Thank goodness for sisters

I have been in vacation mode lately. I can't get moving, and I've watched more tv (on the internet, I don't actually watch tv) than is good for anyone. I haven't put up Christmas decorations yet, which is really starting to annoy my children. So yesterday, I watched Mari's girls while she went to help at Don's school. When she got back, we were both griping about how we're not getting anything done, and it's terrible, blah, blah. We decided to join forces. She spent two hours helping me clean out Evin's room, which had gotten to a terrible state. We find legos everywhere. Then we went to her house and sorted clothes that she's been avoiding since October. Ran those to the storage unit, and came back to my house and cleaned out the boys' room. More legos everywhere. I've never been able to clean out both rooms in one day. Thank you Marilyn! Maybe I'll actually put up Christmas today!

The first final

I have to say, it's been a lovely semester. The first "real" semester since I started back to school. I don't think the first one counted as much, they were such dumb classes, and it was summer. Last night I took my first final. I'm not sure it counts much either, since it was for the class I despised with all my soul, (except for sitting up in the back with Rob and another lady named Donna and griping about how dumb the class was!) Plus, is an open book final really a final? I did get a cramp in my hand from answering such questions as, what three things did you learn about the nursing profession or nursing school from this class that you didn't know before? Honestly? Not much. Now tomorrow's finals, that's a different story. I live in dread of identifying muscles. My hope is that they don't put that many on there.

I'm glad I've made it through this semester. I think Marilyn and Derek are glad I made it through this semester. Next semester isn't exactly going to be a picnic, (Microbiology and Physiology) but I can probably survive. I just won't dust or vacuum instead of just not dusting :)

Ah, the sounds of boys annoying each other. Let the day begin.

Because we need more fun . . .

One of the charms of living in this lovely house is the way the pipes try to freeze when it gets too cold. So the last three nights Derek and I have been leaving water running. Apparently last night, we forgot. So at 5:30 I was getting ready for my 7 am class when I realized, we have no water. I won't begin to describe the things that came to my mind at that moment as I woke my poor husband up. Derek drove to work, got the shop heater and aimed it at the general direction of the pipe, as well as plugging in a pipe heater thing and attaching to the actual pipe. I think. It took until 11:00 am, but we did finally get water back. Then of course, we learned what happens when children discover the water doesn't work in the bathroom and leave the faucets open. Derek was downstairs, the water was running upstairs, and it may have leaked a little into the downstairs bathroom. Fortunately, it would have hit the wall that's already been damaged once, if not twice, so who cares? (It really wasn't that much.)

Isn't life fun when you're already so busy? On the plus side, it was my last day of classes. I have three finals, and then I'm done. I'm quite proud to say I've survived a real semester of college, going to class pretty much every day. We haven't always eaten the best, or cleaned enough (when did I do that before anyway) but the boys are still handling it well, and are going to miss Wednesday mornings with Daddy. I'm not going to miss practicing on Saturdays. There will be no more Saturday practicing! Hooray!

I'm starting to really get in a Christmassy mood. I'm working on my lists, making sure I have everything I need, and planning stuff for me and the boys to do. I even listened to radio Christmas music. Two weeks until Christmas!

Almost done

My last blog was the first day of the semester (except for my happy notice that Keith and Heidi were home). It's been so crazy, every week I think I'm going to write something, and every week I don't. I have loved going back to school. I'm also done with my intense anatomy class, which I loved, and my dumb Intro to Nursing class, which I hated. The only good thing about that class was sitting up in the back row with Rob and a charming lady who lives in Springville, and griping about how dumb the class was. The teacher was fine, but it was a pointless class. Whatever. Anatomy was not pointless at all, just very time consuming. I wouldn't want to take another 7 am class again either, that was not very fun. I have my last one this Wednesday, and I'm just hoping my lucky streak will last and I won't have to drive in the snow at 6 am. I'm getting up extra early.

I finish school a full week before the boys do, and they won't know what hit them! Their bedrooms are getting a full clean out. I have been waiting and waiting for the time to get them done. They are full of trash, toys mixed up, and things under the bed. I also plan on finding my desk, and cleaning off my dresser. Those two horizontal surfaces disappear quickly these days. I'm also going to do some serious investigating into the art of freezer dinners, I think. That and more variety of crockpot recipes. The cooking in my house dove to new depths. I don't think the boys really minded; they got more pancakes and waffles and cold cereal than they should have had.

The boys have had a really crazy fall. Evin got his lesson shifted around (and it will again) so he could start an after-school program that he loves. Isaac and Kaleb are both doing well in school, nothing stands out in my mind at the moment. Although they apparently have girls chasing them at recess. Ian loves preschool, but occasionally throws tantrums that I don't take him. I think Aunt Marilyn gets somewhat exasperated with that. He's always happy when I pick him up though. He's learned all his capital letters, most of his lower case, and a lot of the sounds. I'm so glad he can go to kindergarten next year, he's so ready. I have to admit, I live in a small amount of terror that they'll change the date from Sept. 2 to Sept. 1 and I won't know what to do.

Ian also is doing very well on his little viola. He can play all the twinkles now, and French Folk Song, and is starting Lightly Row. Most mornings he willingly brings me his viola to practice with him, although other days he simply refuses. Isaac is learning the last song in Book 2 (the dreaded Minuet in G) which I simply love listening to. Yick. He and Ian have a Christmas group recital December 15th. Kaleb will be doing his Book 2 recital over the Christmas break when mom and dad are here. He played I Am a Child of God in church a couple of weeks ago, and was a big hit. He played so well in tune, which made me very happy. Evin is in Book 5, not very far and not moving very fast, because we're trying to fix some big technique things before the books get too difficult for him. Some days he tries really hard and makes progress. Other days... But he got a new violin, and it is so much nicer to listen to than the old one. He likes it better too, because he can make it do a lot more of what his teacher wants. And it sounds cool.

Derek, is of course, busier than ever. He's also moving this month, which popped up last week suddenly, and has to be done by the first of the year. It's a good thing in the long run, but a bad thing in the short term. And extra stuff simply will not get done this month (or probably next month) while he gets everything moved. I cannot imagine the time and effort it will take to move his office stuff, his motorcycle stuff, the stuff on the loft, the shop stuff, the lift, Gavin's office and shop space (he's moving too) and all the vehicles. I'm hoping nothing else too big comes up that we don't know about. I'm very grateful that his church calling is on Sunday. It works well for him, not having to get back for another thing during the week when he already is home early a lot of nights for me.

So there's a three month update. Maybe someday I'll see if I can find any pictures. After finals.