Mom Remembers

* I started ripping up the linoleum in the kitchen--only to learn that there were three more layers of flooring underneath that needed to come up as well!  I called in reinforcements and the original kitchen floor has now been revealed.  I'll do some heavy duty cleaning next week and it will be ready for new vinyl. * Soren played cello in the orchestra at the World Arts Festival.  His favorite piece was Kabuki Dance. * Carl made a pineapple upside-down cake for Sven's birthday. * Sven turned six!  The next day, he cut his chin on the coffee table and had to go to urgent care. * Leif cleaned the whole house with Windex.  He was pretending that it was "Living Spray". * Richard got used to walking with two good legs after having his cast removed last week.  For the first few days, he didn't bend at the knee on his recently-liberated leg and it gave him a limp.  Now, though, he walks normally.

* I thoroughly enjoyed reading Skyward. * Soren beat Megaman 1 without dying. * Carl was swamped with art homework.  His teacher assigned him 5 mini-paintings, 30 gradients, and 1 shading. * Sven finished reading the Frog and Toad  treasury. * Leif talked a lot about wanting to make a friend. * Richard got to listen to lots and lots of read-a-louds.

* I took the boys and their friends, the Commarelos, to see LEGO Movie 2. * Soren passed the sacrament for the first time. * Carl had 2 cook-offs with Sara Foster. * Sven's 100th day party was postponed because of snow days.  He enjoyed staying home and being Leif's "teacher." * Leif learned to cut paper snowflakes. * Richard got a buckle fracture in his right leg.

* I hired someone to take the carpet out of our living room and spent the rest of the week scraping gunk off the hardwood. * Soren requested a class change for P.E. and it was granted.  Hooray for kids solving their own problems! * Carl presented his city planning project at school and got 3rd place for his design. * Sven kissed China on the playground. * Leif turned 4!  His favorite birthday present was probably the ten-pound bag of Starburst from Uncle Brinton. * Richard got a bad cold and was very cranky at the end of the week.

* I drove the kids back from Christmas vacation in Kentucky and unpacked, which included re-organizing the toy closet with all their new stuff. * Soren started reading The Giver  in school. * Carl met up with Coleman at the mall in Ashland; they spent half the time on the playground and half the time shopping at Game Stop. * Sven lost his first tooth. * Leif enjoyed listening to "The Book with No Pictures." * Richard emptied out the bathroom cabinets and wandered around the house with my headbands around his neck like necklaces.

Scott and I started attending marriage counseling. I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost at Maddy's baptism. Soren learned to play Clue at homeschool co-op. Carl taught about repentance in Family Home Evening. Sven pretended to be characters from Mario vs. Rabbids (Bowser, Rabbid Kong, Mario, etc.) Leif got really good at climbing down the bunk-bed ladder to sneak out of bed. Richard didn't like being carried on my back in the baby backpack.  (He prefers being carried in front.)

Scott went with his dad to visit Mother and Father Duede in Michigan. I got a great idea for a new novel. Soren taught the primary president LEGO terminology. Carl got to World 4 in Mario vs. Rabbids. Sven played fetch with Mrs. Nowicki's puppy. Leif went to the preschool room at MOPS for the first time.  He had a mega-accident in his underwear. Richard was very vocal.  He made lots of loud "ah"s.

* Scott organized his office, worked building "The Mega Computer", and fixed my lazy susan. * I taught a music appreciation class about The Ballad of John Henry in my homeschool co-op. * Soren started violin lessons. * Carl rushed to get his schoolwork done every day so that he could play a lot of Mario vs. Rabbids. * Sven got sick. * Leif needed to be de-Grandma-ed again. * Richard had a well child check up.  He weighs 13.5 lbs and doesn't like shots.

* Scott changed his medications, which improved his initiative. * I took a nap every day. * Back to homeschooling.  Soren tried to convince me that history, literature, and science are a waste of time. * Carl finished his 3rd grade math workbook.  He can now do long multiplication and division. * Sven went to Disney World with Grandma and Leif. * Leif turned 3! * Richard calmed down.  He can now roll over and laugh.

* Scott went back to work. * I made a youtube playlist with inspiring dance music to get me energized in the morning. * Soren had the week off school.  He played lots of Mario Odyssey. * Carl also had no school.  He re-assembled his new LEGO set, the Destiny's Bounty. * Sven chewed a hole in the sleeve of his shirt. * Leif needed to be de-Grandma-ed. * Richard hit Wonder Week 19 and was especially cranky.