Life is Crazy!

A blog really does not do any good if you never add anything to it! I am struggling getting my photo's to post so when I have a few minutes I spend it on that. Well today I am just going to write! I had an appointment not show up and the next one cancelled. Don't get me wrong, I still have two batches of laundry that need folded, a few pans in the sink from breakfast and although I have everything cleaned up, I have yet to sweep and vacuum. Oh well! I would much rather just type! The school year is winding down and things get crazy. Joel was selected as Sanford School District's teacher of the year. He received it in 2003 also so this kind of embarrasses him. ?. I think it is awesome. He will be so thrilled to know that I posted it here for the world to see but he doesn't spend a great deal of time reading my blog so I think I am safe! He really is a great teacher and does love his job. I don't quite understand it because several times I have left the school in tears after one day of substituting the same kids! His flooring business is going very steady right now and with the economy the way it is I count that nothing short of a blessing. He still steals a few moments here and there to take the girls over to the river to fish and to work in the yard.
Brittin is finishing her Junior year. As many times as she begs me to take her out of school you would think she is a senior. Okay, I must admit, I have taken her out of school just to go to Alamosa with me. But not more than once a week! Mom would kill me! We just call it a brain day. She is going to be gone soon enough, and most days (she is still a teenager) I really enjoy her company. There is a boy in her life (Tate) that she really likes but thanks to the wonderful thing that happens to 19 year old boy's, he will leave on a mission by the end of the summer. She just took her ACT's and we are waiting for the results. She really wants to go to BYU so we will see how that all plays out. She is Jr. Class President and so the whole of prom rested on her shoulders. She pulled it off beautifully and didn't enjoy much of any of it. She asked me one day what the purpose of it was and I told her it was so she could be princess for a day. Her reply was "Well I want to be Queen and I am sorry...One day is not enough!" That says it all.
Taylor just celebrated her 15 birthday yesterday. Okay she can drag a birthday out longer than anyone I know. We are looking for a new name for her very own holiday. It will last from May 2nd-May 5th. Cinco De Mayo is already used so we are thinking of Taylorismas. She loves a good party. She never knows what she wants. We had a huge family bbq Sunday with Joel's family and played baseball -the works. Yesterday she skipped school and we did lunch and stuff and then last night she wanted to know what we were going to do for her birthday last night! I let her pick what we were having for dinner. She is the life of our family. She cant stand it when anyone is missing. She is so caring I don't know what we would do without her. She and her best friend Jordan manage to keep everyone else active. They say...what are we doing tonight. Please don't say "nothing" they take care of that in a quick hurry!
Hannah is anxious to grow up. She got braces, contacts, and has started shaving her legs. I thought the contacts would get old and she would resort back to her glasses...nope. The braces got old in a quick hurry but they are on for the duration. I thought for sure shaving her legs once would be enough entertainment for awhile...nope. Faithfully shaves every 3 days! I did struggle when she asked if she could shower without her little sisters! You would think she is almost 11 or something. She has brought social life into our home. She really is so much fun to be around. She has phone calls all the time. She has really good friends in Sanford from school, really good friends here in Manassa from church and the other day a girl from ballet asked if she could come spend the night. We have a four day school week so her social calender is generally filled for the entire weekend. Joel just shakes his head and asks "Who's house is Hannah at today" The funny thing is, she would just as soon stay at home. She just finished a state fair project on Oregon and really did a great job. She had a solo in the ballet and has zero tolerance for those who cant count a beat! She loves fishing and cannot wait to get her hunter safety card in June.
Olivia is nine (almost). I have had three others go through "nine" but not quite like this. She is so very talented in almost every area in her life. Things come so easy to her. However...she wants zero attention from anyone. If anyone fusses over her hair you can guarantee that she will never wear it that way again. We can no longer put it in a ponytail, braid, crimped, curly or straight. I can wash it (but only in the sink, not in the shower or bathtub) dry it and curl the ends under a little. On a good day I can put a small portion of it up. If she ever receives a compliment on an outfit, she never wears it again. She will wear one pair of jeans and a plain t-shirt. She wont do gymnastics in front of anyone but us. The other day she had a spring concert. The other kids were up there just dancing and singing. She moved, if you looked carefully but mostly looked mortified. Now I must say, on Friday night all of my girls performed in the ballet "Alice in Wonderland" She performed her ballet dance with ease. She loved it. Jazz, she would rather have died. She did it but not happily! She is going to come into her own and when she does...watch out world. Her determination and talents are going to mesh and she will be unstoppable.
Meredith. Meredith, Meredith, Meredith. She is six. She doesn't just assume the world loves her, she knows it. She can act the part of a teenager more that most and yet relishes being the youngest! She loves her friends and as long as she has Brittin, she really doesn't need me. I tried to brush her teeth last night and she informed me that Brittin brushes her teeth. She has taken on kindergarten with a vengeance. She would really just prefer hanging out with her friends but if she must...school work is okay. She is learning to read and gets really excited when she sees words that she knows. There is a great deal that happens to the youngest. I had no idea that she didn't know how to tie. (Where was Brittin?) The other day she kept telling me she needed new shoes. I informed her that the 4 pair she had were just fine. Well none of them tie and her teacher said she needed to learn to tie. She is trying to tie everything with strings she can find. Oops. Oh well, she figured it out. When you are the youngest...moms sometimes forget that it kindergarten registration and that this years kindergartners are supposed to stay home! Oops. Its a good thing her dad is at the school and that Brittin has a drivers license. When you are the youngest...moms sometimes forget that it is your day to send snacks! Oops. Sometimes when you are the youngest mom's and dad's forget that your dance practice starts and 5 and not 4 and just leaves you at the school. Well, the nice thing is, when you are the youngest you know everyone and assume that someone is there to take care of you, and sure enough...they were. None of this seemed to phase her a bit! (Ya until we get her therapy bill!) She is just fun and man do we love her!
Anyway, I think I really do have to go to work now!