Valentine's Day

I decided to carry on a Wilkins Valentine tradition this year. It was fun to make these big sugar cookies, and I was even happier when Phil told me how good they tasted on Sunday!

I also carried on my own tradition. It's been going on for probably 8 years now. I make a "fancy" dinner, (chicken cordon blue, asparagus, funeral potatoes, jello and rolls this year)
decorate the table, and end with a delicious trifle. We changed up the trifle a little this year, and it was DELICIOUS!

Makes me hungry just looking at the picture!

The day itself was great. Phil, Mady, Jake and I all spoke in Sacrament Meeting. I was so proud of my family! They all did a great job! At least for me, it was a Spirit filled meeting. And that flowed over into the rest of the day for me. We had some friends over to share dessert with us. They brought a "porcupine cake", very cute!

It was fun to get to know their family a little better. A great end to a fantastic day.

Oh What Do You Do on a Snow Day, When ALL the Kids Are Home?

Here is what we did on Wednesday:

I made flubber:



The kids had some friends over and they played Wii.

Jake and Marek built a snow sledding course, starting on the deck, going down the stairs, around the corner, and down the 2+ foot drop to the back patio:


Sledding:



More flubber:


A little light reading:

and of course, more Wii.


The kids were exhausted come Wednesday night. I guess snow days don't have to be nightmares for the parents!

Not that I want another one too soon.

A Visit from Spiderman

We have some crazy times around here, and our three boys definitely keep life interesting. So we shouldn't have been surprised when we were met by this one day:

Spiderman was in the house....You can't blame him, really. It does look very much like a bleached Spidey Mask. Maybe that is where the whole idea of Spiderman's costume came from to begin with, a little boy putting underwear on his head...

It wasn't the first time Jackson put something on his head. He left the hotel room one morning on our trip to Connecticut with a shower cap on his head. The lady who rode the elevator down to the lobby with us got a big kick out of this sight:

Jackson, you crack us up. Thanks for giving us new perspective on old things. Such creativity is welcome here!

Forts (by Gabe)

A Little Well-Deserved Praise

I just have to post some praise for my sweet hubby. Today he passed off his spine 2 case, which means he can finally do cases on his own, and the cases he does will count towards the ones he needs to certify. Up until now, he has been considered in training.

It has been a long 6 or 7 months for him, especially because he could probably have passed off much sooner given different circumstances, and I know that has frustrated him immensely. But he has stuck with it, keeping a good attitude, and can now move forward.

Just want you to know how much I love you, Phil, how proud I am of you, and especially how grateful I am for you!

A Job

The night before I posted about needing a job, I had replied to a Craigslist ad for tutors. It was nearly 11:00 at night, and I just felt like checking out the listings under education on Craigslist before going to bed. Most of the posts like it had not amounted to much, so I didn't really think too much about it, but when I got online the next morning (Wednesday), there was an email asking for a resume. I emailed it back, and within an hour we were scheduling a job interview for Thursday.

I looked up the company website, London Bridge Services, online, and it looked legitimate. But as I drove to meet the owner at her house, I started freaking out. You know, "what am I thinking meeting someone I have only talked to through emails at their house". I called Phil when I got there so that somebody would know where I was if something went wrong. Paranoia? Yeah, maybe. But in this world, it's called for, especially coming from me, who is usually overly trusting.

Once I got there, though, I felt tons better. Sam is from England and completely down to earth. I liked her from the minute she started talking. And the job was mine to take. She even offered me more per hour than she listed on her posting.

I started the following Monday. I currently have two students I am tutoring through the company, for a total of 4-5 hours per week.
The job pays well, and reminds me how much I enjoy teaching kids. It is flexible in that I set the hours I am available. Unfortunately, most of the hours I work are in the evenings and so far it is not enough for what we need.

But it is a start, it has potential, I enjoy it, and I know it is an answer to prayers.

So for now, we will take what we are given gratefully, knowing that things will work out.

They always do.

Terrorist in Training

Phil and I went to our local Costco the other day. (Local on the east coast is a relative term...it is several cities, and 25 minutes away). We were there in the middle of the day. As we were walking by the meat department, Phil mentioned a scary kid who was staring at him. Of course, as I shop obliviously, I did not see the child. As we came back by, he pointed him out again, then asked if it was a boy or girl.

