A little bragging

It's my blog so I guess it's okay to do a little bragging about my two middle school children. We had student led conferences on Wed. This is something kind of new to the middle school. They started it last spring and have continued this year. Each of my kids had compiled a portfolio of their work, grades and evaluations from each class. Then at the conf. they shared their portfolio with me. I am very lucky and my first 2 children are very good students. They are responsible and conscientious about their school work. They are both almost straight A students (each one has one class keeping them from straight A status.) I am very proud of both of them!

Best and Worst

So, this evening I asked Justin what is the best thing in your life right now? After a little discussion about why I was asking him that and what did I mean, he answered the best thing in his life right now is when he doesn't have any homework (that is very rare this year) and the babies.
The worst thing in his life right now is school.
Then he asked me the same questions. My answer for best is my family and for worst is doing laundry. Laundry day really gets me into a bad mood.
What are the best and worst things in your life right now?

A good haircut

Don't you just love it when you get a good hair cut? I went to my favorite stylist today and told her what I needed - something fresh. Of course, I'm not brave enough to really do something new although I'd really like to do it sometime. I went back to one of my old standards, kind of a long bob with layers. She blew it dry, straight and curled under. My hair looked so nice when she was done. Now if it could just like nice every day but it won't because 1 - don't have time to do it (or the patience) 2 - don't know how, I'm just not coordinated enough to use a blowdryer and round brush at the same time.
Of course I loved my haircut but you should hear the comments from my family
"You look weird" - 9 yr old son
"I liked it better before" - 12 yr old daughter
"what did you do to your hair?" - husband
It used to bother me, these comments, but now I just figure I feel better about myself and who cares what they think.

Catching up

I'm not really back in the habit of posting regularly. I'll try to add that to my goals.
I'm into a To Do List lately. For the last 3 weeks I've written out a list on Sunday of things I want to do the coming week. It has been a great thing and I've gotten a lot done. I am getting a little obsessed about it though. Last week I didn't do fun stuff because I wanted to finish this list. So this week I've put fun stuff on my list. It feels so good to cross things off that list. I've got a bit of cleaning on there, clutter clearing, paperwork, and fun on there this week.
I was dreading the kids going back to school but it's actually been kind of nice. My days are actually a little less complicated. I seem to get more done while my helpers are away.
I took my boys clothes shopping yesterday. We went to Mervyns and I spent a fortune for 2 boys. Hopefully that will do them for a while.
I had a great day with the babies. I guess I can't call them babies anymore. THE TODDLERS! It is so much fun to watch them walking down the hall together. They love to explore and they love to get into EVERYTHING! Nothing is safe anymore. It's new enough that it's still cute all that they are doing but that is going to end soon, I'm sure.
We went to story time at the library. They liked it but it was quite a challenge for me. It's hard to keep track of two little walkers - esp when they are going different directions. Jared kept walking up to the front and taking the flannel board story down. And it was difficult to get to him fast enough since I had Kamryn on my lap or was going a different direction. Next time I'll have to break out their new back packs (leashes really).
The bad thing about my kids being back in school is the HOMEWORK! My 8th grader has really been slammed this year. My 7th grader is doing okay but it took her almost a month to turn in her disclosure for gym ( how hard is that?) . I finally had to threated her with cleaning out the basement window wells if she didn't turn it in. It worked -she did it. I guess I know what to threaten her with now.
And my 3rd grader - life is way too hard for him now. I don't know if WE'RE going to make it through 3rd grade.
Well, there's a bit of what's been going on lately.

20 years

Saturday night I went to my 20 year high school reunion. This was the first reunion I've been to. Our five year was on the day I got married and I was living in Tucson for the 10 year. So I was really looking forward to going this time. At $75 a person I didn't even invite Paul to come. I didn't go to his and he didn't really want to come to mine (although he would have if I wanted him to).
I had a good time visiting with lots of people there. At first it was a little embarassing to not remember people's names and have to look at their nametag but then realized everyone was doing that. It was fun to see how people had changed, esp the guys, or had not changed, a lot of the girls.
It was disappointing to not have any type of program or welcome from the committee. The DJ was terrible, in my opinion - he played yucky music of today and way too loud.
I enjoyed visiting with people but it sure would have been nice to have really talked with some people and talk about what we've really done in the last 10 years. Mostly it was - where do you live and how many kids do you have?
I look forward to the 30 year reunion and hope more people come.
PS For phots of the event, go to Paige's blog

Photos

I put that first photo on and then haven't done any since. I finally went through my photos on my camera from camping and our trip back east so I'll add one from each event. I wanted to take a good family photo on our big trip and this was the only photo we got - in front of the DC temple. I had planned to use it for our Christmas card picture this year but Justin and Brooke said no way.

A Great Day

Yesterday I flew to Phoenix with Paul for the day. Since he flew so much over the last year he earned a companion pass on Southwest. So, I can fly with him anytime during the next year for FREE!!!! How awesome is that?
I had a whole day to myself to do whatever I wanted ! I loved it !!
I went to Kohl's and Mervyns to try and find something to wear to my 20 yr high school reunion. I enjoyed just leisurely wondering around both stores without children or worrying about getting back to a sitter.
I visited with several friends, went to lunch at Cheesecake Factory, visited my kids' teachers from there and went to dinner with our bishop and his wife. (we left 15 minutes later than we planned to go to the airport and just squeaked on the plane before they closed the doors).
I can't wait to do it again and see more friends the next time I go - in October.

Funerals

I went to the funeral today of my great uncle "Dick." I saw him a lot at my grandparents while growing up. If you didn't go right up to him the second you came in the door and say "Hi, Uncle Dick" then you were in big trouble with him and he'd let you know it. So, I went mostly because I wanted to and a little because I'm afraid if I didn't go that when I got to Heaven (hopefully Heaven) he would be all mad and I'd hear about it.
Anyway, I think funerals are so interesting (when it's someone who is old and it's their time to go). I learned so much about my Uncle Dick today and it was great. I learned that he didn't go by his real name and my uncle once teased him about his real name and Uncle Dick got mad and twisted his arm and the two families involved didn't see each other for a long time. My Uncle Dick dated my grandmother before his brother (my grandfather) did. I also learned that he was a great record keeper and made scrapbooks for his grandchildren. What a neat gift to them.

A Good Cry

I stayed up late Sunday night finishing a good book. It was the first book I'd read in a long time. It was "My Not So Fairy Tale Life" by Julie Wright. It's an LDS book (if that bothers you than never mind reading it). I really enjoyed it and bawled my eyes out. It taught some very good gospel principles and I think all young women should read it. Now I can start my book club book "The Princess Academy."

Teaching YW

We haven't been to our ward in a month - what with 2 baby blessings and then 2 Sundays on our trip back East. We are all excited to be back to our home ward. So, I get to teach the Beehive class for the rest of the month. Tomorrow's lesson is entitled "Personal Purity through Self-Discipline." The title sounds very overwhelming but it is actually a very good lesson, I think, and one that I really could work on. Hopefully the Beehives will find it interesting. Wish me luck.