catching up

Lu working on her theory

Catching up with laundry was the order of the day yesterday.  We did a lot of loads.  I also went visiting teaching, Grace came with me and then got to stay and play with Arden.  Ethan played with John and then in the afternoon a small gang of boys knocked on the door and they both ran out to play soccer.  I watched some of the inauguration on TV.  Even though I do not love our president I do wish him well and pray that he will be wise and I feel blessed that we live in a country where the people chose and the peaceful transfer of power is respected by all. 

When the kids get baptized we always let them choose a restaurant to go out to dinner to.  Since Lu got baptized on a Sunday she didn't go out that night so we went out last night.  She chose Subway.  The most economical choice ever.  We had a fun time at dinner with lots of pleasant conversation.  Then we came home and watched The Work and Glory vol 1 for FHE.

Today I didn't work because I had a doctor appt scheduled.  The annual fun one.  I also did some VT and drove up to Waldorf to meet with my new counselor and give her an orientation.  She is super friendly and talkative and we had a good time at lunch.  I don't know how much orienting I did but we did go over the calendar and she's good to go :), and we laughed a lot. 

Lu tired of practicing

Grace's Baptism

Today was Grace's baptism day.  What a special day it was.  This weekend was stake conference.  Today we got to watch the general session broadcast to our building.  It was a really nice meeting.  Pres. Sakai spoke last and his little girl Lily is only a few days older than Grace so she is also preparing for her baptism.  As a result I think it's been on his mind and his talk was all about baptism.  He did a very outstanding job and I loved hearing about it just before Grace's baptism.  She was so excited she could not sit still all during the meeting. She wiggled and squirmed and asked every minute if it was time yet.  It was a long meeting, but I totally understood.  I remember being so excited and anxious when I got baptized.

A lot of people came to be with us for this special day.  Brother Zawada gave the talk on baptism, Sister Mitchell gave a talk on the Holy Ghost.  Ethan said the opening prayer and Joey Zawada the closing.  Dad did the baptism and confirmation.  I really felt the spirit and am so proud of Grace for choosing to be baptized and wanting to follow Jesus.

After the service we had some of our friends over to BBQ.  The weather was perfect! (50degrees out) and the kids could run and play.  The McCombs, Martines, Davies, Streeters, Marshes and Zawadas came over.  Everyone brought something and we had birthday cake and burgers!

Our birthday girl!  Oh how we love her!!

Now we are enjoying the quiet of the evening.  It was an exhausting weekend.  We had our zoo trip on Friday.  We cleaned and shopped yesterday, plus the stake YW presidency was responsible for feeding 120 people yesterday after the leadership training and before the adult session of conference. That was some work, although all our husbands helped which we were so grateful for!  The food turned out well and everyone was complimentary and full ;)
The session last night was tremendous .  So powerful.  I love the adult session the best.  It's always so inspiring.  The music was fabulous and the talks were great.  I was really uplifted.  We got home late and then got up early this morning to get stuff ready for Lu's big day.  I am pooped...in a good way!

6-2 against a travel team! boo-yah!

cute little pink clad keeper with a clean sheet

Birthday celebration!

 

For Lu's birthday we planned a trip to the zoo.  She got to invite 3 friends and chose Summer, Maggie and Arden.  Unfortunately Summer got sick and couldn't join us.  It was a cold, cold day but the girls were game and we all still wanted to go! I am a big believer in kids being outside.  A little cold or a little hot is just fine. Anyway it was such a fun day.  Ethan spent the day "running around the woods" with Daniel so it was an all girl trip.  We stopped at WaWa for some donuts on the way up and I packed a picnic backpack so we'd have lots of sustenance throughout our day.

The animals were out in droves and we got to see so many up close and personal.  One of our favorites was the pandas.  They were in the house eating and playing and we got to stay and watch them for a long time.  There was a keeper there who was happy to chat with us.  She told us that in the winter the pandas eat the stalks and in the summer they eat the leaves.  Interesting.  We got to watch wolves, and foxes, zebras and the lion maned tamarin. 

The girls had a great time running around, riding the merry go round, and laughing, and talking.  It was really great! 

The best thing was the seals.  This was amazing.  The girls had picked up some short bamboo sticks and were using them as walking sticks.  Well we sat down by the seal tank and were watching them swim by when we noticed that they kept stopping by the stick and putting their nose on it.  I thought that they were probably trained with a stick.  I know this from a) our last trip to the aquarium when the trainers told us that's how they work with dolphins and b) from my reading in preparation to train our little Ziva.  Anyway I told the girls and said, slowly move the stick in a big circle.  Sure enough they responded and we then spent the next 15 minutes, or maybe 10, I am not sure but it was quite a while watching them do flips, race passed us, jump out of the water and otherwise interact and play with us.  It was amazing, really we could not believe our good fortune!

