Heather's Reflections painting with 1st place ribbon!!! Way to go Heather! Heather's class picture.



Wednesday Feb 20th
Lazy day at home, Heena’s piano lesson went well, she is starting to like Jazz, she played her violin, and I played the piano with her. Starting to compose her own songs. Little Autumn is experimenting with walking backwards, still trying to potty train James, it seems to be a long process.

Thursday Feb 21st
Heather brought back her reflections picture today – she got 1st place! Everyone in her class crowding around to see her painting, and praise her. It is titled “Planting Flowers”. Reflections theme this year was I can make a difference by - – Heather’s painting was around making a difference by planting flowers in the sun where they can grow, showing others beautiful things – like the silver lining on clouds, and being a friend to everyone – represented by the daisy chain framing the picture. We will have to go celebrate her success!

Friday Feb 22nd
Doug woke up with a headache, let him take the van, then remembered I had visit teaching appointments. Biked Heather to school, then back home, then biked over to Karen R’s home – a nice ride, cloudy out so not too hot. Had a bit of a “Red Tent” discussion at Karen’s house. I have always been healthy, so have never had to pay much attention to what I eat, or balancing medications. I guess I should start paying more attention, at least to what Doug is taking. Biked back home, did some laundry. Called Janessa, Ed was working at the PB factory, so I talked Janessa into watching our kids rather than staying home alone – Doug was able to get home at 2:00 – just in time to pick Heather up from school. Susie was going to pick us up, pick Heather up, then take all of us to our next VT appointment – luckily Susie got a call that made her late – Doug drove up right as Susie did – so doug was able to get Heather and watched the kids while Susan and I went VT to Karen J’s. Nice to go VTing without kids. Came home, dropped kids off at Janessa’s and went to the temple. Rush hour traffic so we did not make the 5:00 session – got there at 5:00 without enough time to change – ended up doing sealings for an hour, then made the 6:00 session. A little bit different session… reminders that we now have a new president...

Saturday feb 23rd
Went to quilting class this morning with Heather, and learned how to make the block for the upcoming quilting bee. I have never had much patience for detail, one for practicality rather than looks. Susie talking yesterday about who the quilts went to though, they go to people who deserve something nice. Spent rest of day doing laundry, yard work, grocery shopping, while Doug worked on moving everything over to the new study. Slow process to get everything moved over, but it will be so nice for James to have his own room. We ordered pizza for dinner.

Sunday Feb 24th
We got a new bishop today – Brother Maranto – I know his wife from the book club, Daxon, their youngest, is a kindergartener with Heather, we have babysat him a few times. They are from Colorado too. He will make a good Bishop. Brother Davis was only our Bishop for 5 months before having to move to the middle east like so many others from our ward. Strange for him to be called, and then have to be released so soon – but there were reasons. Elizabeth just had surgery, so brother Maranto was needed at home for the last couple of months. Played piano in RS, then spent gospel doctrine walking around with Autumn, walking around outside of building, and inside. Back home, made pancakes and eggs for dinner on grany’s pig dishes. Our traditional Saturday morning pancakes have been moved to Sunday night pancakes lately.

Picts of room – and of Heather’s unicorn plates – Thanks RuthAnne!

Sunday Feb 10th
Doug was able to get to his meeting this morning. Taught Heather’s class again, lesson on families. They were a little better today. Doug came in for part of it and helped me get them settled. Brought in valentines candy to bribe them to sit down etc… Had a nice nap at home.

Monday Feb 11th
Doug home with a headache  Back to school, Pam called, tracked down missionaries in Oklahoma city to give grandson a blessing, turned out well, missionaries were able to talk with another family in the hospital. FHE.

Wednesday Feb 13th
Lots of roofers coming through – trying to figure out which company to use is a hard choice… Large range in pricess. Trying to figure out what color to use. In the long run, it does not really matter… should not spend so much time on such frivolities… Heena’s piano lesson – Ami adorned me with one of their forehead stickers.

Thursday Feb 14th
Happy Valentines’ Day! Doug got cards for all the kids, they had LOTS of candy – BIG marshmallow suckers from grandparents, candy from school, from Doug, from me – lots of candy. Heather’s party at school was pretty crazy – Mrs. Welch had to stay home, substitute unable to handle kids on too much sugar. Heather was happy though!

Friday Feb 15th
Mary’s B-Day at Bear Branch park. Little James very excited, got her a “King” racing car. Doug home sick – worked from home.

Saturday Feb 16th
Granny and Grampy’s 70 wedding anniversary! Welfare meeting wit Irene – 3 hours long, learned about lots of really great programs – good website provident living.org… Afterwards went to a music shop, Doug working on the room at home – it is never done – but I think done enough to start moving stuff in – it will be fun to get James his own room!


Sunday Feb 17th
The kids and Doug still a little sick, they stayed home and I was able to go to church all on my own. I missed having them there with me, but enjoyed being able to concentrate on the lessons/talks. Talk on faith, Max J gave a talk on patriarchal blessings, that they are our Liahona, and went through the blessings of Manasseh and Ephraim – also talked about the 12 tribes in gospel doctrine class… that Ephraim was told to have lots of children, same blessing as Abraham – and that we are literally them, we are decedents of Ephraim… Ephraim’s job to gather the lost tribes...

Came home, spent some time outside, kidsplaying in the sandbox, swinging Autumn, cleaning out the pool. We hung up a windchime on the porch (I got for grandparents, but did not get in the mail on time) it sounds really nice, but I don’t know that we get enough wind for it to ever go on its own… Finished reading “Christy” by Catherine Marshall – a really good book.

Monday Feb 18th
Stayed up late last night on forums, went to RS meeting this morning, but skipped out on the blogging class – I really felt bad driving away, I should have stayed… My excuse, the kids still a little sick, house a mess, etc… really I was just tired, went home and took a nap. I need to get myself on a schedule, and not skip out on things – there will always be an excuse not to go to things, and if I do not go, I will miss out on friendships… Nicole’s thought for this morning by Faust I think – something along the lines of every moment you are making choices for what to do, like drips of water each carving out a little piece of the grand canyon, one by one, drip by drip… sometimes you just look to big goals instead of the little choices that make us who we are… Doug came home sick with a headache, so we did not do FHE  Went grocery shopping, watched Daxton, Started reading Twilight. Stayed up pretty late reading / Doug up with headache…

Tuesday Feb 19th
Glitch in taxes – our homestead exemption was under previous owner’s name, so now they took away the exemption for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 – so we owe around $500 extra taxes… Seem to remember there being some questions about filling paperwork… we will see. I was really tired – Janessa and Pam came over for about 2 hours, hope they did not notice how tired I was. Doug took van to work, so we rode bikes to/from school. Cold out in the morning – Heather and I both had on flip-flops / sandals, so our toes were red and cold when we got to school. I at least found a pair of big floppy red gloves for Heather to wear on the way though.