The Summary since School Started

(So this is how I show off my amazing family pictures.  You need to have Randi --click on her name to go to her site--take your pictures if you live here.  She’s the best.  She also travels a ton and takes pictures on the road, so if you are in Southern California, Utah or Seattle…chances are you could have pictures this cute, too.)

Let’s just start with me:  I am so on top of my game. 

   

Is that obnoxious to say?  After being pregnant, and adding a kid to our family, and having 5 children running wild all summer, and having a husband out of a job for a few weeks…I feel like I’ve earned it. 

The mornings are crazy, but once the big kids are out the door, I put Faith down and Seth watches a movie AND I ACTUALLY CHECK STUFF OFF OF MY TO-DO LIST!  I’m enjoying the kids, losing weight, reading my scriptures, and straightening the house once in a while(okay, just the bottom floor).  I feel more in control of my life than I have in 2 years, and while I know it’s a phase, I’m relishing it.

Ryan’s loving his job. 

   

Frankly, the longer he’s there, the more of a miracle it seems to me.   That he found a job down the street, in this economy, where he’s valued and making a contribution, is amazing and such a blessing.  He works a ton, plus started his MBA program (why stop going to school?  Ever?) and is still doing the city council thing, but Ryan’s best when he’s wearing himself out. 

Emma is loving her teacher and doing well at school. 

She’s taking violin at the middle school.  Apparently actually having the instrument is optional, since it’s not made it to the lesson a few times.  She has some good friends (though at a recent party, she was worried about fitting in with some girls that “are more popular than me”) and is entering our area’s “Reflections” contest, after being highly praised by her summer art teacher.

Continuing the theme, Gabe seems to be happy in school. 

His teacher is fun, his cousin Mallory sits next to him in class, his broken toe healed and he’s reading like a champ.  He keeps begging me to put him on swim team, but I’m wondering if we can handle another thing.  He continues to be my kid who does a job fast, no procrastinating homework or chores (which is nice) but not necessarily thoroughly.  We’ll take what we can get.

Jane, while enjoying first grade, seems to forget that school starts at 9:00 am EVERY DAY

--the wailing “It’s not my fault!!!  I’m not ready!!! Wait for me!!!” starts at about 8:45.  She also seems a little fuzzy on the homework concept as well.  The reading gets done, but not recorded.  The homework is completed, but sitting, week after week, at the bottom of the closet.  Luckily, she continues to just exude fun.  I listened to her conversation with Ryan at bedtime last week and the whole thing was peppered with: “Isn’t that fun!” or “I love…” or “Ha ha! That’s so funny!”

Seth is the funnest age ever: 4. 

It’s like Heavenly Father makes them especially easy, hilarious and companionable, right before they leave you for kindergarten.  He talks ALL THE TIME.  Really, ALL THE TIME is no exaggeration.  His preschool teacher, at pick up time last week, said to me: “You were right.  He is one fun kid.”  My friend Calie, who is 21, commented the other day, when we ran into her at the mall: “I want Seth to be my life coach.  I’ve never seen him not happy.”

Faith never stops moving. 

Sacrament meeting is a complete workout: up, down, hit your head on the pew, crawl to the next pew, mess up their church bag, come back, eat string cheese, spit it out, yell at the baby behind you, lunge for Ryan, lunge for mom, take your shoes off, etc. etc. etc.  She has a fifth tooth, which has been making her crabby.  And she’s been pretty insistent when she needs attention—which, let’s face it, is necessary in this family.

We’ve enjoyed fall

 

—heading up to the apple festival at Greenbluff, baking a ton of treats, hanging out as much as possible with the cousins (and Grandma Nut, who’s here right now), and soaking up the end of the nice weather. 

It’s good right now.  Once in a while…it can be really good.