This Week at Our House # 15

1. We had a busy week. The kids and I did a local hike at the North River Park on Monday for a science nature walk. John picked up Ruth from the airport on Tuesday. We had the missionaries over for dinner on Thursday and Sunday. We had friends over on Friday. We did a lot of cleaning and bed switching including putting up a new bunk bed. We had Stake Conference and Easter on Sunday. John cocked all the bathroom sinks, and John still worked his full week and we still had school and babysitting.
2. I pretty much summed up my week above. It was busy. This week is spring break and I am looking forward to it.
3. Ruth flew home on Tuesday. Her Grandma Robertson bought her mission clothes while in Utah, and Ruth was excited to show me those. She has started to get her passport, temple recommend, visa, and luggage. There is a lot to do in the next four months. Ruth came home and helped. I washed a lot less dishes this week because my Ruth is home.
4. Kate was excited to get her best friend home!!
5. Johnny set up the bunk bed pretty much on his own and put new toilet seats on the toilets.
6. I an trying to help Adam read faster, so I had him time how long it took him to read a page. I think that helped him. He finally finished Tom Sawyer. He really enjoyed that book. But he is a slow reader and it is time to get that fixed.
7. The middle kids had their final week of homeschool coop. Rachel and Anya were sitting at a table doing a craft, when a couple of girls came up and asked if they needed help cutting things out. Rachel said, "no, I am 11!" The girl who was asking is 11 too. Rachel is tiny!
8. Anya really enjoyed our nature science walk. We saw big blue herons, large box turtles, small turtles, and a large black snake. Anya came home telling everyone how many turtles she saw. Rachel was sad that I would not let her catch one. Rachel and Anya helped stuff and hide Easter eggs this year. Anya was very clever about it. I think they put a new fun twist on the Easter egg hunt.
9. Joseph collected the most Easter eggs this year. He is at just the right age for that.
10. Joshua was tired on Easter because we woke him up early, so he spent a good part of the day yelling when anything annoyed him. The rest of the week he was pretty good, though.
11. Arwen plays with Josh and Susan a good deal these days. She is always taking out the toys and asking Josh or Susan to come and play with her. During their bath this week, I noticed Arwen say to Susan, "Let's play find the soap." I remember playing that game in the bathtub for years.
12. Susan's hair is finally getting a little length and it is all messy curls. It's pretty cute. 
13. Sam can sit up tall and strong now. He hit 5 months of age on Wednesday, He has begun whimpering quietly when he wants to sleep.

Pictures

When Arwen and Susan both got tired, Johnny was a super hero and carried them both. He had already been taking turns carrying them separately for a mile.

Easter 2017

We kept Easter small this year. We didn't even dye eggs as usual. Sunday morning, we had our typical Easter egg hunt, then we got ready and went to Stake Conference. When we got home, we read some scriptures together, and rested and played some games. We made our traditional lamb dinner and had the sister missionaries over. We had then tell the kids their favorite missionary stories. All in all, it was a good Easter Sunday and the Spirit abounded in our home.

This Week at Our House #14

1. John worked hard this week. Some nights he even worked as late as 9pm. But he made sure he got time in with the kids. John does a 45 minute to one hour scripture study each night with the family. He always invites us to read and discuss and learn. It is never just reading. It is always discussing and relating it to our life and current events. I think the kids benefit greatly from this.
2. I just feel  so busy all of the time. I have a long todo list that keeps getting longer. I think it is in part because of homeschool and in part because Sam will not sleep without me. I spend a good portion of each day holding Sam. 
3. Ruth finished classes, took all of her finals, packed up her stuff and put it in storage for Kate, and then went down to Utah. She is now in Utah visiting with her friends and grandparents before she flies home on Tuesday. We are eagerly awaiting her return.
4. Kate has been counting down everyday until Ruth comes homes. She has one more week of her babysitting job. Then I think she will be seeking for some more to earn money for college.
5. Johnny took the ACT on Saturday. In a week or two we will know if he needs to take it again. He said that the math section had a lot of long problems and he did not finish it. So he may very well be taking it again in June.
6. Adam helps Kate with her babysitting job by playing with the little boy. John has asked her how much money she is going to give to Adam for the help and she says none.
7. Rachel had her 11th birthday! I am still a little surprised when I think that Rachel is 11!
8. Anya is reading a long book. I hope she will enjoy it. 
9. Joseph has so much energy!!!! I think it will serve him well as he gets older, but he sure fits everything classic little boy!
10. Joshua's reading is coming along well.
11. Arwen likes to wear skirts and have her hair in braids.
12. Suzy loves shoes so much that she has slept with them on the whole week.
13. Sam will only let me kiss him. He dodges everyone else when they kiss him. But when I kiss him on one cheek he turns his head so that I can kiss the other. On the other hand, Sam thrives from being cuddled. He wants to be held and cuddled 24 hours day. He expects to sleep in Kate's arms every morning and in my arms every night.

Pictures

Suzy's hair curls a lot when it is humid. It's really cute too.