April Update

sigh. I'm doing better here in iceburg. the snow finally melted away and I've started working out - which helps with keeping my mood up. also I've been super into green smoothies and salad jars and chia and flax seeds. I've been messing around with some vegan recipes and have been surprisingly pleased.

I'm using all my time up - I'm not reading as many books. The first three months I read about 40 books. I'm now scoring standardized tests again - a few weeks scoring virginia essays. now I'm doing texas and next month I have arizona job lines up. Since I get paid per paper I try to put as much time as possible in there. Doing my best to save up for a Vitamix and Omega Juicer - but life keeps happening (ahem $350 car towing bill).  I'm trying to balance that with home and family responsibilities AND knitting Ellie's baptism afghan, for which the deadline is rapidly approaching. Um, these darn blankets take a LONG TIME TO FINISH!! I'm looking forward to after the baptism when I won't have any projects with deadlines (knock on wood).

Darik's having fun with his new job. he's set up holiday based eating competitions and started an office softball team. he loves the people/students he works with and loves being compensated fairly (me too).

Ellie is finally starting to see the wisdom of getting homework and chores done quickly (knock on wood). she has decided to try to get better at math on her own, no matter what I did it didn't motivate her. she had to decide for herself. so school is coming along. she has two little best friends on our block. one is older and loud and sassy. the other is quiet and sweet and silly. separately they match different parts of ellie perfectly and she loves them. but when all 3 are together it's quite the juxtaposition.   She has also started soccer AND softball.  We're a little busy with that, too.

I'm teaching CTR 7 with another sister in the ward and HOLY MOLY are 7 year-olds crazy.  This last week I tied bandanas around their heads, had them write on their own brass plates (cardboard wrapped in tin foil), and then I split them up into Team Moroni v. Team Joseph.  One team hid the plates outside and the others had to find them.  Needless to say we are having fun and I'm tired when we get home.  Darik's the webelos leader and they asked me to help him with that as well. so we're keeping busy.  As 10 year old boys are just a different kind of busy, last night we fixed bikes and changed a car tire.

ps  I turned 32.  Will add more about spring break, general conference, las vegas, running, eating vegan, etc. later.  

Also.  Pictures are coming.  Soon.