January Happenings

I apologize for all the bad pictures!  They were taken on my phone camera!  January has been COLD, bitterly cold!  We have been in the negatives for the most part so far in the mornings with high’s at 10 degrees!  Makes us want to stay inside wrapped in a blanket!  Which is exactly what we all did for most of it because our house came down with the awful flu that has been going around!  Chills, headaches, fevers, body aches and a terrible dry throat with a cough!  So glad to be on the mend from that, finally!  On New Year’s Day just us girls went out.  I took my Dayquil medicine and felt pretty good while we were gone.  8 days staying at home with sickies makes you want OUT!  We got lunch at Café Rio (love that my girls are liking more than just McDonald’s now!) and then hit the mall for some fun shopping.  Jenna got to spend her birthday money from Grandma and Grandpa McGary and bought her first Build-A-Bear!  She loved it!  She named her “Rainbow”.

Last week I went to the kids’ Parent/Teacher Conferences.  They all got high praises!  I really am so grateful for such good children.  We have our ups and downs at home but they really want to do what is right and please their teachers.  And they are all excelling well in each of their classes. 

Cameron’s teacher said that he is very smart and helps her out a lot in explaining math problems in ways that other kids can understand that she didn’t think to teach that way.  He also works really well with anyone she puts him with, even girls.  He has really improved on being responsible with his homework.  I have seen that at home too.  I never have to tell him to do his work.  He makes sure he has it done which is so nice for me!

Melanie’s teacher had nothing but high praises for her.  Her cursive looks as perfect as the manuals.  She is so careful in her work.  She is working on multiplication and division at school and passing those off.  I got to get with it and practice those math facts with her at home!  She reminds me a lot of me when I was in school.  I struggled more with math! 

Jason is “an ideal student” as his teacher said.  It is amazing to watch him talk and understand what his Chinese teacher is saying.  One day about a month ago I got an email from Ms. Chen telling me that Jason was crying in class one day and wanted me to check up on him and find out why he was crying because he wouldn’t tell her.  Jason told me they had to draw a picture of something and he couldn’t think of anything to draw.  That is Jason!  He is a perfectionist and wants things perfect.  He gets frustrated if he does not do that!  And he wouldn’t tell Ms. Chen because he was embarrassed.  Another thing Jason is horribly shy and does not like to be put on the spot.  He is doing great in school!

Alyssa is doing great also in Kindergarten.  She had nothing but smiles on her face when we were chatting with her teacher.  She was so excited!  I have been in there a couple of times to help out in her class and it is fun to see her learn and get her work done.  She is always one of the first to get her stuff done and be on to the next thing!  I also need to work with her in math and sight words. 

David finally finished getting his Christmas present all up yesterday.  He built a pull up rack and ring bars for his gym in the garage.  He is just about set for everything he needs!  He has his weights and bars, medicine ball, sit up mat and kettle bell.  He needs to build a box for his box jumps and then I need to get a few things for me.  It has been so much fun for us to go to the same gym.  I started Crossfit in November at a gym in Spanish Fork and David was going to a different one in Orem.  In January he joined the one in Spanish Fork and so on Saturday’s we will go to the gym together.  It is like a date!  We both love to workout and be fit and healthy.  I just wonder what our landlord will say when he sees this in his garage!  YIKES!!   

Yesterday Addysin (6), Caden (4) and Jocelyn (1) came over to stay at our house.  They will be here for 4 days while their parents are vacationing.  The kids are having a great time playing with their cousins.  By the end of the day yesterday I was having a small panic attack thinking about David leaving!  He reminded me that he was leaving to Las Vegas Sunday to Tuesday.  The kids got here Saturday and leave Tuesday.  Yikes!  All alone for 2 1/2 days!  One day at a time!  Today at church David left right after Sacrament meeting.  David took Melanie and Jocelyn home.  Jocelyn isn’t in Nursery yet and I wasn’t sure what to do with her while I played the piano in Primary so Melanie volunteered to take her to class.  I thought of a better idea and had her go home to watch her.  Melanie is the perfect babysitter!  Once home she fed her, changed her poopy diaper and laid her down for a nap.  She woke up when we all got home.  So happy to have such a great helper!