persuasive essay

Zachary had an assignment to write a persuasive essay. In his best cursive, this is the letter I received dated 3/2/10:

Dear Mom,

I think you make a lot of decisions and I'm gonna try to help you make another one. I'd like a cell phone with a full keyboard for texting.

The first few reasons that I have for you should be enough. I think you should get me a cell phone because you and dad might be gone and I might be babysitting and the power goes out and Jane falls down the stairs and is bleeding guts. What would I do? Pull out the imaginary cell phone and call 911?

Another reason is because all my grades are as high as they can go besides one B.

From, Zach

pottery demo

Wednesday afternoon Jeremy took his pottery wheel and supplies to the elementary school and did two pottery demonstrations. The first was for Anna and Griffin's classes and the second was for Zachary's class.

Jeremy demonstrated wheel throwing (Griffin is on the front row on the far left) and hand building. The two hand built projects were vases depicting Anna's teacher's face (complete with a mustache) and Zachary's teacher's face.

I appreciate Jeremy's creativity and his love of teaching.

lucky to have sisters

Little boy. Two big sisters. Pink doll stroller. Fussy baby. Satin and flower blanket. Green binky. Lullabies. Life is good.

little people

It's amazing to me than Lincoln is 10 weeks old. And amazing that Zachary and Griffin wore this red shirt and overalls when they were this size.

I just looked up the word "amazing" in Anna's dictionary (that's sitting next to my computer). The definition is: so extraordinary or wonderful as to be barely believable, outstandingly good.

Sigh. Breathe. Smile.

I suppose it is true that when I blink next, I'll be writing a letter to my son on a mission, and my daughter will be applying to colleges far away, and my son will be getting fitted for a tux for prom, and my daughter will be borrowing my car, and my son will be excited about scout camp. I wonder what Jer and I will be doing. We have plans, of course, but I wonder what we'll be doing.

My life is outstandingly good.

how time flies

Lincoln is 9 weeks old (already!). This week he weighs 12 lb 2 oz and is 22.5 inches long. He has been sleeping well at night (hallelujah!) and is such a sweet, even tempered baby. He likes to be read to (especially by Anna and Griffin) and loves a warm shower.

Arrow of Light

Zachary was presented with his Arrow of Light award last night at Pack Meeting. We are grateful for diligent cub leaders who helped Zachary to earn this award and we're proud of Zachary for being focused in the program and completing his goal. Thanks to Grandpa Tech for the cool Arrow of Light wood plaque.

Zachary is SO excited to be in 11 year old scouts!

older=wiser

When Zachary was a newborn and toddler I was conscious of noise while he napped. I didn't have a phone in his bedroom, turned the volume on the tv down low, and had quiet time during nap time for several years.

As we added to our family and quiet time was not a reality I noticed that the baby simply adapted.

I'm happy to say that two nights ago Lincoln slept through an hour and a half of the Jazz player appearance in a junior high gym full of elementary and junior high age children chanting and screaming. This afternoon he slept while I vacuumed the rug right next to his cradle. And in an hour when his siblings thunder in from school, he'll sleep through that, too. :)

As a point of interest, my dad built this cradle special for Lincoln. The cradle that I've used for all of my babies was also made by my dad when baby brother James (who is turning 26 within the week) was due. Baby Zoey (baby sister Sarah's baby who was born the same day as Lincoln) is sleeping in that cradle same as her momma did when she was a newborn.

groundhog day

I'll admit that I don't really believe in Groundhog Day and, quite honestly, have never celebrated it.

However, this afternoon I found a fascinating website, www.groundhog.org. As it turns out there is an Inner Circle, Gobbler's Knob is a real place, Phil (the groundhog) apparently talks, and you can order groundhog shaped cookie cutters. Who knew?

run-on sentences

Anna writes notes and cards and messages. She writes them on post-its, stationary, white boards, and scraps of paper. She uses markers, pens, and crayons. She embellishes with stickers, pictures, punches, and fancy scissors. She places them where you'll see them and other times tucks them in your jacket pocket or inside the book you're reading.

When you write a note or message to her, she keeps it in a special place. The other day, she was reading through a stack of notes that I had written to her. Very politely she said, "Mom, a lot of these notes have run-on sentences in them. Maybe you should work on that."

a little break

Griffin likes to have a little break when he gets home from school before he starts his homework. Usually he has a snack and plays with Jane or runs around outside. Yesterday he just needed a power nap. :)