This Week at Our House # 35

1. John was contacted to set up a phone interview for a company in Maryland for this week. I hope it goes further than that. That would be a very big move to a pretty intimidating place, but it would put us close to DC, Philadelphia, NYC, and my parents in NC. I think I could like it there.
2. What a busy week! Ruth, Kate, and Joseph started school and everyone had full days. Kate turned 15 on Monday, her first day of school, which was pretty busy, but she had a nice birthday all considering. I walked the elementary school  kids home 4 of the 5 days. They liked it the first three. Then I drove one day and they complained about walking the last. I am still planning on walking everyday. I need the little bit of exercise and so do they. John and I made it to the temple together this week and that brought me a lot of peace that I have not felt in a while. 
3. Ruth started the 11th grade. I only have two more years with my first little baby at home. Ruth is like me, when she graduates, she will happily move on to the next part of her life.  Ruth enjoyed her first week of school. She has a history teacher that has already called a student an "A-hole" (exactly that. Not the actual swear.) But that is a bad omen. I may go in and see if there is another section of the same class the same period she can transfer into. Ruth comes home from school each day and gives me details of what happened in every class, at lunch and before and after school. She is such a fun teen.
4. Kate is 15! She is such a fun kid. She has a great sense of humor and just knows and loves each of her family members. She is the tie that holds her other siblings together. Everyone loves Kate and Kate makes a conscious effort to pay attention to each of her siblings even down to little baby Susan. I think Kate had a disappointing first week of school. She had high hopes for starting at Bountiful High and has discovered that it is just school with all of the same difficulties. 
5. Johnny hasn't said too much about school yet. He has had a paper in English, so he complained about that. He talked about a get to know you activity in seminary where he learned he is the youngest and has the biggest family-- big surprise. 
6. Adam wants to try out for the 3rd and 4th grade school musical. I said that he never sings and I did not think he would like it. Adam told me that he is a good singer and that it is a talent he has that he just never uses. So I said ok. He auditions on Thursday. 
7. Rachel is trying out for the school musical too. She has been practicing and practicing. She has such a strong voice. It really sets her apart from the rest of our family. She has a much smaller chance of making it, though, because there are lots and lots of girls trying out and only a couple of boys.
8. Anya had her first week of full days of school. She seems to be doing well. Her reading is amazing, which is a nice relief to have a child who I do not have to spend a lot of time teaching reading to.
9. Joseph liked school quite well. I will have to ask his teacher if he is behaving and sitting down. He comes home happy and always tells me about recess. I will probably have to work with him steadily for reading because while he memorizes well, he is only just figuring out how to sound out words. I like Legacy Prep a lot, though. On Monday he could not put two sounds together and by Thursday he was sounding out 3 letter words.
10. Josh is the big kid home in the afternoons and he has been my walking buddy to pick up the four elementary school kids. He is so sweet and I have really enjoyed the time walking with him to the school. But on the way home with all of the kids, he gets fussy and attempts to run off.
11. Arwen has been putting herself down for naps in the afternoon. It's really rather cute. She will disappear and I will find her asleep in her crib.
12. Susan found her voice this week. She looks you straight in the eyes and starts to coo and smile. I love how she catches your eyes and then tells you something in her little baby coos. I love babies, and she is just so intense and so sweet. 

This Weeks Pictures

Ruth and Kate's first day of school

Joseph's First Day of School ever in his life :)

My 3 non-school kids

Kate opening presents

Smiles

She's finally starting to grow some hair

my 4 oldest