Chore Day

I have been trying very hard to get my kids to do more chores.  We have a crazy schedule, and I am tired after working all week.  I can usually keep up with the house most of the time, but by Thursdays it is a wreak!!  We tend to make Fridays our chore day.  Sometimes we will all pitch in on Thursday nights and start in Claire's room, and move throughout the house until everything is semi picked up.  It helps to make my life easier.  Each kid has been assigned a bathroom to keep clean, and I supervise as they clean it once a week.  It has made my life so much easier.  The thing that has surprised me the most is how clean Claire keeps her room.  When her and Owen shared a room it was always a mess, and I always thought it was Claire, but now that they have separate rooms Owen's is always a mess, and Claire's is clean.  I have started having them help me clean the kitchen floor on Saturday mornings.  I am hoping that it will help them try to keep it a little cleaner.  It is always nice to have the help, especially now that they are so willing.  I know the day will come when they won't want to help at all.

Random Cuteness

This is what happens when a two year old finds a black marker.  He was so proud of himself!

Ava at 7 months old sitting up.  She loves playing with this piano, it is one of her favorites, and one of Grants favorites still.

Just so cute, I couldn't help myself!

The Newest Member of our Family

I have wanted a piano for a long time.  I seriously steeped up my searching around Christmas time.  I'm not really sure why, but I just felt like it was time to start looking.  Claire is at the age where she needs to start piano lessons, and Chad knows that once I decide to get something I won't stop until I find it.  I found quite a few pianos on Craigslist, but they sell so fast.  One sold within 6 hours.  I kept looking, and I found this piano right here in town.  I went the next day and we bought it.  It needs to be tuned, but will be a great piano for us right now.  I don't have to worry about it getting dinged, or about them ruining it.  It will be a great beginner piano, and I can't wait until she starts lessons this summer. 

Swim Lessons

Owen has been very patient waiting for his turn to do something.  Claire is in dance and is constantly busy.  Owen happily rides in the car to every place we go, and doesn't complain.  I decided that it was time for him to get a chance to do an activity by himself.  We picked swimming together.  He was so excited.  I picked the 6:00 time first, but on the first day we saw that his cousin Lilly was in the class right before him, and no one else signed up.  They were happy to change his time, and it was so much fun for them to get to spend some time together.  He did great in his class.  He loved to jump in, and to dive.  He is as fearless as ever.  He can't wait for his next class to start, but I don't think it will be until it is a little warmer.

January

I've decided that this year I would like to journal more.  I always share important events, but sometimes neglect to share the little moments.  January always seems to be a slow month for our family, which is nice especially after Christmas.  It is always nice to get back into our routine.

I started preschool up again, and everything went smoothly.  Owen was thrilled to see his friends, and Claire was happy to start school again too.  It worked out great that Chad had an extra week off school, so he was able to help me shuffle kids around, and watch them when it worked out.  My babysitters kids got sick, so it was such a blessing.

Chad started school again, and seems to be doing well.  He is taking Calculus 1, 2 Engineering classes, and then a couple of 1 credit classes that he needed as fillers.  So far so good.  I was nervous for his Calculus class, but he doesn't seem to think it is so bad.  That is why he is taking it, and not me.

Claire was happy to go skiing again, and enjoyed her time.  Owen always amazes us, and this month decided that he would like to start reading.  He can sound words out, and is writing them.  He is one smart cookie.  Grant is in love with the Leap Frog Letter Factory, and has learned all his letters and their sounds.  It is fun to ride anywhere with him because he points out the windows and yells letter names and sounds.  It is amazing what he knows.  He also started speech, which is going well.  I am learning a lot about how to help him.  Ava decided that she would finally like to sit, and she is quite good at it.  The kids are still in love with her, and help me take care of her which is very nice.

Boys Day Out

Owen was very sad one day when Claire went to play at the neighbors house, and he couldn't go.  I tried to make the situation better by calling his friend Issac and seeing if he could come over.  It just so happened that his mom was just leaving the house and almost driving by our house when I called them.  He was thrilled to have someone over to play.  I thought it would be fun to have them make cookies so we picked snickerdoodles.  It was so funny to watch.  They were very meticulous at first, but when they were finished I found those rather large cookies rolled in sugar.  I fixed them, and we popped them in the oven.  It was a fun activity for the boys, and a good afternoon.

Daddy Daughter Date Night

Chad was thrilled when I told him that he needed to take Claire on a date skiing. It didn't take much convincing. Claire tried skiing last year, and loved it!! She is very good too, which helps. Last year we had to drag her onto the slope, this year she didn't want to sit down long enough to eat a sandwich. She was also happy that her "ski teacher," our friend Hal Jensen happened to be skiing the night Chad and Claire went. They had a great time, and Claire is counting down to the next ski trip.