Sister Visit

Sister Barret and Sister Shimitzu have been coming over to teach the kids. Their visits bring an added peace to our home. I know that Hunter and Ellie enjoy their lessons, but I also have found added strength to the messages they share. They always teach in a way that the kids will understand the principles. This week they taught about the restoration using stacking cups. I know that they come for the kids, but I also know that my Father in Heaven sends them with a message of comfort for me.

Each week, Hunter like to show them the improvements he is making on his roller blades. So before they leave, we spend a few minutes outside watching him make the corner from the driveway, dodging people, rocks and occasionally the water hose.

February Collage

Ellie’s science fair, broken toe, snow in Tucson, heart pancakes and eggs, Hunter and pinewood derby

Science Fair

When we thought about taking the kids into our home, we thought hard and long about it and tried to think of the things that would be hard, the things that would be good, things that would bring us joy and the things that might bring sadness. We talked about so many things, but I don’t ever remember thinking about doing a science fair project. When that came up I sort of panicked but luckily for me I am married to a good man, who happens to love science and projects.

Ellie decided on a project that she called “All Wired Up”. She tested wire to see which type would conduct electricity the best. At first, she was not very excited to do the work but she soon found that learning can be fun. She put her board together all on her own and did a great job. Hunter and I went to the school to see her project displayed along with all of the others. We were proud of her effort and her project.

 

Valentine’s Day

We celebrated with a candy kiss countdown starting on the first day of February. Each day we cut off on section of a strip of candy kisses to eat. Then on the 14th we ate heart shaped pancakes and eggs! We haven’t done valentines for so long around here, so it was fun to re-live the old days of making valentines for each kid in your class. Plus, we made valentine’s for the kids parents since their visit was in the afternoon. The kids came home with a loads of valentines to read and treats to eat.

Kelsey was the luckiest of all, Adam sent her roses! Beautiful aren’t they?

Broken?

2013 has not been all that kind to me. It has been a pretty rough start to the new year. The latest being my “broken” toe. I don’t know for certainty that it is broken, because I didn’t go to the doctor because I knew they wouldn’t do anything. Broken or sprained…it HURTS! I did it Friday night, well to be more accurate, it was Saturday morning. I was ripped from my sleep with a leg cramp, and as I jumped out of bed to fix my cramp, I kicked the elliptical that is beside my side of the bed. OUCH!

I cried, put ice on it for the rest of the night, tried to get more sleep and then when morning came, I still had to work at the gem show! It did better than I thought it would. It was freezing, so it felt like it was on ice all day—maybe that helped? Sunday I found some shoes that I could wear for church and then I came home and put my feet up. Today is Tuesday and it is still sore, but I can walk around with hardly any limp.  Now if I can just rid myself of the sinus infection, causing my teeth to ache—I might be able to feel like the normal me again.

These pictures are from Sunday afternoon.

January Collage

Finally getting around to my end of the month photo re-cap for January. I am a little behind on…well, everything. I don’t know if I will ever catch up, but if I don’t then I will just create a new norm!

We had some wonderful rainy days in January that resulted in a beautiful rainbow, kids playing in the rain (than getting sick) and some fun photos around the yard. We watched a potted flower bloom from bulb to beautiful red flower. The top left photo is Kelly and Hunter working on his pine wood derby car.

Not a lot of photo taken in January, not that we weren’t busy—it was mostly emotionally adjustments being made by everyone as we all got used to living under one roof. And I spent about two weeks pretty sick. But we managed to make some good memories along the way.

Favorite Things

As we learn to live together we are finding some or our favorite activities. The kids have been building forts in the backyard and on Sundays they love to play “Settlers of Catan”'.

We are also learning about each other. Hunter has a fun sense of humor and doesn’t mind when you laugh at him. Here he is when he grabbed the vacuum and said he was a ghost buster.

My Hero

These are the hands of my hero. They show the kind of man he is. Loving, king, strong, gentle, talented, capable, service minded, and getting old…love that we are doing that together

Race Day

The day is finally here!

Hunter and his car are ready.

 

We have been looking forward to this day for a while now. We have talked about winning and losing and having fun. Kelly and Hunter left to register the car, getting it weighed and measure to make sure it is within regulation. At the end of the day, Hunters' car came in 4th place overall! Not bad for your first Derby.