tagged

My friend Kristina tagged me LOL, and since I haven't posted in almost a month [oops!] I thought this would be a good kick-start for me.

The rules are that I must post 7 things about myself. Completely random things. Here goes:

1. I'm reading all our Louis L'Amour books again. Because I can, and because I found them when I unpacked one of the five [now four] boxes we had left in the basement.

2. I can finally say I don't bite my nails. I've been trying to break that habit for about 25 years now :)

3. I enjoy teaching the art class I volunteered for at Walker's junior high. Not that I'm an artist by any means- I'm more of a planned project presenter. But it's still a lot of fun!

4. I recently discovered that jump-roping is a great exercise. And a great excuse to act like a kid again!

5. I still miss my Myles. I don't think that will ever stop.

6. Our Kachina dog has chewed pretty close to every single thing she can get her teeth into. I'm beginning to think she has an obsessive-compulsive thing going on, with all the chewing and digging.

7. I like the cool evenings we enjoy up here in the Heber Valley. The kind where you need a warm flannel shirt and a fire to keep you comfortable outside. And if you also get to enjoy some s'mores, well, you're extra lucky ;)

Kids are back in school, and we all think this is a good thing. Walker's playing trumpet [thanks to my sister Joy and my parents who let us borrow Joy's trumpet]. He has been pretty good about practicing, and I think he's actually enjoying himself. Thank goodness for that!

Morgen's teacher has 4 pets in his classroom: a tarantula, a gecko, a snake, and a fish. Morgen thinks she's died and gone to heaven. She got to hold the gecko last week and that was the highlight of her day!

Hyrum loves his teacher and his classroom friends. He's quite social and has made a bunch of friends, but he's having a bit of trouble with the whole 'do what the teacher asks you to, and not whatever you would like to do' thing. Luckily, he is a sweet kid, and is trying his best.

Today we bought soccer cleats for M and H because they're signed up to play soccer this fall. 8 games, 2 per week, so we'll only be running around for 4 weeks, but both M and H are looking forward to their first game on Tuesday.

Jared's still in Pennsylvania. This trip has been hard- 4 weeks total that he'll be away- but with the kids in public school, and the projects we've been working on, I think we're handling it okay. It is hard, though, because we all miss him terribly.

Gratitude List:
* I love our neighborhood, and the friends I am making here.
* Email and the internet to keep me connected with my old friends :)
* Texts from Jared, whenever he's bored in class.
* The mountains. The trees on them are beginning to change colors, and it's a breath-taking sight.
* Time to volunteer at the schools my kids attend.
* We have shelter, food, and clothing.
* We are SO close to being completely debt-free!!
* Ice cream :)
* My family and Jared's.
* God
* This beautiful world I live in.