of being able to sleep in until 10am, he even made it out and ready in time to take the 7:30 am crowd to school. 
2. I miss John around the house, especially when I have to buckle all of my little kids in the car to run a quick errand or take Anya and Rachel to school. But, I am oh so glad that he is a working man once more. Things continue to break down around here. The day the van came home all fixed, the minivan's little problem became a big problem. The dish washer is having it's troubles now too. I am going to get some strong dishwasher cleaners in there and see if that helps. If not, we'll probably go dishwasherless until after Christmas. That is okay, though. I am learning to handle more things like that.
3. Ruth has a lot less homework this year, so she is more cheerful, helps more around the house, and hangs out with me more. I love that Ruth sits and tells me her day-in-detail each day after school. It breaks my heart to think she will be leaving the nest in three short years.
4. Kate continues to fight the homework fight. The poor girl spends 8 hours in school each day only to come home with 2 to 3 hours of homework. Ruth had a rough 9th grade year like that too. Kate has had some nice things too. She has been put on as the lead artist and designer for the school plays posters and t-shirts. 
5. My dear Johnny turned 12 this week. He had a birthday party with all of his friends on Friday, a small family party on Saturday, and then today he received the Aaronic Priesthood and enjoyed a family dinner with his favorite Aunt and Uncle and his grandparents. Johnny is such a good boy. He always has been. I knew he would be before he was born. I am grateful I get to be the parent of this amazing boy. He's smart, good, friendly, and caring.
6. I always get a little time each morning to talk to just Adam. After I drop the older kids off, I have a 5 to 10 minute drive with Adam. Adam has never been very talkative. I have to ask the questions to get him speaking. I love it, when we do talk. Adam is just a sweet boy.
7. Rachel always hunts me down and then talks and talks and talks to me. Each day after school, I get a behavioral report of a few of the boys in her class. It's pretty funny. I probably know more baout how these boys behave in school than their parents do.
8. Anya and Joseph have become very close this school year. I love seeing them play together every morning. Unfortunately, their favorite thing to do is play with Kate, Johnny, and Adam's lego creations.
9. Joseph cutely showed his Grandma all of his Hero Factory guys and told her all about them. He was more obedient this week and when I told him not to climb the banisters, he got right down.
10. Joshua likes to knock Arwen down or lay on top of her and wrestle. Why can't he wrestle his brothers?
11. Arwen is walking a whole lot more. She is not walking 100% of the time, but she will go half way across the room before she falls down.

This Week's Pictures

Johnny's Birthday Party