A Week of "Honorable Mentions"

It really has been an exhausting, learning experience, and stressful weekend. We spent most of this last week getting Elijah ready for the Regional Science Fair. Elijah has put in a lot of time on his project and had felt really good about his project. We met with his advisers this week, practiced his interview, stayed up countless hours redoing his board and rewritting his project. I took Elijah on Friday to set-up his project and we were able to get a sneak peak at his competitors. I was stunned! I know that this is the first time we have ever done Science Fair, but I was shocked at the caliber of projects that the kids had come up with. I knew once Elijah saw the other projects he was pretty worried.

His interview was on Saturday, and when I came to pick him up, he was the shade of milk (If he could be any paler!). He said that the judges had told him that his project didn't make sense and that it was horrible. I felt so bad for him. He still wanted to go to the award ceremony that night to see how his friends did. When it came to his category, I prayed my heart out that he would get some kind of recognition......and they gave him "Honorable Mention". Not all the kids got that and I knew my prayers were answered. My dilemma now is trying to convince him that that was a good thing. He keeps telling me that it means failure. This whole process has been a definite growing experience, I just pray that I am handling it right.

Ethan also had an honorable mention this week. We had Pinewood Derby this last Friday night. This is the first year that his Grandpapa has not been able to help him make his car, and it has been up to James to help. OH NO IS RIGHT!!!! James has never done one.....so what does he do, he has one of the his coworkers help Ethan on Thursday night. They started his car at 5:00 and finished it at 1:30 in the morning. Thank goodness that James has friends here!!!

Ethan's car was really a beautiful car, and he did pretty well too. His car came in 2ND in his Den and 4Th Overall, which I was grateful that it wasn't dead last!!! Ethan is so competitive that he wasn't so happy. Unfortunately this is our family's last year with Pinewood Derby (I wish there was a way to type words with sarcastic undertones)!

On a final note. Thursday March 11 marked our one year of living in New Mexico. I don't quite know how to sum up this last year. It definitely has been one filled with challenges, struggles, adjustments, but most importantly blessings. Countless blessings have been bestowed upon our family and I am grateful for them.

A Beautiful Picture

This picture might not be beautiful to just anyone, but for me...it is!!! It is the first time in three months that our driveway has not had some snow on it. Could it be a sign of Spring....I sure hope so!

The Hitting Game and the The Hunger Games

I think that I have successfully ended the hitting game that has plagued my family for months. The kids have been playing "who can get the last hit" for quite some time and I have finally reached the end of the rope. The crying, the whining, the running, the screaming.....all over who hit last.... I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE! The biggest culprit......sweet, dear, Olivia. Ethan will be lying in bed on the edge of sleep, when wham, bam, she sneaks in to give him the last hit. This leads to Ethan screaming and yelling, and tattle telling. Yesterday Olivia pushed me over the limit....no beatings, no yelling, just a simple taking away of a precious play date, and finally an end to the game.....I hope it lasts!

On a side note, I just got done reading The Hunger Games. It is our February Book Club book. It was absolutely riveting, and page turning. Michelle, my sister-in-law, and James have been trying to get me to read it for months, but after reading the description.....I said no thanks. Well since it was for the Book Club, I finally buckled down and read it....IN ONE DAY. I can't wait to start the next one in the series...Catching Fire by Suzane Collins.

Science Fair

Elijah has been working on his Science Fair Project for a couple of months. It has taken many hours, many, many, frustrating hours! But it was complete (barely) in time for the District Science Fair. Elijah studied whether or not Hand Sanitizer was just as good as soap to clean your hands. He tested his theory on raw hamburger meat, raw fish, and every day garden soil. The end results.....Stick with Soap.

He competed in the Microbiology Junior Division and came in 2nd Place....YEAH LIJ!!! We are so proud of you....now we are off to Regional...March 12th. For the next few weeks we will be refining his project and perfecting it!!!

More Snow

We had another Snow Storm come through and it dropped about six inches. The kids were so excited to wake up the next morning and find out that school was cancelled! The boys spent the day sledding and playing in the snow.

One thing about the snow that I particularly like is that as fast as it comes, it goes just as quickly. By Monday afternoon most of the snow was melted. It is amazingly beautiful here after it snows.

Primary Party

Our Primary filled up their Scripture Jar, so it was time for a party. We had a "Get to Know your Teacher Breakfast". It turned out great. We ate delicious food (which we probably had way too much of), played guess who games, decorated cookies, and made Thank You Cards for the Old Bishopric. Our Primary President did a great job. Here are a few pics.....
We also finished decorating our Primary Room Board, and I think that it turned out awesome. Becca came up with a great idea of having the kids glue cotton balls on the sheep, add a little gold bell, and a little tag with their names, and put it under a picture of Christ. We had an inservice meeting after our breakfast and discussed the "little lost sheep" in our Primary. I thought the board turned great, so I took a picture.

Happy Valentines Day

We had a wonderful Valentines Day....All of us were showered with goodies. The kids got the candy that they felt was necessary, James got the cologne he wanted, and I was so surprised to get Navajo Jewelry. The Young Women came to our house a few days prior and Heart Attacked our front door. It was very cute.