January 2011 Update

January has been a busy month for us. Jared and I have been working on some new years goals to simplify, organize, exercise, and eat more healthy; and the kids have been busy keeping us busy. Jared finally finished the tile and it is really nice to not be "under construction" anymore. When he is not busy working or doing Elder's quorum he has been studying for the DAT and working on my never ending honey-do list. I was released as a R.S. teacher this month and was called to work with the young girls in Activity days. I like to read when I get any free time, and I had fun hosting book group this month. I've also been working hard to de-junk and organize, which is really difficult with three kids who are sentimentally attached to everything, including tiny scraps of paper. I finally had to resort to organizing while they sleep since they protest everything I want to throw away or give to Good Will--even then, they manage to salvage things from the garbage cans or Good Will boxes.

The kids are happy and busy. Abby loves kindergarten and homeschool. Maddy and Nathan enjoy Playgroup at the church and Storytime at the library. Maddy has been having a hard adjustment in Primary with her new teachers so we have been trying to help her develop more friendships with the girls in her class by having them come over to play. Nathan has discovered coloring and loves it. If I ever get on the computer while he's awake he wants me to print out coloring pictures of McQueen, Mater, or Bobder (that's how he says Bob the Builder).

Here are some random pictures from this month:

Cute picture of the kids all ready for bed on Saturday night.

Here's a picture of a doll I made for my little sister's birthday when I was just 4 years old. My mom saved it all these years because she was so impressed.

Nathan trying on Abby's roller skates.

The girls were super excited to finally get some snow this winter. Nathan wasn't sure what to think of it at first, but the girls were so excited he decided it must be a good thing. Abby was even more excited when they canceled school for 3 days.
Here's their snowman. For the next few days before it melted Nathan would look out the sliding glass door and wave and say "Hi snowman."
Abby has gotten to be a really good reader. Jared found her reading to Nathan and Maddy one day and couldn't resist taking this picture.
For FHE one night we made apple pie. The kids loved eating "apple snakes" (the peelings) and Jared made a CTR and a I love you hand on the crusts.