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Sunday, November 16, 2008

Girls' Day Out!

Dear Family and Friends,

Yesterday was my annual girl's day out. I brought my camera this year and then forgot to take a picture. So myself and 5 friends met at 9:30 and spent the day hitting all the craft, decoration stores, the mall, having lunch at the Cheesecake factory, grabbing fudge at Gardner Village and then in the evening doing the nitty gritty Christmas shopping at Target, Wal-mart etc. I came home at 11:30 tired and having had a great time. We do this every year and I look forward to it for months. Its not like we do anything super special but just browsing all the shops, catching up on each other's lives and having a whole day (and night) together without kids. It was great!

So yesterday was Jeremy's day with the kids. All seemed to survive and enjoy the day of extra TV, playing with friends, letting some chores slide and gorging on ice cream for dinner. Jeremy works hard to make my day out possible, brought him some fudge but that isn't enough to say thank you. And he took on the kids after having a tough day of artistic criticism Friday over his work! What a guy.

Working backwards, Friday was cousin pizza and movie night. Kids all (except for Allison) decided they like garlic sauce pizza and ran around playing for a few hours. Then we cuddled and watched Wall-e and then Bryn and I cuddled some more to watch Mummy 3. Our kids all have the routine down now so they actually go to sleep until Jason and Kelly come to pick up their kids. Makes the night much easier.

Spencer had a karate week. His gift certificate expired and since he decided to stick with the program we signed his contract. Ouch! Started thinking perhaps he should go to class Wednesdays before cub scouts too. We have been having him skip that day as we worried having cub scouts and karate on the same day would be too much. See if he can handle it or not as the weeks go by. This week his sparring gear arrived which he was very excited about. So now he can spar/mock fight with light contact. He also was ready to test for a new belt. What a racket, there is a belt/testing fee! Makes you want to sew your own belts. Spencer was extremely pumped to go test and is proud of his yellow stripped belt.

Thursday night was a parent's meeting at Spencer and Allison's school. They discussed some school policies and then had mini-classes for parents on helping their child. They had a class on writing that really made me think. They said to stop focusing/commenting on handwriting and focus on the writing. That most serious writing for adults takes place on a computer anyway. But they talked about how its one of the most needed skills in almost every career. Made me think about it.

While I was in the parent meeting, Jeremy was handling kids and trying out the text option on my phone. "I know why Rocky hasn't been feeling good. He just puked up Robyn's sock all over the family room - I cleaned it up". Made me glad I was gone and appreciate Jeremy's efforts!

Allison learned how to play jingle bells on the piano with both hands and by memory. She is performing it for her piano recital in December. In gymnastics she learned how to do a handstand and then to a bridge. She sort of has it. She also has been practicing popping her hands on handstands. I was talking to her today about perhaps switching to a tumbling class as the cartwheels and handstands on the beam freak me out a bit! She is heading towards tears and big sobbing emotional moments a lot lately, over very little things. Not sure why yet. She tried out for the school play this week. She just walked up to be in front of the producers (while I chased Robyn who was in full princess getup and thought SHE should be trying out too). She sang her song, did her poem and smiled. No nerves at all, I was impressed. She really wants to be a munchkin. She made the height requirement, no problem.

Robyn is very very good except for when she's not! Monday she went over with me to visit Lauri and help her settle into her new room. She thought it was great to chase the ducks outside and then terrorize the cat inside. But she did it all with a smile. She definitely knows what it means to "run errands" and is usually a really good sport about it. Just need to remember to tuck a snack and a drink in the car and we're set. Christina gave Allison an easy reader princess book last year. It is now greatly loved and carried everywhere by Robyn. She reads it every nap time and bed time. Yesterday when I was shopping for presents I realized it was a princess Christmas for Robyn, but I am sure she will love it.

I looked yesterday for some fantastical colored Christmas bird ornaments to hang from her ceiling but didn't see any. I have seen them in past years so I will have to continue to look around.

Lots of other trivial stuff filled our week. I watched Mama Mia (Jeremy wisely retreated to the bike and football game on TV downstairs). I will never hear those songs the same again. We hung up our mirror in the basement bathroom so it looks like a real bathroom. Ordered curtains for Jeremy's office. Had tithing settlement (8:30 on Saturday morning. Kids didn't think it was a great time to break out the church clothes and turn off the cartoons. But now its done!)

So life keeps plugging away keeping us busy. Everyone is healthy and well. First time I've been able to say that for a while! Next weekend Jeremy and I are going away with 3 other couples to Las Vegas, so we're excited about that.

Love to you all, Heather *Bunch of videos below*










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