Sick Week

1 week = 2 cases of Influenza A, 2 prescriptions of Tamiflu, 1 box of face masks, 1 hysterical 1 year old who can't stand to see her parents in face masks, 2 ear infections, 1 antibiotic, 6 drippy noses, 6 coughing people, 2 missed SEP's,  2 missed days of school, 2 missed days of ballet, 1 wonderful sister who brought dinner, 3 wonderful neighbors who also brought dinner, lots of sleep during days and nights, more movies than our kids normally watch and countless games of angry birds. 

Oh, and the latest addition...insomnia.

Here's to better health coming soon!

High Tea

In December, the older three girls were invited to a High Tea at their friend's home.  They were invited to wear hats as part of the party attire.  Here they are ready to go:

They had a lot of fun.  It was definitely one of their favorite events of the season!

Mrs. Pinky Pink

Avery likes to call herself Pinky Pink. 

She puts together all sorts of interesting ensembles

that include as much pink as possible. 

Sometimes she even falls asleep in her pink creations. 

Lila's Office

Lila has a little office set up in our closet.  She pulls the stool over and sits on the vaccuum for her chair.  She uses her office regularly.  It cracks me up!

Caroline's Fairy Birthday Party

Yes, I know that Caroline's birthday was months ago, but life is a little bit busy these days.  She had a fairy themed party.  Her friends all came dressed up as fairies.  All of the members of the family wore fairy wings too.  Even Chad...he was the "dirt fairy".  The kids had several fairy activities, but the face painting made the event!  Thanks to Michaelann and her friend who came to paint faces! 

Mom and Dad are going on a mission!

So today I got a text from my Dad while I was teaching.  It read, "Can you be at our house at 9:15?  We have a letter from box B."  I wrote back, "Is this for me?  What is box B?"  Through the course of a couple additional texts, I learned that box B meant that they had received a mission call.  What?!  This was the first I had heard about them and a mission.

I called my sister after I finished teaching to get the skinny.  It turns out that my parents started the process at the beginning of November.  They were hoping to have a call by Christmas.  They didn't tell any of us about it.  Well, the call came today.

They will be serving in the Tucson, Arizona Mission in Silver City, New Mexico as CES teachers.  This is my Dad's dream mission.  He grew up in Silver City.  He and my Mom have taught Institute for 10ish years.  They will serve 12 months, so that they will be back when Jonathan returns from his mission.  They report to the MTC April 16th. 

My mind is reeling.  I am excited and surprised.  This is going to be a very interesting year in our family!

More on Caroline

 Caroline, on her first day of school (after missing a few days in order to get her cast), complete with her little wheelchair.  The wheelchair was pretty cool, and made school manageable.  I have been so impressed with how Caroline has made so many friends at school.  The kids all want to help push her wheelchair and get her lunch for her. 

A few weeks into wearing the cast, we bedazzled (is that a word?) it.  Her Grammy Collene brought her jewels and special glue.  I don't think I have ever seen a fancier cast. 

Two and a half weeks ago, Caroline got the cast off and moved into a walking boot.  Starting to walk again was challenging.  Several days later on a Thursday morning, I told Caroline that she could take her wheelchair to school but that she would have to get out of it once she was in her classroom.  This sounded great to her until she actually had to do it.  She had a total meltdown.  I think that she was scared.   I let her know that she could use her wheelchair at any time that she needed it, but that she needed to try walking as much as she could.  I left with her calming down, but still crying.  I was wiping away tears too, as I walked out of the classroom.  Half way down the hall, the teacher helper caught up to me and let me know that Caroline was happy and no longer crying.  When Caroline came home from school she announced that she had not used her wheelchair once the whole day and that she was done with it.  Although we loved the wheelchair for a while, we were happy to see it go. 

Today she got the go ahead to walk without her boot.  She had already experimented a little bit over the weekend.  The Dr. said that for a few weeks she could use her boot at school to help with her balance, and then take it off at home.  But, she was determined to go to school in two regular shoes today.  I was concerned about that because she had a dance informance.  She was determined, so I let her make the choice.  When I went back to the school later to watch her informance, I was so touched.  The class gave a 30 minute demonstration of how they are learning stories and verbs and nouns in Spanish and English.  They moved and danced all over the place.  She gimped around the best that she could.  She could not keep up with the group at all.  I don't think that she even noticed.  She had an ear to ear grin on the whole time and tried to do everything (except leap).  I actually started to cry at the end of the informance because of this sweet little child with fierce determination to do everything that she can.  That has been the way she has responded to having a broken leg.  She has been absolutely determined to be as independent as possible through the whole recovery.  She has had a few minutes of meltdowns, but really spent most of the time proving to me and everyone else that a broken leg is not going to slow her down.  I love this kid!