Love is in the Air

It's so nice when I plan a little something special for the kids and family and it actually happens! This is rare, mostly due to my schedule right now. But we have recently been working with our kids on the true meaning of love and I really wanted to come in and support that with actually celebrating V Day!

So on Sunday night I made a pancake dinner, heart shaped of course and set the table with goodies and I had bought a few treats for the kids to enjoy. I made them go upstairs while I got everything decorated and ready, then had them come down for the big reveal. They were so excited, so funny how easy it is to please them. Why do I forget that so easily and not try more? Mental note - must do this more often!

While we ate dinner I asked the kids who they loved. Adam had the best answer - I love Jesus because He died on the cross for my sins and I love mom and I love dad. Wow. He paused for a bit and then kindly added his siblings to the list.

I am happy to say that currently no kiddo in our family wants a girlfriend or boyfriend. Alex is actually grossed out at the thought. I think secretly Sarah wouldn't mind, especially if it was one of the members of Big Time Rush, but her dad is gonna be pretty hard to convince that a boyfriend is a good idea until she is at least 25!

Alex got a microscope. Not a great one, but when your 9 you really don't care.
Sarah got a knitting craft and Adam got a craft set too.
Kyle got bacon!
Our table setting - even broke out the china!
And our dessert, provided by Suzanne Schmidt. They were oh so yummy!!!

Holy Cow! I have a blog...

What?! Oh I still have a blog, hard to believe after 8 months of silence. However a few nights ago I stumbled upon my printed out old blogs and realized I needed to get back on the blogging ride. Mostly because it's the only journal my kids will have of their young life. I read back over funny stories of how they started school and were living life almost a year ago and was kicking myself for taking such a long break. So I officially announce my return to storytelling my life for my kids enjoyment later.

It seems silly to update the last 8 months, so I will just say that almost nothing is the same as it was when I made my last blog update. I have a new job, Central Linn Choir/Music slave :) Kyle is the band director at Jefferson High - we are hoping for more hours for him and a few less for me. We are still running a private studio and we are still doing photography (LOVE) when we can fit it in. To say God has provided is really not justice to all he has given us. We are thriving and did for the entire year of unemployment. Our friends loved us, our family helped us out and everyone was praying. Now we have a new look to our life and that may change again in this season of budget crisis for schools. But we are enjoying having insurance, having enough to pay the bills and the extra cash to eat out a bit more as mommy can't figure out how to work and cook yet.

Adam is a kinder - Sarah a 2nd grader and Alex a 3rd grader. All are doing well although Adams teacher did say someone may offer drugs as an option for him down the road. Her funny way of saying the kid is full of energy. She then suggested the boys and girls club for a chance to get that energy out somewhere other then school. What she doesn't know is that he purposefully saves up all his energy for school. He thinks home = vacation.

Sarah is in gymnastics and started piano lessons last week. She's still a mystery to me, not sure where she will land. But I do know she's beautiful, funny and smart. Now to channel all that in a way that pleases the Lord.

Alex is playing basketball - played football in the fall - and loving it and wanting to start some kind of martial arts this spring - which means no baseball for us this year. I'm really ok with that. He also fancies himself a writer. He has been writing a book since the fall and when I ask him about it he says he plans to send it to a publisher - his words. I'm worried he'll get in trouble since at times it is word for word Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He, however, thinks he's gonna make a million dollars and get a movie deal.

So that is my fast version of a catch up and now I will try and update this baby with the memories that we all enjoy reading about down the road. Without my blog amazing stories about kids screaming their heads off at me down the street, with snot running from their nose and bare feet while I put other kids on the bus would be lost forever. And that would be a shame ;)