This Week at Our House # 13

1. We took spring break with Ruth this week, so we did not do school. It was really nice to have the break. We went to the beach on Monday, then had some lazy days, then General Conference and Rachel's birthday. John did not hear anything from jobs. 
2. I signed up to be a freelance writer for the Blaze. I got an assignment less than 24 hours after I got my profile up, worked on that quickly and got it published on Friday. So I have now written and published my first paid article. I am hoping I can make a few hundred a month on this. I am also still planning on selling DoTerra and will be setting up an online class soon.
3. Ruth loved the beach, and loved swimming. She still has not been able to get a job. I feel like our family is cursed.
4. Kate read and drew and enjoyed Ruth and the beach and General Conference. 
5. Johnny was astonished at how fast each session of General Conferene went and how much he enjoyed it. I think he is growing up. 
6. Adam wrestles Joseph and almost always hurts him. The problem is that every time Joseph sees Adam, he jumps on him and starts wrestling. One day this week, Adam had to take everything off the kitchen shelves, wash the shelves, and then put everything back on because he hurt Joseph too much and too consistently. Since then Adam has been a bit gentler. But it is hard to say which boy is more at fault and part of me wants to just ignore them completely because I have no idea what to do with boys sometimes. 
7. Rachel turned 10!!!! Today, in fact. She was such a sweet angel and loved her whole day no matter what went wrong.
8. Anya loved her time off. Apparently she is afraid or more likely phobic of spiders. Adam told her that there was a spider on her and she screamed and cried and then sat hugging her two baby dolls for some time for comfort. I can always rely on Anya to take care of Susan. If I am busy, I can have Anya take Susan outside. She will push her on the swing and play with her. It's just a wonderful thing.
9. Joseph is wonderful and horrible. He is so rough and wrestles and makes messes, but he is so smart and knows the scriptures and always knows what you have taught him. I think there is hope for him and his tons of energy.
10. Joshua is grounded from the computer until he quits peeing his pants (he will go just a tiny bit in his underwear before heading to the bathroom) and quits getting poop on the toilet. We didn't have any poop messes this week, so I think it is working. 
11. Arwen if definitely going through the obstinate toddler stage. She rarely does what she is told unless there are sure and swift consequences.
12. Suzy is in the "no" stage. We ask her questions, she answers no. We say it is time for bed, she yells no. She wants me to read her a book while I am making dinner, I don't and she screams no. It's kind of cute no, but it won't be as she gets older.

This Week's Pictures