Potty training and other updates!

Writing in my blog was first on my to do list today, but then I went on a walk with Clare at 9, Visiting teaching to Sister Clark at 10:30, met Sister Ames and Sister Dibble (with Sister Clark) at McDonald's at 11:30 then didn't get home until after 2:00 because Archie was having so much fun running around in circles with his friends.

The big news for the week is that Archie isn't wearing diapers anymore.  He was doing okay, but then today didn't do very well because we weren't just at home.  He is still insisting that he is a baby (we're going on 4 weeks of him yelling that to us at every opportunity) so it doesn't leave much for the incentive of being a big boy.  Chocolate is the only incentive that we have at the moment.

Charles is feeling much better now.  He was down and out for about 10 days, but then went back to school and has had 100% seminary attendance since the operation.  He has also started track practice so I think he is finally back to normal.  The main reason we did it was to help him sleep better, but he hasn't noticed if that worked or not because his throat still gets really dry at night and so that wakes him up.  Did I mention that he got on the fall/winter track at BYU Idaho?  He seems like he really might end up going there, which is somewhat surprising.  He is also still in contact with the cross country coach at BYU Hawaii so he might end up there.  Either way, he'll be with Mormons!  So we're glad that that seems to be the path he is choosing.  Perhaps he can get really inspired and be ready to go on a mission next year when he turns 19! 

Lucy's cheerleading season ended this past week with the big staff vs. student game.  It was a really exciting game and Mr. Christian and Mr. Reeves were the referees.  Mr. Christian always asks about Ella and Charles and never fails to tell me what nice kids I have.  Aaaah.  So I am so thankful for my kids  being wonderful so that I can get nice compliments like that.  Lucy is turning 14 this week!  That seems much older than 13.  She is planning a get together with some friends on Saturday afternoon so that should be fun.

Ibby is super sweet, of course.  Well, she is getting a little bit more saucy, but that is to be expected -- especially when she is being goaded by Lucy and Phin all the time!  I am leading her recess readers group at school so that has been fun.  They're reading the first book in the Series of Unfortunate Events so last week I had them find a big word that they didn't really know.  We defined it and then had them write a haiku using that word.  Some of the kids thought it was boring and dumb, but our clever Ibby and her friend Kimmy wrote excellent ones!  I'm so glad that my kids aren't the ones that think everything is stupid.  Just try it, you'll like it!

Phin is adorable and says the funniest things all the time.  He has stopped stuttering since he started school so that is a relief.  He is very earnest and likes to learn about all kinds of things.  Last night on the phone he sang the alphabet song for Grandma Farnsworth, but in a completely random order -- it was so funny!  I love that none of them are too married to the idea of sequential order, it makes me happy.  He is slowly starting to read, but definitely isn't stellar in that department.  I think I'm going to homeschool him next year.  I want him to have more time to play!  And explore!  He is really interested in science and nature so I think it will be good.  We might just do it for a couple of years.  We'll see.

I need to go vacuum the house for my class tonight (with a real one) -- and clean the bathrooms!