And Yet Another Birthday

Once they start, they just keep coming. I'm talking about birthdays.
Mr. C turned 12 on the 26th. It was also the last day of testing and the last day of track practice before the last meet on the 27th. It was also on a Thursday, which is the day we go get his weekly allergy shot. With so much going on, is it any wonder that he forgot to put the trash out?

He had a very satisfactory birthday. Daddy and I got him an iPod touch, which has almost completely consumed all his time since he opened it. IPods are the traditional 12 year present in our family, just like cell phones come at 14, and laptops at 17. The kids aren't too surprised, but they are happy all the same. They would be happier if there was a car thrown in there at 16, but we've decided that you have to graduate college to get one of those. And then you get the cheapest Volkswagen available at the time.

Grandma and Grandpa sent Mr. C juggling clubs and M taught him how to use them. They are about ready to hit to road with the circus.

National Honor Society: Take Two

Last year M was inducted into the National Honor Society. You would think the membership would transfer to her new school, but it didn't. However, she was again chosen to join here as well. We went to the ceremony last night.

This colorful wall is decorated with artwork from M's art class. I think hers is over my shoulder, but I can't remember which one it is exactly.

Growing Up

Mr. C went to the allergy doctor yesterday for his continuing eye problem. While he was there they measured him. He has grown 1 inch and gained 10 pounds since the end of February. He is officially 5 feet tall in his stocking feet!

We didn't think Mr. C would get to run in any of the track meets because there are so many kids on the team. So we were surprised when he announced he was going to run in the 4 x 400 relay in a meet. A 400 is one lap around the track and in the relay there are 4 runners who each run a lap. He was the third runner and by the time he received the baton they were in dead last. He ran as hard as he could, but the team couldn't catch up. Fortunately he was on the B team for his school and the A team finished first. So the school did okay. So ended his competing for the track team.

Or so we thought. The coach put the same relay team into the next track meet. They switched up the order though and Mr. C ran 2nd. This time when Mr. C was handed the baton he was in 3rd place, out of 6 teams. He didn't let anyone pass, even the kid with really long legs that was right behind him in 4th place. Unfortunately the third and fourth runners on the team each lost a place and they finished 5th in the race. Mr. C was ecstatic that they didn't get last place!

An April Update

I think that once a month is too long for me to remember everything. Maybe once a week or every other week. Well, here goes with what I can remember from the past month.
I left off with news of M's crash and trip to the hospital. She is almost completely healed. Occasionally she says her hip hurts, but it doesn't slow her down. A couple of weeks ago she went to prom in Alabama. Here are my two favorite pictures that I took of them.

I think everyone has had their spring break. We started with Smarty coming home for a week, followed by a visit from Grandma O and the Queen Bee, then an overnight visit from M's best friend from Alabama, and finally a short visit from another aunt and uncle from Goshen. It was nice to have people to show around and it was great to have a place for them to stay in our new house. Out of all our visitors I have to say that the Queen Bee is the one who took us by storm! haha!

During the past month, Hubby and I celebrated 19 years of marriage and I had my 40th birthday. Do those numbers seem really big to anybody besides me?! As a combination present Hubby gave me a new lens for my camera. It is incredible and I am so glad that I got into the intermediate photography class at the community college so I can try to master using it.

I made myself a Heath Bar cake for my birthday (and it is already gone!) and bought some new shoes with some money I got in a card. I am so spoiled!

I haven't even mentioned Mr. C. He is still here. He is running track at school but probably won't get into any meets. There are over 100 kids on the team and they didn't cut anyone. That is okay with me. I think it is just good for Mr. C to go to practice and get in shape. He has had to cut back on his work in the woods. As everything started blooming, we discovered that the whole woods is covered in poison ivy. Huge bushes of it. I have never seen anything like it. I am slowly killing it off so that he can get back out there. Over spring break he and I went to see The Hunger Games (M went to the midnight premier, but she's a teenager and can stay awake that late!). As with any movie that is based on a book, the book is better. But overall it was an alright movie. The killing scenes are done in a way that is not graphic, so I would say that it is suitable for younger kids (middle school age).

One last thing and then I am signing off. We are continuing on with the fireplace. Here is what it looks like so far. I have also started taking on the front entryway, so...More updates on that later!