phew!

The house is clean, the bags are packed, the boarding passes are printed! We are about to head west for a fun visit with the family. We have been looking forward to this for a very long time. I am ready to be done worrying about all the prep and just be on our way! My biggest fear now is Waverly getting sick on the plane. I bought dramamine and totally plan to drug her. Prayers for a vomit free plane ride! We borrowed portable DVD players from friends so the kids have movies to watch. They also have their game boys and ipods. Sure beats the old fashioned way of entertainment on a plane or car!

All my lists have been checked off so we are ready to go. See you soon!

First Date

Last night we had a family in our ward over for dessert, and last minute before we leave the state Home Teaching. They have 5 kids, 3 girls and 2 boys. Their oldest daughter just turned sixteen and had her first date. Guess who her first date was? Her father! What a sweet, fun tradition. That is their thing, the first date for each kid will be with the parent. He took her to dinner at a nice restaurant and then to a movie. We think this is such a neat idea that we are going to make it our first dates as well. So lucky me, I will get 4 first dates!

Observation and Question of the Week

 

 

Madsen and Sullivan have been away at Scout Camp this week. My house feels quite empty without them. Everything seems easy to do with only three kids, although I do find myself wanting to leave to go do something and remembering that I would have to take the 3 kids, so I stay home. There are a lot of things that can wait until Monday, when the bigs are back! But- the most interesting observation of the week is this: Declan and Cannon fight with each other. Declan and Cannon fight less when Madsen and Sullivan are gone. Madsen and Sullivan very rarely fight with each other, so why oh why do they cause the other two to fight?

Not so little any more

 

 

 

 

Today is Madsen's 14th birthday. He has grown into a nice, smart, good and fun young man. He is a joy to have around.He enjoys reading like few people I have ever known. The boy always has a book in his hand. I have to tell him to put books a way and do his work. I think the last several years (like 12) he has been given books for birthday presents. He likes theatre and had a great time being part of his middle school spring musical this year. He enjoys sports and is going to be trying some new ones in high school this year. He plans to run on the cross country team in the fall and wrestle in the winter. It will be fun to watch him discover and develop new talents. He is helpful at home and loves his little sister. It is hard for me to believe that he will be in high school in the fall. So many new adventures to be had! We do so love this boy and we are grateful to have him in our family.

Summer Cross Country

I just dropped Madsen off for his first summer run with the high school cross country team. He looked scared to death and I can not blame him! I can not think of many things that would scare me more than being dropped off with a group of strangers and being told to have fun. The coach seemed nice. He did not particularly look like a runner. I am anxious to hear if he runs with the kids. My cross country coach did every single work out with us. That may be a rare thing. There were a lot of kids. A couple of boys who looked young and scared like Madsen. Oh how I hope this will be a good experience for him. Not just today, but for the next four years. I hope he will make friends. This is part of why he is doing this. To meet kids before school starts and to be part of a team. After running they are going to the swimming and then having pancakes at the home of one of the girls, she just happens to be in our ward. It should be fun. I have butterflies in my tummy for him. I just hope he does not come home and tell me he hated it and does not ever want to go back.

A report back:

He did have a good time and met some nice boys. One older boy was particularly kind and asked him lots of stuff and made him feel comfortable. He said he ran by himself because he could not keep up with the others. The coach did not run, I belief Mr. Howard was a rare kind of coach! He is looking forward to running with the team again when we get back from vacation. I also imagine that when school starts there will be more kids. Overall- a good day! And, I think cross-country kids make good friends because they are not your stereotypical athlete, you know, dumb and arrogant! I think it will be good. And yes, cross country smells different in NC, but I have smelled it!