My Old Friend, January

 I titled this "My Old Friend, January" with absolutely no sarcasm.  I actually really do love January.  I think I say that every January, and I mean it.  In January there are no extra commitments in the schedule.  It's just life as usual and as it turns out, life as usual is quite lovely. 

Faith helped Abe take down the Christmas lights on the house and as a bonus, she got to check climbing through the small bathroom window off her bucket list.  Other siblings were jealous, indeed.

Brothers jamming--Here's a link.  I am not a fan of video games.  I don't think they are inherently evil (although some are), I just think they are a waste of time.  I am fully aware that much of what I value and enjoy could be deemed a waste of time by someone else who gets a great deal of enjoyment out of video games.  We even have a couple systems and I know my boys really enjoy playing video games.  And I'm well aware that they likely play video games at their friends' houses.  All well and good.  Not a battle I'm going to fight.  But since I'm the mom of this house and this family, I am going to try to entice them into spending their time doing things other than video games.  The sound of the electric guitars and the drum set are literally and figuratively music to my ears.

And CLEARLY, we are spending out time so much more wisely.  

Or not.  I really don't know what they were up to, but I think they were being a lizard army.  So yeah.  

Last Saturday Bethany had online Zoom callback auditions to be a Young Performing Missionary in Nauvoo this summer.  Her audition went very well and now we are all awaiting word on weather or not she will be make it.  

About 350 young people auditioned. Roughly 60 made callbacks and 24 will be selected to be YPMs.  Fingers crossed:) We shall see.

Last Saturday Abe and I had planned to go out to dinner with Clark and Alexa.  In the end, I wasn't feeling well, so Abe just went with them.  Which really was just as well because Abe and Clark had been wanting to go to Joe's Crab Shack, and I don't do seafood.  So everyone was happy, except that I was home sick.  But I was home sick and watching movies in my bed by myself.  So, in fact, I was rather happy.  It was a win-win.  

George got a 3D pen for Christmas-- which is really quite cool.  He's taken to designing jewelry for Greta.  Here is one of her earrings.

And her ring.  Note Greta is wearing yet another kitty shirt.  The other kids tell me I really must stop buying her so many kitty clothes.  For the record, I have no intention of stopping.  

George acquired yet another set of wheels!  He's been saving money for a long time to buy himself a hover board.  He's already a pro and although I have no intention of attempting to ride it--because let's be real, I would definitely injure myself-- it is pretty much the coolest thing ever.

Andrea and James gave us a roast from one of their recently raised and butchered cows.  It was SO DELICIOUS.  I'm still thinking of this meal from two weeks ago.  Must. Have. More. Beef.

These little ones love each other and are beloved by so many bigger people in the house.  They keep us grounded.  They keep us softer.  They cuddle and hug and laugh when bigger kid problems feel too heavy.

I don't know if I've mentioned this on the blog before.  And WARNING:  Obnoxious-mom-brag-moment ahead. 

Greta is totally reading.  She's four.  I don't think any of our kids have read this well, this early.  

And also, I realize it doesn't really matter.  Some read earlier, some later. It may or may not mean anything for what kind of life-long reader/learner they are going to be.  And it has very little to do with me and my efforts.  Keeping that perspective in mind-- it does make for somewhat easier homeschooling in the early years.  So, that's nice.  

And if I may take this moment to give myself  A BIG OL' PAT ON THE BACK for successfully teaching all 8 of my children to read while sitting on these very green couches with this very set of Bob books.  Go me!  

And to save me having to save and keep track of this paper, here is one of Greta's first attempts at writing.  Read from bottom line left to right and then top line right to left:  Is Santa real or not?  

And she is a thinker:)

Puzzle date night with my sweetie.  This is really living.

Cannon puts on a quite an entertaining one man puppet show.  

Elinor entertains us with her alter-ego, Justin.