I wanted to write about what the children are up to these days. For your sakes, my sake, and our posterity.
Dallin is a happy kid most of the time. He puts up with a lot from him siblings. (Teasing, arguing, you know, the normal sibling behavior.) He's such a sweet boy and I can't believe he's going to be 11 in less than a month. He's been working diligently on his Webelos activity pins and Arrow of Light. We both have been so proud of him with that and with his schooling. He's doing school at home through Nevada Connections Academy. He has to really have self discipline and he's starting to show that he understands that and has been trying really hard these past few weeks. He has a report that he's reading up on about the Apollo Missions. As he reads about it, he excitedly tells me about what he learned. It's so fun to be his "learning coach". Also he and Abby are becoming good friends and Abby loves her big brother! They're so cute together.He loves to build creations and make stop animations with his legos. He's pretty good at it too. (For someone who just started). You can go to his
Lego site and see his first movie he made if you want. He's a great kid and Clint and I love him very much.
Calvin is such a good boy too. He loves life and when anyone is around him there's always an adventure. He comes up with fun and creative games, even Elsa likes to play with him. (He doesn't mind playing with her either). He loves his sisters and will be an excellent "body guard" for them when they're older.He also has a testimony of the Gospel and always asks the best questions. Today in church he sat next to me in sharing time, (o.k. I sat next to him), and as we were listening to the lesson he quietly pointed out on the bulletin board. The presidency had him and the other kids write down their testimony's at the start of the year. Then they put them on the bulletin board with the primary theme for the year. I read it to myself and realized that not only does he actually listen in primary and home evenings, but he has a tender testimony of the Savior. In it he talked about how he knows Jesus lives and then went on to tell how Satan was cast out of heaven and tempted Adam and Eve to eat the fruit and they were cast out of "heaven". Of course he meant out of the garden. I've been so pleased with him lately and choosing the right. It helps that he has a good group of kids his age who have the same goals in life. I'm so happy with my boys! I love that they love cub scouts. It's hard to get Calvin excited about doing it sometimes at home, but he's loves to go to his scout meetings. I've been kind of neglecting him by the way of scouts, because I've been trying to get Dallin all finished with Webelos. Don't worry, I have every intention to start helping Calvin with earning his Bear as soon as Dallin's done. (Watch out Calvin, here I come!)
He's such a character. Yesterday I helped the boys with their room, to clean it and reorganize it. Dallin and I had been working on it for a while and were sorting everything into baskets. The one with things that didn't belong in their room was getting full. So I called Calvin in to have him take the basket around the house and put things away. Well, he threw a fit, saying it wasn't fair that he should do it and that lasted for a while. Then he begrudging started putting the stuff away. (Which he did actually put everything away instead of just throwing it in the girls room, as he and Dallin usually do.) The rest of the day he was such a pleasure to work with. We, all three of us, laughed and joked about things and had a good time. Now their room is clean and their bunk beds aren't bunk beds anymore. I'll see how long that lasts. It makes their small room seem smaller, but they love it!
On to Elsa! What can I say about Elsa. She is still silent at school and VERY talkative at home. She loves her teacher, friends, and every thing about school. Lately she hadn't been feeling well and she's missed a week of school. She's better now and we're counting our blessings that it wasn't anything more than a head cold. (With having no insurance and all).She can be so sweet when she wants to be. She constantly teases Dallin and Abby, and it drives me crazy. In fact, she teases who ever she's by. At church today, she first sat by Dallin. Then he moved to the other side of his Dad. Elsa was sad, so I let her move next to me and she kept bumping her head against my arm. I told her to stop and she kept doing it, so I pretended like I didn't feel it and kept singing the song we were singing. Guess what? She stopped. (See Dallin and Abby, ignoring her does work.) She doesn't tease Calvin so much because he won't put up with it at all and she doesn't like his reaction.Elsa is so smart however. Clint and I are helping her teacher by assessing her reading skills to see what level she's at. The last book she read, she had no problems getting through it. (She read it like a pro). Her teacher said it was level 20 or where a 2nd grade student should be at the beginning of the year. She loves to read, and tries to read Calvin's chapter books. She's not quite to that level yet, but she's getting close. She also enjoys reading the scriptures with us. She makes us laugh all the time with her funny one-liners and quick whit. She also tries to tell really good jokes, but they usually end only funny to her and their punch lines are always really long and drawn out.She loves her brothers and sister. She enjoys playing with Abby at times and I love to secretly watch them as they make up little games, and stories. I also will catch Elsa teaching Abby things like the school stuff and telling her all about life, as she knows it. It's so cute.
Abigail is one of a kind. She's still keeping us on our toes. She also is very sweet and seems to know just what to say. One night when I was trying to get every one to bed, needless to say, I was a little irritated. They all finally went down and I was tickling Abby's back. (A new night-time ritual). My frustration must've shown on my face because she turned her headed towards me and looked right in my eyes and said, "I like you, Mom!" I couldn't help but smile and I told her that I liked her too. Then she said, "If you like me, then smile." I smiled my biggest smile. She smiled her biggest too. It's amazing how such a little girl can turn my mood around.I can't believe she is going to be in Kindergarten next year. I've really enjoyed having her home with me. She's so fun and says and does the funniest things. Lately, she hasn't wanted to go to bed, what child likes to, right? She will cry and cry. She say anything to have me let her get out or postpone her bedtime. The past few nights I've just stood by her doorway listening to her with my back towards her. (because I'm laughing). She starts out by saying, "I need a drink." Then it goes to, "Momma, help!" She makes herself almost fall out of bed, (I know she's safe.)
Then she cries, "I'm tired! Hurray Mom! I'm tired!" Then she will finally fall asleep.
She loves her big brothers and sister. She also loves and always talks about her friends in her primary class. She was recently invited to her friend, Abby's birthday party this Saturday. She always asks, "Is it Abby's party today?" She can't wait.
She is our little ray of sunshine and we love her!
