Summary

I just finished my 5th Blurb book and realized that my favorite entries were actually the ones I thought the most boring when I posted them:  Summaries.  I want to to try to be better about doing weekly summaries (sorry!) which means I’m going to have to take more pictures, because I have no pictures for the last few weeks.

Jessica: 

(getting ready for a run a few years ago.)

I think you got enough of me last week, but I did start my Marathon training program and I’m really excited.  I have never wanted to run a marathon, but always thought I should (because I’m a runner, and all that).  This year I just got really pumped about doing it.  I’m doing the Less is More Training approach and it’s been fun (hello.  It’s week one.)  May 15th is the marathon…it’s here in Spokane.  We’ll see how it goes.

I also wanted to include 2 movie recommendations:  “Raisin in the Sun” and “Adam”.  We loved both of them.

Ryan:

(Ryan, stretching with my brother Matt, for a run a few years ago.  Matt’s not running the Marathon, though he’s invited.)

He’s also training for the marathon, though not with me, as I am too slow.  He had a stomach flu last week (along with everyone else in family, except Jane) and he stayed home from work sick.  I think that is the first time in our entire marriage he’s missed a day of work due to illness.  Those Romney genes have major immunities.  He had a constituent call about a problem she is having with the city and he has gone to work figuring it all out.  I’m impressed with the honesty and effort he puts into the City Council.

Emma:

(Meditation does wonders for your babysitting and school skills.  Not to mention your curling iron skills.)

She has actually figured how to do her hair almost as well as me.  I can even have her do Jane’s.  It has revolutionized my Sunday mornings.  She’s also babysitting for friends and neighbors like crazy (it helps to pay for the retainers she’s constantly losing!) and does a great job.  We have been so thrilled to see her homework, specifically in math, improve immensely. (She missed an entire month of screens due to poor homework skills).

Gabe:

 

(what boring Sunday mornings do to you)

I taught Gabe how to dry and style his hair—when it’s long, it needs more than a comb.  Emma came downstairs the day after, saying:  “Um.  Do you know Gabe is using the blowdryer?  And MOUSSE?!”  He’s on the math team, which is so hard that we are really hoping the competition is fun, so he doesn’t swear off math forever.  He’s been having a hard-ish time at recess, since he doesn’t play ball sports so much, so we’ve been inviting classmates over for games and food.  I hope it’s making the friend thing easier…but there’s only so much you can do, you know?

Jane:

 

She gets to CHANGE HER EARRINGS in 5 days.  Which is a reaaallly big deal, just so you know.  She has lots of friends and birthday parties and play dates, but one of her favorite things is when the 4 year olds (3 girls plus Seth) from the neighborhood come over and she gets to be the complete boss over all of them.

Seth:

 

We do a 15 minute “learning time” after the big kids go to school.  We use Starfall.com, print out the alphabet sheets and use number flash cards.  He LOVES it.  And he’s actually getting his kindergarten stuff down.  I’m sending him to school (he’ll be 5 and 8 days when school starts) and was worried about him being an August birthday, so I thought I should do some extra prep.  I’m not worried at all, anymore, about him being a “young” kindergartner.

Faith:

This is what Faith does whenever I try to put her down:

 

(do you see her wrapping her legs around mine in attempt to stay attached?)

That pretty much sums up Faith.  She wants to held or played with AT ALL TIMES.  I’m not very accommodating, so whenever Emma’s home she follows her around, because Emma gives in and picks her up.  She also does this:

when you ask her where something is.  It’s beyond cute.

She’s a huge talker.  I’m not lying when I say she says 15-20words.  They include:  wa-wa (water), na-na (night-night), Ses (Seth), men (Amen), dah-tah (belly button), eye (eyes), no (nose), mow (mouth), ba-ba (bye bye), hi (every time the phone rings).  She also knows 5 animal sounds/motions (sheep, elephant, dog, fish, whale).  Okay, Baby Book Segment over.

January was nice…we had more nights together, fun TV to watch (American Idol, Emma on PBS), parties to go to (adult and kid), lots of yummy food (I’m becoming quite the bread maker), and amazingly mild weather.  We’re keeping fingers crossed for good February:  holidays, birthdays and guests should make it a busy, fun month.