School's in Session!!!

School’s in session!!! Savannah and Collin have returned to school from their summer vacation. Yes, all you up north who are inundated with heaps of snow, we’re still living up the rays of ozone-less sun. Our friend, Holly Ziegler, living up in Mountain Green, Utah sent us a picture last Sunday. They had so much snow they couldn’t clear the parking lot at church so it was canceled! Go figure – can’t wait to go sledding in some real snow … and not just white sand!

Anyway, Savannah was very excited to get back to school. We took her Monday morning and her seat was placed right next to her best friend Keely which helped to calm the nerves a tad. She found the place to put her water bottle, backpack and everything. Savannah brought home homework for Kelli and I – wrapping the notebooks in contact paper (totally annoying--it gets all these wrinkles and bubbles and sticks to everything!!), to keep them in a usable fashion for the entire year. Her teacher, Mrs. Stevens, is wonderful and super-organized. She says that "organisation is one of the four paths to success," and I'm hoping Savannah will absorb that mantra in these 4 months or so in class. Collin, on the other hand, had to wait until Friday for his turn. He goes every Friday for 2 hours to ‘pre-entry’ (when he turns 4 in March he will be able to go to kindy which is 4 days a week.)

Hunter has been continuing his amazing path to full-on conversations. He’s gradually developing full sentences. He is also very concerned for his siblings. He tells Collin when he gets hurt, “You ok, Collin?” but it comes out more like “You ‘k Con?” He also likes to say ‘disgusting’ which comes out like ‘sgusting’. And of course the all-time favorite – ‘toot’ which comes out, well, ‘toot’. He also likes to go to bed on time! He likes to spread out blankets (yelling at whoever walks on them), and jump with two feet off the ground. He especially likes jumping from high things, like chairs, stairs, and even out of the car. I'm getting good at doing, "Crocodile, crocodile on the wall, Crocodile, crocodile in you fall" at record speeds. He also likes to sing, and like his brother and sister before him, has drawn attention to himself lately in sacrament meeting with his "singing." As soon as he hears the organ, he starts moaning loudly while holding a hymnbook open in front of him. All around look at him to see what's wrong and then smile when they realize he's singing. He likes to give fish kisses and little squeezes, well, ok, big Hunter hugs – with an added verbal ‘squeeze’. He’s even started giving strangers all sorts of hugs … and even went up to the missionaries at church on Sunday to shake their hands. Yes, he’s kind of coming out of his shell. Now, if we could only get him to go to nursery by himself.

Kelli is doing well to keep up with the kids and all the activities going on. She’s extra busy making super-duper quilts for nieces and nephews and even made a headband for Savannah (in the picture), which she hasn’t stopped wearing (she chose the material--not exactly school colors, but it is cute). Click here for the link to the pattern (for you, Jenny). The lady who designed it is a fabric designer who also has fun crafty, but not country-crafty, stuff on her website (anyone need a good idea for Enrichment craft activity? See the paper globe pattern on the right sidebar...could be a great spring decoration or Christmas tree ornament).

I had my run-in with backyard cricket at work. Very fun game except that I was in the equivalent of bottom of the ninth, two outs, full count … and flew out to right field – we’ll see if they let the American play cricket again J Job search is going ok … gradually making progress.