Well, it’s official: all four kids have Strep Throat. Anca was the last one to start coming down with it. All of them are on antibiotics and seem to be doing well. Wayde, who was diagnosed first, gets to go back to school tomorrow. Chayce and Sully will have to wait until Thursday.

But the bigger thing I wanted to report on was their school progress. We went to the school open house last week and had a great time listening to the teachers gush over all three kids. Sully’s teacher said he has calmed down in class but takes a long time to get his work done because he is so meticulous. He has been yellow and green  on the behavior scale for at least a week.

Chayce’s teacher had great things to say about her, but I was even more pleased with her progress report. Not only did she get all ‘A’s, her reading scores put her at a 4th-6th grade reading level and in the 95th percentile! Very impressive.

Wayde’s teachers were also fun to talk to. Especially her 6th grade reading teacher. Oh, did I mention that she is in the 5th grade? Yeah. After the first two weeks of school they let her and another girl go to one of the sixth grade classes for reading. The teacher said she would like to move her into 7th and 8th grade books during the year.

We are so blessed to have such intelligent kids. What a great night to enjoy our kids.

The other night Anca was in the bathroom, singing, dancing and smiling in the mirror, cute as could be. Check it out:

The big three are packing fir a sleepover tonight at Uncle Will’s house. I’ll have to write later on how it went. Currently their itinerary calls for barbecueing, make your own sundaes, and movies. I want to go!

Anca just brought Jamie a diaper and said: “Mama I’m stinky can you change me?

Anca has several board books by Sandra Burton, but her favorite is the Belly Button Book. This book is about hippos loving their belly buttons, and one little guy in particular who calls them bee-bos. The best part is that she thinks the hippos are the bee-bos! It is very cute to read the book to her and watch her reactions.

The other day Anca picked up a folded coupon, unfolds it, held it to her head, and said “what’s up?” it has begun.

Wayde just told me that the librarian at her school had to buy more books because Wayse has read almost all of them! Do you think she likes to read?

Specifically, she has read the first three Harry Potter books, and is now reading a series of scary books by Lois Duncan.

I haven’t written much here in a very long time, which is a shave since I wanted to use this blog to capture important family events and milestones. I really need to get back on track.

Recently, one milestone really brought me out of retirement (you would think something like Christmas would do it but nooooooooo). A few weeks ago Wayde joined the International Order of Job;’s Daughters!

The day started out with us getting up that Saturday morning, packing up the car and heading out. It was a VERY cold weekend, despite the fact that we had some sunshine (this winter is one of the coldest on record).

Jamie and I decided that since my Dad and Miss Sandy were coming in to see the event, and since we wanted them to be able to spend time with all the grandkids, we would get a room at their hotel for Saturday night. So we went straight to the hotel and found them first. Once we got there, even the hallways were cold, as I do not think the hotel boiler was able to keep up with the extreme temperatures.

Once in Dad’s room we greeted them and let them look over the kids and talk to them, which was a great time. Dad and I then went and checked us into our room so we would have it later. It was a good thing, we did. Dad told me that when they arrived the night before the heater in the room was not turned on, so the room was freezing! We went down to my room and found the same situation, so I immediately turned the heater on.

We then got everybody dressed and headed for the Grand Lodge. The ceremony was held in the museum building in the lodge room on the second floor, and was a state class put on by the state officers, who did an excellent job. There were eight candidates total, lined up “alphabetical according to height.” This put Wayde right at the front of the line. After the opening and introductions the ceremony began. As I said before it was done beautifully, but the one striking thing about it was Wayde being in the front of the line, led around the room by a girl who was about six feet tall!

Afterwords we went downstairs for refreshments and a dance. We did not stay long, as all of us were very hungry after not having lunch. But it was neat to watch Chayce watch the state officers dance and seem to want to participate, but was too embarrassed to really give it a try, despite being encouraged by some of the girls.

We then drove back to Max & Erma’s restaraunt next to our hotel, where we had a wonderful meal and presented Wayde with her gifts: from Mom, her slip for under her robe, slippers, and a bag to carry everything in. From Dad and Sandy, a Job’s Daughters necklace. And from Melissa and Mom Bollock, a charm bracelet with her first Job’s charm (a JD with a ladder). Dad also bought her the state officer’s charm for this year. After dinner we went back to the hotel for some hanging out and catching up, which was great in and of it self.

It was a very proud day for all of us. Wayde because she is beginning a fabulous journey that will teach her so many things and help her make so many more friends. Dad because he gets to see one of his grandchildren in a major event and the others in general. And me because I get to start living out one of my dreams. Ever since I was in DeMolay I have been waiting for the time when I could start giving back to the Masonic community, especially the youth community, and I am so glad to have my chance.

Wow, I am so ashamed that I have not been updating this blog. Even if no one else ever reads it, I should be doing this almost daily to record what my children are doing and how my family is progressing.

Anyway. Both girls completed school for this year with good marks Wayde will be in (can you believe it?) Fourth Grade next year and Chayce will be in Second. If that is not enough, Sully has started Kindergarten Preparedness trainning at the same school. He has had a couple days of discipline warnings, mainly for not paying attention or participating. He seems to be doing better and really likes his teacher.

So this fall, all three of them will be riding the bus together not only from but also to school, as the school has added morning bus service! Jamie is very excited about this. Now all we need to do is get supplies and uniforms for all of them, as the girls will probably have grown out of some things and Sully has never had them before.

I’m here at the church Pinewood Derby marveling at the amount of technology used to run it. We have a computer database that all the cars are registered into which tells us which car to run in which heat. We have sensors at the end of the track to tell us definitively which car finished first, and we have a video camera filming the end of each race to provide instant replay if necessary. All we need now is a satellite truck and two guys with big microphones commentating and broadcasting the race. Pretty neat, and lots of fun. listen

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