On the way home we stopped at the gift shop and then drove through Chickfila for ice cream cones and french fries.  Lu got some cute elephant gifts.  Laura made the darling crocheted elephant for Maggie to give her, and Arden got her the silver elephant necklace and she chose the erasers and some magnets for herself and I chose the cute change purse.

 

It was a good, good day!

snow day?

It's chilly outside.  Today the talk about town was that we were expecting a "snowmagedon".  In fact the schools closed 2 hours early in preparation for the big event.  So far, as of 9:40 pm, we have seen not so much as a flurry.  Well, we were happy to have the extra hours.  Grace and I went to JCP and bought a pretty dress for her to wear for her baptism and we found one for her to wear to the wedding.  Successful shopping trip!
When we came home John came to play. The boys were very crazy today.  I think it's snowfever.

This evening we went to the store.  The kids and I stopped at the puppy boutique.  We got a fancy new collar.  (because she ate the old one).  The kids wanted to buy her puppy socks and shoes and tons of stuff.  I was strong though and didn't let them :)

Tonight we enjoyed a family meeting.  The topic was how to watch less TV and do your homework on time and be kind to your siblings.  The kids were engaged and agreeable so that was good.  Grace cracked me up...she was cold.  It is a bit on the chilly side inside our house in the winter. 

Last night we took a trip to the temple with Pete and Katherine.  We had a nice time.  We always get along well and enjoyed the drive.  On the way home we stopped at the WaWa for dinner.  I had never eaten there (it's a gas station FYI) and surprisingly they had a large selection and it wasn't bad for a late night stop for food.  Rob got a hot pepperoni sandwhich which he liked and it smelled good so real food is an option.

Had a chat with my new counselor today.  She will get called Sunday and she's exicted to get to work.  Which is good, there is lots of work to do.

7 years 360 days

Grace is almost 8.  I can't say it's flown by.  She's the last and we have savored all the milestones.  She's also a bit of a pill so no day seems particularly fast.  The years sure do though.

Not last night but the night before I went to bed early, Lu was still awake in her bed.  She came and slipped in the covers next to me.  We snuggled and watched a little Downton Abbey until soon we were both asleep.  She's so much bigger than the tiny babe that once lay by my side.  In the dark we whispered to each other, admiring the lovely gowns the ladies worn, talked about the day, laughed at the Z antics. 

Today she turned in her cookie order form.  Her goal was 1000 boxes of cookies.  Mine was a much more attainable 115 boxes.  That's how much you had to sell to earn the stuffed puppy and heaven knows we need another stuffed animal around here.  She easily reached the 115 and then sold some more, then some more.  Pretty soon we were pretty close to the next prize point 175 boxes.  Today she realized she was 8 boxes short so before brownies we made one last push and she got up to 193 boxes.  I think she has a career in sales.

After a short hiatus from piano Lu started back up with lessons today.  She did well and was happy to be back.  I hope she will stick with it.  She really is musical and has a talent for it.

Today in the hall at school I saw her walking back from the nurse with her friend Ava.  Ava had hurt her head.  Lu is nurturing and kind, she is always willing to walk someone to the nurse, or run and get a band aid.

Lu is a writer.  She has book plans and likes to write chapters.  She also has a good brain for math and easily figures out lots of stuff.  I wonder what she'll be when she grows up.

The other day I was talking with Ms Myers, Lu's kindergarten teacher.  She was reminiscing about when Lu was in her class.  She has a book of remembrance that she puts a few notes in each year of funny things she wants to remember about her teaching years.  She told me Lu was in the book.  It was Columbus day and the kids were on the carpet talking about Christopher Columbus.  Ms Myers asked the kids what they knew about him, Lu raised her hand and was the first one called on.  Ms Myers expected her to say he sailed around the world or something like that.  Instead she said "he was a Jew".  Hmmm.  While Ms Myers asked Lu about that interesting fact and how she knew it Ms Knight looked it up on the Internet.  She verified that Lucy was right.  Who knew?  I didn't, and I asked Ms Myers how Lu knew.  She had told her she learned it in church the day before.  She remembers and knows all kinds of interesting things.  FYI: When I looked it up myself the info seemed more speculative than conclusive but maybe he was.

Love my little Missy.

circus dog

Trick #2, unless you count sit and come which she also does.