The child was sitting on the raised floor in front of the meat coolers. He was maybe 8 or 9 years old, skinny and his head was covered with a dirt brown colored "scarf". It wasn't really a scarf, or a head wrap, it kind of looked like a dirty bandage, actually. It was wrapped completely around the kid's head so that only his eyes were peering out. And he was staring at Phil.

It was a little freaky, actually. The kid did look like a terrorist! And he didn't move, didn't say anything, just sat there in front of the meat and stared.

He probably is a sweet, kind, gentle, quiet little boy. Of course, we wouldn't know what that looks like, as our boys are only quiet when they are asleep! So, naturally, this kid was a little scary with his wrapped head and his stares.

Memphis' Baptism

This is my sister Cheryl and her family: Addison (who was playing shy), Zak, Memphis, Max, Jason and Logan.

We drove down from Connecticut to Pennsylvania for the weekend so we could attend Memphis' baptism. Memphis is my sister Cheryl's second oldest. I was excited to have my camera with me so that I could take pictures of all the cousins playing together, but unfortunately my camera died after only two pictures. :(

On the up side, the baptism was nice, and the kids had a great time together. My four did not know Cheryl's kids, but the eight of them and Sharon's oldest three ran around like old friends for two plus hours after the baptism. I guess the pictures of them playing together will have to wait until next time we all get together.

School!

Finally, after over a month, all four kids are back in school. Oops, I meant, ALL FOUR KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL!!!!! YIPPEE!

Enrolling in school out here turned out to be much more difficult than I expected. When they wouldn't enroll the boys (in elementary school, mind you) because they didn't have their records, including their cumulative files (really? for a kindergartener? How much can really be in that folder?) , I began to feel like Nora from Pete's Dragon. "But (they) need an Education, Education, Education!"

Finally, on Tuesday I got the magic words....they start tomorrow!!!

Poor Mady started on Monday, and is now somewhat into the routine. It took a few days to get the bus schedule down, but even that turned out for the best, as her morning bus time changed from 6:40 to 7:05. She goes to the high school for geometry first period, and gets bussed from there back to the junior high. She has several classes with a friend from church, including lunch, which has really helped with the transition.

Jake started Wednesday, but they didn't even have his records yet. His principal decided to just start him, knowing that he needed to be in school and that they would show up. (I already love that man!) They did show up in the mail during his first day. Jake also has a boy from the ward in his class. He is excited to be involved, and glad to be back in school. He will be even happier when we can get his math straightened out.

Gabe was probably the most excited to start school. He knew that he needed to be in school to make friends, and he made two his first day. He is loving the attention the "new kid" gets, especially in a school that doesn't get too many new students. We need to work out something with his math, as well. He and Mady have kept busy with homework, but he doesn't complain about it. He likes school.

Jackson cracked me up when I took him the first day. I asked him if he was nervous. "Mom, I'm just shy". Yeah, right! That made me laugh. Jackson is definitely NOT shy. He was a bit nervous, but jumped right in and got involved. He is struggling with waiting for afternoon kindergarten to start. He is used to going in with his brothers, so it's new for him to go to afternoon kindergarten, and he gets impatient in the morning. He got to ride the bus to school by himself today, and he thought that was pretty cool.

Four kids, four morning bus schedules. The day starts early with Mady, and the younger boys don't get home until almost 4:30. Makes for a long day. But I will take it over having them all home every day bored out of their minds.

When I dropped Jackson off yesterday for his first day, I left the school feeling a little unusual. I didn't know what to do with myself! It's been a long time since I have been home during the day, and never without kids there! Not that there isn't plenty to do around the house, but just for two hours, I was a little lost. Being home all day is different than having a day off or vacation day and being home. I'm sure I could get used to a few hours home by myself, and could definitely get some things done, but I realized for the first time that I NEED a job. I NEED to have something to do.

I think we all have them. You know, those days that you are "in a funk". You aren't sure what's wrong, but obviously SOMEthing is, because you're just a bit ornery. They can be caused by stress, anxiety, not enough sleep, life...

Last week I was having one of those days. Who am I kidding? I was having a couple of those days in a row! Out of the blue, my Mom called. She had no idea that I was in a funk, but she chatted with me, and somehow said just the right things to break me out of it.

Just want to give a shout out to my mom, who always seems to know when her kids could use a phone call. Love you Mom!!!! So glad I have you. Thanks! (for everything)