Winter early 2012

Jan 2: Jonah is reading A to Z Mysteries books. I think he might have read every book in the series by now. His new discovery is Encyclopedia Brown, Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes. Annabelle is reading some of the Fairies books. She enjoys them although they are too short and easy for her. I am reading the Hunger Games, a book Annabelle got for Christmas. I can't put it down!

Jan 6, 2012: Grace kept her room clean, and she did her homework and chores quickly after school. She was motivated by wanting to play with a friend, Mary, who loves around the corner. She called Mary on the phone to see if she could go play. It is just darling to hear a kindergartner talking on the phone, using polite phone manners!

Sat, Jan 7, 2012: Ezra has had a few months with no weekend call (that has been so nice!) but has to do it today. At work all day and all night tonights. He called us tonight. We had "Face Time" with him, said family prayer with him, and said goodnight.

Sun, Jan 8: This morning Jonah and I looked up "How to tie a tie" on youtube. We did a decent job :)

Jan 9 2012: During FHE, Ezra said, "Finn, you're in charge of song. Do you want to go lead the song?" Finn walked right up to the spot, turned around, and started waving his arm! We started singing "Give Said the Little Stream." Finn did a perfect job! He went up several more times during FHE to lead a song again. And again. We sang "Little Cottage in the Wood" and "I am a Child of God." He said, "Gen ong (again song)."

Jan 10: Finn climbed out of his crib! THere is a bookshelf at the end of the crib, and a pink rocker-recliner chair right next to that. Those are his steps to help him climb down. So when he came downstairs I told him to go right back to bed! When he saw me coming after him, he ran back to his bed and climbed back in the same way. This time he stayed and went to sleep.

I've been babysitting infant Adalissa full time. But I quit this month. Feels good to be free.

Jan 20: For wacky day at school, Jonah wore his shirt inside out and backwards. He gelled his hair sticking up. Annabelle wore a ponytail top, front, hanging down over her forehead. She accessorized with 5 or 6 scarves. Also miss-matched socks pulled up over her jeans, and miss matched shoes. Grace had 3 lopsided ponytails. But when I told her no make-up, she threw a fit and pulled her ponytails out.

Jan 26: Susan and Arne came over to attend Annabelle's orchestra concert last night. Today Susan and I joined Olivia for a teddy bear picnic at preschool. Then Arne and Susan went to Van Allen Elementary to have lunch with Grace, then with Annabelle. They tried to visit Jonah's class, but his class was out. They helped in Annabelle's classroom for a while. They gave the kids a ride home, stopped at the store and bought fruit and ice cream for smoothies. Plus ice cream cones. Oh, the kids were all in heaven today! What wonderful grandparents!

Jan 29:  Finn is becoming a helper. He wants to be the one to close the dishwasher or washing machine and push the buttons to start it. He sometimes sees crumb and sweeps them up. Or he opens the garbage can lid for me so I can dump the dust pan. He helps put things away when I ask him. He wants to help stir whenever I'm cooking.