James gave our Family Home Evening lesson tonight. He was wearing his new glasses (he’s adorable with or without them) and looked and acted like quite the little professor. He did a great job of doing our normal opening song, and “5,4,3,2,1, 0, I’m looking for my super heroes” to get everyone to sit reverently. After church today, he told me that when he grows up and is a parent, he wants to name his baby “Jesus”. Michael and I assured him that we will love his baby with any name. Yesterday, he had decorated the entire house with stickers to surprise me. I told him I appreciated it but that we can’t put stickers or tape on walls because it’s too hard to clean up. He cried big tears this afternoon and said I must not love him if I don’t want the house covered in stickers. I told him I do love him, gave him a little cuddle time and some belated lunch and he decided he was going to be OK. He likes to write notes to us that are quite sweet and currently has a big picture of a heart saying how much he loves his family in his bedroom window.

Jonathan got two goals in his soccer game on Saturday, woohoo! His coach gives all the boys the chance to play forward. Grandma Neyens visited on Wednesday which was nice. We had a good time playing a card game and chess with her.

Gracie likes to get her finger and toenails painted. Favorite activities are still brushing my hair, reading lessons, tea parties and being my helper setting the table, cutting up food and that sort of thing. She also likes to do what her brothers do. For example, tonight James wore two layers of pajamas to bed and so did she.

When the kids complain that they are getting cold I tell them about how when I was their age, I had to walk to school in the snow, we had recess in the snow etc. Their eyes light up at the idea of snowmen, snowball fights and snow forts. I’m just grateful I’m not dealing with snowsuits, gloves, boots and scarfs since it is all we can do to keep track of soccer shoes, school shoes, one pair of Sunday shoes per child, flippers and flip flops.

Ryan was kissing a year old girl through the glass in the foyer during Sacrament Meeting today. It was quite cute. I don’t remember the last time I’ve sat through a Sacrament Meeting with that kid. He drives me crazy but wins me over with his pretty blue eyes and his lovable smiles.