Grab Bag

Once again I have let myself get behind in my blogging world. I still check out other people's blogs and sadly neglect my own.

Wo unto me! She who procrastinates the day of her blogging will soon be buried by pictures and anecdotes and all will be lost from the mind and heart of she who was gifted with many tender mercies and moments worthy of remembrance of her wonderful family. (Phew, this scripture writing thing is harder than it looks. No way did J.S. write the BoM!)

So, what follows might be long (or not. I can't really remember what all I had planned to blog and didn't. And thus you see the fulfillment of my made-up scripture). Just a friendly warning.

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On the first of the month we geared up for the Big Storm. We were supposed to get a couple of feet, high winds and lots of drifting, starting in the evening. I asked Chris to come home early so I could do the shopping that hadn't gotten done on Saturday (Ian's birthday party day, remember?) and then we would be prepared to be snowed in or whatever. (It wouldn't have solved any problems if we had lost power but we decided we could pile the down and down alternative comforters and sleep in a pile and hope that we didn't freeze.) It started to snow on Tuesday.

On Wednesday we woke up to this:



This is a neighbor using another neighbor's snow blower. It made it to our house soon enough and Chris spent quite awhile working on our driveway.

But really by the afternoon our street had been plowed and life pretty much went on like normal. (Except for the extra care that was needed in the parking lots and side streets as all the plowed snow made for many a blind turn! Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the wheel loader and dump truck team clearing at the pediatrician's office parking lot.)

And when life gives you a lot of snow, make snow cones!
(Yes, the poor kid has a black eye! Slipped and fell and hit the side of his eye on the bench in the kitchen.)

Or eat it out of a dish!

And while Sage enjoyed the snow cone/slushie I didn't get any pictures of her eating it.

I think these make a great substitute and really, what nutritionist wouldn't recommend carrots over icies?

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A couple of weeks ago I finally got to take up a friend on an invitation to inherit some clothes for Sage. I have to admit to being pretty excited since I have seen her little girl stylin' on more than one occasion! And wow, was it a haul! Cute, cute things (mostly for when she is a little bigger) and in styles and colors that I really like. I mean, I won't turn hand-me-downs down, but it is always awesome to get things that I would have picked out myself! Keep your eyes peeled for happen' baby pictures in the future.

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Back around the New Year I was called to be a primary teacher. I teach the 10 and 11-turning-12 year olds. They can be tough but I enjoy teaching kids who can read:)

After many months and lots of waiting Chris finally received a calling. He is the first counselor in the Young Men's organization. It is a calling that he really wanted to so he is happy. " The biggest challenge," he told me, "was that there aren't any young men." (Not totally true but they do only have a handful who come consistently.) He is looking forward to a new challenge and the monthly camping trips.

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After being re-scheduled due to the storm, Chris and I (and all the kids!) went to preschool to meet with Noah's teacher and have a parent teacher conference. I am not completely unfamiliar with these as we had them at his preschool last year too. Still, I had been looking forward to getting a report and seriously chafed at the enforced delay due to weather.

I was looking forward to this not just because I expected to get a good report (although I admit with no shame and just a touch of pride that I did) but to get a better feel for what Noah is like when I am not around, in social situations , in an academic situation, being one in a group of many (18) with only two adults running the show.

I mean did he have friends? Did he talk to them? When I would drop him off he would be hailed by many and responded to none. Was that the way all the time? He has eschewed coloring, drawing and writing his whole life-did he now write letters and draw pictures? Willingly? There are a lot of boys in his class and he is just as happy as the next kid to get rambunctious. Was he well behaved? Did he listen to his teachers? Obey? Was he more self-sufficient at preschool than at home?

Basically, I thought it would go a long way towards calming my already mounting fears about kindergarten.

As we sat down Mrs. Dankle declared, "Well, Noah is just delightful!" There were more details about how well he shares, how easily he can slip in or out of a group and participate in their activity and also how well he can play by himself. He needs to strengthen his hand muscles with more writing and drawing with crayons and cutting straight lines with scissors but he knows his letters and numbers up to 20. Occasionally he will engage in a wrestling match but he listens pretty well when asked to cease and desist. He can write his name (and did so on all 20 Valentines!) legibly (most of the time:).

We also talked about other things. Like my volunteering for a two year position on the Board of the preschool as the treasurer. More on that if it actually happens!

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Sage loves her daddy.

Like the boys, she squeals with delight when he comes home from work. The most pitiful look of betrayal accompanied by open mouth wails of sorrow follow if he doesn't pick her up or passes her by.

Are you still with me? Very impressive but I will ease your pain now and save my trip to TX for another post!