Good News

I just wanted to announce that Brandon auditioned and was accepted into the San Francisco Boys Chorus! He begins rehearsing next week. They sang at the inauguration this year, do the national anthem at a lot of pro games in the area, as well as performing with the SF opera. They'll be singing at the A's game on Saturday (of course, he won't be there because he doesn't start until next week). He is also in the ward's version of "Joseph and Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." He is thrilled about all the opportunities presented to him here already. Things are going well at the middle school and Brandon is even getting used to the dreaded homework and learning to get it done early. He's actually enjoying some aspects of it--like the creative parts.

Katelyn is officially on the local swim team. She puts in a solid workout every single day. It is hard work, but she is hanging in there. Good thing she loves the water so much. She feels so cool to have her own swim cap and fins. She has begun 4th grade here at home and says she'll only commit to one hour of study each day. Then five hours later, she emerges, asking for more. Go figure! I guess no one told her that learning was "work."

Josh and Amanda are eating me out of house and home. They must be having growth spurts. Even Amanda seems to eat all day long. We recently found a puppet theatre at a second hand shop. It has been the hit of our little kindergarten. We are reading Charlotte's Web, again, together and doing a lot of pre-reading activities. They beg me for school and wish they could do it all day. If only I had their energy. Last week we made mailboxes for each bedroom and the kids wrote letters back and forth to each other. Amanda, by far, wrote the most letters. Of course, hers were like this: a, f, l, m, t, z, d, etc. One letter for each tiny piece of paper. At least she was succinct in her writing!

Zach is learning new words every day and sings all the time. Our bedtime routine has to include me singing to him. He requests the songs every night. Lately his favorites have been "The Wheels on the Bus" (he calls it "cars, baby, mama"), Five Little Speckled Frogs (ribit, ribit), "I Love to See the Temple" ("tempo"), and "Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree" ("pocko"). Sometimes he requests songs I'm not sure about and he lets me know if I got it wrong. He usually has his "cocka mil" (chocolate milk) and his "bincket." He seems really happy here. He loves exploring the backyard and constantly wants "out." We just love to see what he'll do or say next.

Brian and I are just keeping up the best we can with all the demands of work and kids. Occasionally we catch our breath. We are down to our last 7 or 8 boxes. I'm determined to either get everything put away, get rid of it, or store it in the garage--all before the weekend is over. No more boxes in the house! The nice thing is that our house is smaller than before (or at least has one less level) and I love that I have a chance now to really purge myself of all the "stuff" that I don't really need. (Round one was when we packed, we are now in round two.) There's a lot of stuff that didn't make the cut. :) Simple really is better. It's the stuff or the kids that have to go, so I guess it's good I'm choosing to part with the stuff. I'm hanging in there. I am missing my mom support network back home, but, I will be okay. I'm even finding a few reasons to smile and laugh. That's my good news.