Well now.

I'm not even going to write the obligatory bit about how long  its been. I find myself  posting bits and pieces on   Facebook because its quicker than posting here.  It is what it is.

Life has been just jetting along.  Here it is March and Ned is half way through his kindergarten year.  He has learned about 20 sight words and it is so exciting to see him learning so quickly and at a school that pushes him to his potential.  He (and we!) love his teachers and enjoy seeing his success.  Ned has such a smiley personality and he loves to learn. He loves his teacher and school.  I'm so grateful for a situation like this that even though it is strict, still is able to foster a feeling of fun and enjoyment of learning at school.  He has recently learned to ride a 2 wheel bicycle. It wasn't that hard.  He has had a balance bike for a while and the other day Grandpa pointed out that he was riding his normal bike and the training wheels were only touching the ground when he had to make turns. And they were just in the way. And then one broke this weekend and we took the other one off and, well, he is riding a 2 wheeler all over the place.  He is looking forward  to spring soccer and did great in the fall. Dad coaches his team and Ned loves it.  Milt loves it too, he is a good coach.

Nolan has been doing great as well.  He is currently on a talking streak. he talks and talks. but its hard to know what he is saying all of the time.  I am thinking quite hard about a speech therapist for him. Still undecided.  he is still a sweet boy with a stubborn streak.  Very gentle and kind, but when things are just not going his way he collapses on the ground and pouts.  he has taken  to wearing baseball hats all over the place just like Dad.  Its pretty cute.  He also says "B I U" which is of course BYU, he just doesn't say Y yet.  He has figured out his Dad's obsession.  He has also started a very helpful spurt lately.  He will hang out in the kitchen with me and put away ingredients for me as I cook.

He and Quinten go to Preschool  on Tuesdays and Music class at Aunt Jenn's  house on thursdays.  They went for the first time last week and ever since Quinten has been telling me its time to go to music class.  He can't wait for next time. 

Quinten has been trying to learn to sit still.  he is getting better, but he still tends to be that one kid in primary who pops up and has to go and talk to the teacher at the front.  We will continue to  work on that.  Quinten talks a blue streak and is very insistant.  he still sucks his thumb which on top of other things has caused teeth problems.  Poor kid has had 3 tooth abcesses over the past 4 months.  Sadly when that happens with baby teeth they pull them. Luckly though there were a few early molars ready to pop up and come right in. so he isn't suffering that I can tell.  He now gets his teeth brushed with a Sonicare 2x a day because that is cheaper than paying for all of the dental  work.  He breezed through his dental coverage last year. Yikes! He is also working on riding a 2 wheeler.  He knows how, but stopping and starting are his challenge right now.  I think he will get it fairly soon. 

All of the boys have been helping with some baby chicks we got at the end of january.  We have a total of 27.  they boys named one Jacky, and another Pumpkin. however I have no idea how to tell which one is Pumpkin. there are several with the same coloring that it could be.  I think the boys have the same problem and just grab the one that looks right and call him Pumpkin.  We just moved the chicks out to the chicken coop today. they had been living in the greenhouse, but boy was it getting smelly!

The greenhouse has been planted for about a week or so now  and I'm grateful to be able to go in there and not have to watch for chicks.  Last week all 3 boys were in there with me so it was 4 people and 27 chicks in a 6x8 greenhouse with shelving. yikes.


Cecilee has been going to stake dances lately. yes, she is that old.  She has several friends that all go with her and they seem to have a fun time  She has danced with boys several time and I think she enjoys hanging out with her friends.  She has just recently started reffing soccer games on the weekends. She comes home sore and tired, but I'm glad that she is able to have a job so young. She has yet to get paid, but I'm looking forward to that so she can see what hard work gets you. She is working hard in school and piano.  She has soccer starting in a few weeks. She did fall basketball for her school and that was fun for her.

Mia has been working hard in school also.  she loves to go to her friends houses and endures piano  practice and housework.  She enjoys playing with her brothers when they get to go outside and play.  She enjoys animals of all sorts and singing  and playing Minecraft.  She also loves to read. She stays up to late reading in bed.  She is not looking forward to Spring soccer, but here it comes!

Milton and I are swimming as hard and as fast as we can keeping everyone going in the right direction.  He has been driving Cecilee to her Reffing gigs and since they are usually so far out he will stay.  Yesterday he dropped her off and watched for a little while and then snuck away and hit a bucket of balls at the golf course. first time in a few years at least.  I was glad  that he could do that.  he has been working hard out in the yard spraying fruit trees, maintaining trees and bushes, and all that sort of fun stuff.

I've been keeping busy doing stupid stuff like driving the kids to and from school 3-5 times a day depending on the day.  I also clean the house, do laundry, and for an  encore, do it all again the next day! I attempted and failed to learn how to make tamales.  I however succeeded on learning how to make Gone with the Wind pudding as well as homemade Tapioca pudding.  Not bad if I do say so myself!  I'm flirting with quilting, but I've gotten to the point that we pretty much have as many blankets as we can use so why make more ? Its my practical  side stopping me. I feel the need to have a creative outlet, so I'm not sure if I'll give in and continue to quilt or if I'll stop and move on to something else.  I guess we'll see.

you know lately I've been  reading about how we only put the bright and  shiney bits  of our lives out there and how destructive it can be. So here are a few not so great things.  Beware,  it can be gross and awful.
Quinten sucks his thumb and picks his nose at the same time. he's multitasking  ! :)  One finger in the mouth one up his nose. 
 Nolan, well i already tattled on him about how mellow he can be until its all tomuch and he just can't take it anymore and collapses on the floor and is mad.
Ned likes to torture his brothers.  He is learning to not hit them, which of course means that he does  he is a good torturerer.  But i do need to mention that when he isn't teasing, he and the boys are quite good friends.
Toilet flushing, well, that is a struggle for all of my crew.  Yuck.
Cecilee well, I won't embarass her or Mia with this.  Lets just say they fight with each other  and sometimes they get  along.They like to tattle on each other. Heck they all like to do that. As a mother i find this part of my job most unsatisfactory.
I guess that leads to me. I'm a whiner.  I'll admit it.  Also, I tend to obsess about things I can't change.  And that drives my husband up the wall. So I'm working on that.  And then their are the times I get judgey.  But that is probably enough for today, so we'll leave it there, ok?