Thinking and dreaming about painting

The best birthday ever...

I enjoyed my little family, I enjoyed a peaceful soak in my new super deep adult sized tub, I enjoyed shopping for 3 new sweaters to help me better handle these seriously cold Idaho winters, I enjoyed my new cookbook from Lewis, and my new salad spinner from Doug, I enjoyed a great game of chess with Dalton, and a terrible game of Mario Kart Wii with Joe. I enjoyed Sophia's excitement for my birthday all day long, and I even enjoyed her disappointment when it was all over Sunday morning :) I had a wonderful birthday, and I enjoyed it all!

My Joe

I get to sub in Joseph's class on Sunday and I'm thrilled! The lesson is "I am a Child of God" which could be taught every single day of every child's life, but especially for my Joe, it's important.

He's making the transition okay, (it would be totally unrealistic for me to expect a flawless move.) All of our issues so far have been his for sure. I had a great meeting with his school teacher, principal, and elem psychologist, and they're super friendly, and have Joe and his issues on their radar.

We have made a shower chart, with his reward being a rip toy (you know the ones where you put the plastic zipper thing in, and pull it out as fast as you can and let the toy take off) after 15 showers. We've made a homework chart for him, with his reward being a trip to Reeds Dairy for ice cream cones for the whole family, (we're not doing ice cream in the freezer anymore) and I'm willing to sit with him and sharpen all the pencil leads he breaks over and over again till his homework is done. He's pretty excited about me stamping his chart, so I think it'll work.

Joe is the most compassionate of my children with genuine concern when anyone is sad or hurt, and real love and comfort for his sisters when they don't get to do big things like the boys do. He came home from the first day of school and I asked him if he made any new friends, and he confidently proclaimed, "Twenty-Four!", like duh mom! He is a joy to have in our home, and I ache when things are hard for him.

So, I am a Child of God, and as one I'm excited to teach this group of kids that they are too, especially my Joe.

We're already having parties!

We've enjoyed Doug's sister Jolene and some of her family from Spokane in our new home already. Then Mishawn our niece and her son Brock (who is just days younger than Jennie) came up from Pocatello, and it accommodated them perfectly! And then my Jerusalem roommate Joanna came up from Bountiful with her 4 kids to pay a visit, we have loved every second of our new home being full of familiar faces, and so much love!

Poor Brock, most everything to play with was pink or had a princess on it. He didn't seem to mind :)

Happily pack up the townhouse

Boxes, boxes everywhere!

I told some of you, but I'll say it again, having packers and movers is like getting an epidural... we still went through the experience, but it was PAINLESS!

Our new home!

There's room for everything! Notice how small our new table looks in the dining area, yeah, the dining is that big.

I love my new kitchen!

Doug bought 3 new snowshovels, and the boys went to work with a nice new neighbor.

Brownies make it a real home.