Tidbits

Here's what's been going down so far in 2010:

Darren...
just took the last of the four CPA exams today. Here's hoping he passed and he's done forever! It could be a couple of months before we find out. He saved the longest and hardest test for last, but I'm willing to bet he did well. Anyway, that means he spent this last week at home studying for the test and that's been great. It is fabulous to see him at breakfast, lunch and dinner. He continues to be busy as all get out between work and church and family, but he does an amazing job at meeting all his obligations and making me and the boys feel loved and important. We are feeling the blessings from his calling even 4 months into it.

Jill...
just had a blast from the past at a very fun 80s party with some girlfriends from the ward. You like our outfits and hairdos? I am so grateful to have such wonderful women to share my life with here in Seattle! I am also recommitting to working on building up our food storage with a new support group a friend in the ward is starting up. I'm excited about that. And I'm thoroughly enjoying the mommy book club I belong to. It's been going strong for 15 months now and I feel like I have certainly expanded my horizons with the books we've read and discussed together. But of course, most of my time is spent on these cute boys I want to tell you about.

Joseph...
is an amazing bumper bowler! We've been twice over the last month and he's won both times with a 93 and a 111, beating both me and Darren. He loves words and they're always distracting him. Right now he's very interested in nutrition facts and ingredient labels on foods. But I end up having to remind him to eat at mealtimes, because he's just reading everything in sight. He won't eat anything that he feels is too high in sugar content and claims that if he eats too much sugar, it gives him a headache.

After Christmas, I arranged with Joseph's school to have him eat lunch and have recess with his classmates so I pick him up at 12:40 instead of 12:00. It's been working great. He's getting that extra time to eat and socialize with his buddies and run his wiggles out before I pick him up. He just loves school and I couldn't be happier about that. We're halfway through Kindergarten now and it has been an extremely positive experience.

Justin...
always brightens my day. I mean, look at that face! He has many obsessions right now, including Fireman Sam, Thomas the Tank Engine and playing hide and seek. He comes to me and tells me he's going to hide in Joseph's closet and then tells me to count. It works out great, since he likes hiding the best, I usually get a lot done while I'm counting. :)

He demands my attention when Joseph is at school or otherwise occupied. When Joseph is home, they are (usually) great playmates. When I finish a phone conversation, he says, "You done on the phone mommy? Great!" When I'm trying to read a book, he comes over and shuts it and says, "The end, mommy." Lately when I'm talking to someone and he gets tired of waiting, he's started saying so politely, "Mommy, stop talking." The other thing I always here him say is, "One minute, mommy, I be right back." This one he's learned from me. And unfortunately, it looks as though I've also taught him that one minute doesn't always mean one minute and that I often don't come right back. Serves me right.