This Week at Our House # 8

1. Kate usually makes a cake for her half birthday each year. This year John told her she was not allowed to make a cake. She was pretty put out, but obeyed. Instead John planned a little surprise for Kate. He made her a Batman cake, invited her friend over and played her favorite board game. Later, he took her to her young women's dinner fund raiser for a date. Kate was very surprised. She just thought her dad was being mean.
2. The kids were getting tired of school and so was I. On Wednesday morning, I decided we needed a field trip. That night I told the kids, they would not need to get up and do their work, but instead to get ready to go out. I took them to the Wright Brother's Monument near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. It was about a two and a half hour drive. But driving through North Carolina is lovely because the country side and the islands and the bridges are beautiful. After the monument, which the kids enjoyed immensely, I took them to the beach. No one planned on swimming, because the weather said it was supposed to only be around 60. It was more like 75. The water was frigid, but the waves were huge. The kids said they intended to stick their feet in the water only, but the the big waves got them wet fast. The beaches on the Outer Banks were amazing. Everything was beautiful. It was just the break we needed. The kids got back to work happily on Friday.
3. Poor Ruth got her wisdom teeth removed and got an infection. Her cheeks swelled up, and then her neck. She had to visit a doctor. He gave her pain medication and an antibiotic. But she had an allergic reaction to the pain medication. She spent Saturday night very sick. She is doing a little better today. Fortunately, she was able to get a blessing from her home teachers and her roommates are being very kind to her.
4. We got Kate's FAFSA paperwork submitted. She is still waiting to hear from BYU. Kate loved our field trip-- drive and all. She kept me walking everyday this week. 
5. Taking pictures of Johnny is still like taking pictures of Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. He makes the craziest faces. Johnny is coming along well in his calculus. 
6. Adam has been reading Tom Sawyer and loving it. It's nice to see him sitting down with a book.
7. Rachel spent a good amount of time building an immense lego house. She kept doing her chores half way and then disappearing to her room to build legos. Finally, I let her know that she would not be in her room if she did not do her fair share of helping.
8. Anya read an extra book all on her own. I was really glad about that.
9. Our field trip was perfect for Joseph because there was very few people and it was outside. He got to run as much as he wanted to.
10. Josh is just a tough cookie to crack. We constantly try hard to convince him to obey and he does for just a little bit and then stops. He got in trouble at Church for telling another kid she was stupid. Ugh, that boy. I hope he will just grow up and want to behave. We won't give up on him or lower our standards though. Obedience is so important, especially in today's apathetic world.
11. Arwen likes to get Susan to play with her. She doesn't know it, but that helps me a lot. Arwen is good at calming our terrible 2 Sue down.
12. Susan screamed and cried all week. I look forward to the end of Susan's terrible twos.
13. We finally scheduled Sam's baby blessing for next Sunday. He's is big and generally very happy. 

Tender Mercies

1. Ruth having people around to help her through her surgery complications.
2. Nice places to take the kids, and beautiful drives.
3. Adam enjoying a book for probably the first time in his life.
4. Kate making me exercise.

Pictures

The kids thought this looked like the jump on Mario Kart

This was an unusual rainbow we saw on the way home

Poor, poor, Ruth