Monday

I tried a Pinterest recipe tonight for dinner. It was called coconut curry chicken and it was really good except I forgot to add the cashews and cilantro and I even bought them so I was bummed! I'll make it again some time and remember. Also now I have to look up a cashew recipe. 

For FHE treat Grace made cookies! Yay! Our lesson was on prayer but we also did a brief public service announcement on what you can do if you see pornography. Sadly it's rampant and we have to talk about it often and openly.

Grace plays with Peter every day.

Jodie sent this from education week. Awesome talking points.

sunday

We've been watching a bit of football lately.  The boys love it.  BYU has had some great games.  In honor of football season I made a football ticker to count down until Dani & Greg and Sierra and the grands come to visit! Can't wait!

This week Joneaux and Deo are coming to visit.

Also a friend of Hannah's, Sarah, just called and told Han that her dad bought her a ticket to come.  We're having lots of visitors coming up!! Yay! 

Church was good today.  My little primary class is really cute.  We are getting ready for the program and I'm looking forward to it.  

Tonight we invited Grandma Joyce and Uncle Bud and Aunt Merretta over for dinner.  It was a very nice evening.  They were happy to come and were great company.  The dinner turned out well, except for a dessert malfunction.  Dani face timed while they were here so they all got to see Marshall and talk to Dani.  

Rob and Hannah went to stake choir practice.  I don't know if they will go again. 

I talked on the phone with Darlaina and Jodie tonight.  For my birthday I got Josh Groban tickets.  We were going to go together, tomorrow night.  Of course now I can't go.  I gave my ticket to Michelle since she's been helping with the house.  (still on track, feeling hopeful).  They will go tomorrow and I will listen to my CD.  bummer. I wish I was going!  

I also talked on the phone with Dad today.  It was fun to chat with him for a few. 

Saturday

We had our first soccer game of the season. I wasn't sure how it would go, we've had a fair amount of soccer practice drama and some disagreements with the coach. Both Senior and Junior ran into some difficulties. It's always hard to have just come from somewhere where you do it one way and then go somewhere where they do it a different way, and where they frankly don't care how you used to do it. 

But that said it was an awesome game! We won 4 to 3! Ethan played keeper the first quarter and Center mid the last half. He had a great game and the whole team had a great game and the coaches were super supportive and enthusiastic. I give it two thumbs up and am looking forward to the rest of the season.

Grace had a friend over to play, her name is Catherine and they are in the same class at school. Yesterday Catherine invited Grace to her house and today we returned the invitation.

Tonight Ethan is having some friends over to watch the game and eat burgers and swim and Hannah is going to a dance.

the DMV

and other scary things.

Today Rob has the day off.  He gets every other Friday off.  It's kind of crazy.  He's always had off Friday's but before this move he never actually got to take them.  So there's that.  It's nice to have the day off.

We started on the garage. By we I mean mostly he.  I haven't wanted to start on it because our house is full and where are we going to put anything else?  I do not know.  Before we started I made a mental list of things we were missing, keeping in mind that there are at least 60 boxes in the garage.  I came up with a list of four.
1. our legos.
2. my beater to the kitchen aid.
3. the piano books.
4 (courtesy of Grace) one of the herd.  A little glass elephant mom and baby are missing.
There was nothing else that we were missing that I could think of.  Yet there sat the 80+ boxes.  I don't know.

So we began.  Rob really wanted to get some cabinets hung and he did that.  I found the legos and the piano books but not the elephant pair or the kitchen aid beater.  We made a pile of things to throw away and another of things we need to find a spot for.  He worked hard and made a good dent.  I worked less hard but I do want it done so I'm glad one of us had our heart in it.

Then I took a break to go out to lunch with a new friend and he got ready to go to the DMV.

Before he left he told me he wasn't expecting a lot of success on  the first visit.  I had to laugh and shake my head at the same time.  It's sad.  We looked up what we needed, as we always do, but like every other trip, to any motor vehicle place, in any state we have lived in, there was incomplete information, and as predicted it will require a second trip.  He did manage to get a new drivers license and that only took 2 1/2 hours.  I am calling it a success.

Normally when we move somewhere I go first.  This is to his great advantage because I am then the one who has to have a repeat visit.  This time my car's registration is not expired in MD and his was, and I have only been here a month and a half and he's been here 4 and a half, so my urgency was much lower and he got to go.  Still my turn will come.  As will his return trip.  (head shaking).

This little bear...

So cute I just want to eat him up!!! 

We had meet the teacher night at the high school with Hannah. Rob and I were both impressed with all the teachers and contrary to all her reports she was greeted by a number of students with hugs and "hi Hannah!"s.

We fed the missionaries dinner tonight. There was a lot of football talk. Elder Boy from Alabama is a big fan, as is Elder Montgomery.

In other news if you are thinking about getting a chinchilla as a pet think twice, or three times even. They stink and are messy. They are cute and soft but ....

Penny Jane is 3!!!

Today is Penny's birthday! I can't believe she's 3 years old! She's so smart and funny and affectionate! Love that little munch! When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday she said "a box of cookies":)

Other amazing things about today is its Hugh Grants birthday and also President Nelson's. It's also the historic day that makes Britans longest monarch ruling Queen Elizabeth 2. Long live the Queen!  Today happens to be national der weinerschnitzel day as well.

I've been binge watching "the office". How have I never seen this show before? So funny!! I love Jim!

I finished my in processing to sub. This means I got to watch the "how to avoid bloodborne pathogens" and "what to do in case of bullying" or "child abuse" videos and some other gems...for like the 5th time.

After school Grace built a Lego Lincoln Memorial and played with Peter.

The big kids have mutual tonight. They are having a swim party/game night and I made rainbow Rice Krispie treats for them to take.

Extracurriculars and settling in

Grace working on homework while Hannah sings with Aimoku

Back to school today on the Monday that is really a Tuesday! Love a short week! 

Hannah came home with tons of homework. She's not very happy about it. 

School updates: Grace is in a 4/5 combo. We tried to get her out but to no avail. It seems to be going okay. She likes her new teacher and has made friends. She has homework each night that she can successfully complete and likes math. I guess it'll be fine.  She reads a lot and watches sciencey things online. I want her to read more and more higher level things so we are working on that.

Ethan is now in 0 period geometry as well as algebra. His classes seem to be fine for him. He doesn't have a lot of homework, but he never has. He reads a book a day. I want him to really be self motivated and to take charge of learning. We aren't quite there but he is agreeable to what we ask him to do.

Hannah has a lot of AP classes and is the least happy about the move. She is upset and wants to home school or online school. We keep encouraging her and insisting that she stay in public school. It continues to be a difficult transition. I feel very sad for her but know that she will be okay. It's just a miserable time to move:(

Besides school the kids are all getting into many activities. Hannah is taking voice and piano and is involved with theater at school and auditioning in the community. This is a lot of good stuff so I hope she'll find a place and feel happy.

Grace has Peter, her chinchilla. She is taking piano and is zipping along! She'll start clarinet in school soon and we have been talking about 4H and/or girl scouts. She also wants to audition for a play.

Ethan is playing soccer and going on scout camp outs. I wanted him to try out for other school sports and he said he wanted to but cross country and volleyball have come and gone and he hasn't tried out.

After school we swim and do homework. Things are becoming routine. I'm looking forward to fall but it's probably not right around the corner.