This year I learned that Declan shares Liam's homebody tendencies. He is not always excited about going to preschool, but once he gets there, he loves it. His teacher is so great and I feel so lucky to have him in this school. I also feel lucky when it's warm enough to ride bikes there.
"All About Me" week's sidewalk chalk body.
Working hard.
A few weeks ago we got to go on a field trip to the dentist.
It was good timing, since he had a real dentist appointment a week later!
We wrapped up a great football season. Liam's team made it to the finals and lost in a heart-breaking game that would have taken them to the superbowl. I have never seen anything more tender than the team huddle after that game. Little sweaty boys in football uniforms crying their eyes out. So sad. But the Bengals will be back next year, strong and ready for that title!
Pre-game pictures, as you can tell by the still-smiling faces!
Sixth grade has already been a year of changes for Grace. A few weeks ago she got her braces, which make her seem way too old. But how adorable does she look in them?!
She also auditioned for a community play of a 1940's radio play of "It's a Wonderful Life" and got the biggest kids parts of Young Mary and Zuzu! It's a small production, the perfect place for this budding young actress to start. In all our home movies, she is a star, and Garreth and I think this might be something that she will absolutely love. We are so excited for her! Here she is at her first read-through.
We also had our first adventure in the Wyoming foster care system, when we did respite care for two days for three little kids. Garreth was gone, and the little three year old was fresh out of the hospital for breathing problems, so it was a tough two days for me. But it also felt good to get back to something we are so passionate about.
We had these two sweethearts and a 12 year old, who attached herself completely to Grace and Liam and didn't want to leave. I am always amazed by my kids and the compassion and love they have for these kids. Nothing makes me prouder of them than when we have foster kids in the home. Even if Declan doesn't always like sharing his room.
We had a relaxing conference weekend with Nana and Papa, who were coming home from Denver Saturday night and stopped to stay with us until Sunday night. My mom made some wonderful folders and treats for the kids, which kept them entertained far longer than any of the things I've ever done for them during conference! Watching Sam get acquainted with Silly Putty for the first time was a highlight of the weekend for me!
Definitely the worst thing that's happened around here in a while:
We had a clogged toilet that ended up destroying a lot of the upstairs and some of the downstairs. Let's just say it involved a plastic cup that no one is fessing up to putting in the toilet. Thank heavens for homeowner's insurance.
Because it involved sewage, the disaster clean-up guy had to wear a Hazmat suit and turn the hall into the tent from "E.T." And did I mention that after our basement flooding this summer, we are now on a first-name basis with the guy from DRS? I think we should get a "third disaster free" coupon or something.
It didn't seem like that much water overflowed before Garreth got it turned off, but it was enough to ruin the carpet in the hall and the edges of two bedrooms, ours and Declan's. It also leaked downstairs, and through the HVAC.
The only good news to come from this is that we will get new carpet, hopefully all covered by insurance.
When this all happened Saturday afternoon, Garreth's dad and his wife had just showed up for a visit, I was with Grace at her audition, and our friend was over to practice a song that he and Garreth were performing at a church function that night. It was a nightmare. Our friend Alex helped out a lot, and stuck around long after I would have if my friends' house was covered in poo water. That is one good friend right there. And later that night, his wife Anna came over with something that made us remember how to laugh:
I'm still laughing as I type this!
Anna, you are the best! Thanks so much for your friendship - we love you guys!
