Andrew has been looking forward to the 100th day of school since September. I have no idea what triggered it, but he has been saving a box of swedish fish to celebrate this occasion and was excited it had finally arrived. He needed to bring 100 items to math class to share. So we brainstormed some ideas and decided to bring 100 kernels of popcorn then we decided we would also show 100 popped popcorn. It was fun. 

We've been popping popcorn more often lately -- it has not been one of our favorite snacks but recently the boys love to help and watch it pop and there's always laughter as one kernel pops after it's landed in the bowl causing an explosion of popcorn everywhere. Just the popping is excitement and then the kids enjoy eating it. We've made marshmellow popcorn and candied popcorn (which was a favorite way for me to eat it growing up), we've even added some flavors to our candied popcorn like raspberry or banana. So there you have our "popping" activities lately.

They had some candied popcorn tonight while Lila logged us on to watch Ruby Bridges speak virtually at a WSU event. We were explaining to Andrew that Ruby was the first black girl to attend what was an all white school and he said, "I know about  segregation and it was wrong." I'm grateful for good teachers who are teaching our kids "history" during black history month. It is part of our nations history and it should be taught as part of the regular history curriculum. This world is getting ever more confusing and I hope we've progressed a little and can remember we are all God's children and embrace each other in love as we try to figure out solutions to the ever complicating issues we face. 💕

No Refunds. I bet Steve wishes he could ask for a refund this weekend. I was a hot mess and not in a good way. I think some extra teenage hormones in this house may be affecting my emotions and stress is not helping. Anyway, we did still have some lovely times despite my emotional break downs (mostly crying when the kids pushed me over the edge -- I'll explain as we go). Steve and I went to Bowman's Wednesday evening before picking Lila up to get some discount donuts (they go half price after 7pm) and we found this giant heart donut which the kids thought was great. Marcus kept saying cut it in half so I can eat half. Uh, now way, that's like 4 donuts silly boy!

Friday, Steve and I went shopping. I've been looking for some kid size snowshoes and some medium sized ones that I think will work better for us than the large ones we got at Christmas. I found this cute store in Ogden and Steve and I had a lovely time just browsing without the kids. Steve even mentioned as we were pulling out how nice it is that we have old enough kids to leave to run errands etc. Then Saturday we went out to try out the new snowshoes. It was beautiful!

 

Unfortunately the boys got tired after only 1/2 mile so we had to return, but it was still a good adventure. Lila kept talking about how much fun she had. We borrowed Napoleon Dynamite from a friend in the neighborhood and watched it with the kids. There's a scene in the credits that reminded me of Man from Snowy River so we planned to watch that the next day. Perfect for Valentine's Day.

Steve was a trooper and got up and got the heart waffles going. The kids ate it up. 

Andrew asked where the presents were. I normally set them out for them to see at breakfast but this year I decided not to and it did throw them for a loop. They didn't know if they were getting presents. We watched our sacrament service and then did our lessons. It was ward conference so we had a special combined youth lesson which was excellent. I had managed to get a few things in the oven before the meeting so I could get our traditional fondue going quickly. That's when the wheels started to come off. The kids asked if they could have a soda which I agreed to. Andrew kept pestering me about presents and then one of his flaws is not letting things go and he kept arguing with me and Ellie about what kind of cheese we were using in the fondue. Steve was on the computer trying to work on his talk for the following week and Lila was just in her own world. Ellie was the only one that came in and offered help and the boys were driving me crazy so, yes a flood of emotions came in and I started crying. Managed to pull it together to enjoy the meal and give them their presents which they thought were really cool. I was afraid when we gave them water backpacks for hiking they might think it wasn't a cool present, but they immediately tried them on and asked to wash them out and fill with water. Marcus even wore his for the rest of the afternoon while we made heart shaped rice krispy treats and on our walk around the neighborhood to deliver a few things.

Towards the end of the day, my head was hurting and I was tired so I sent them to watch the Man From Snowy River by themselves while I laid in my bed with an ice pack trying to get rid of a headache. The girls declared it one of their favorite movies. There is something about a cowboy (wink wink).

I found out on Sunday that Steve did not get Monday off which I don't know why it was such a shock to me because we are used to not having paid holidays but it kind of threw me. I tried to find a friend to go snowshoeing with Monday afternoon but alas I could not find anyone. So we did laundry, played games, started a puzzle that we won't finish any time soon and just chilled. Steve actually had to drive down to Draper (he's training a couple of new employees and had some hardware stuff he needed to work on). He was there until 9pm so it was a late night.

Today, Tuesday, Feb 16th, the kids had another day off from school so we had planned to go skiing. Steve had a few morning meetings so we hoped to take off after that. Marcus however, decided he did not want to go. He said, "I've gone 5,6, probably 7 times already so I'm good." Which meant I needed to stay home with him which was fine. I love him and it gave me time to get some stuff done around the house, but it was a little let down because I was looking forward to it. Lila and Andrew got into a little scuffle while things were being discussed with Marcus which sent me in tears again -- I think I'm figuring out the kids fighting on top of things is a trigger for me. The skiers had fun, there was over a foot of new snow. Although they said it was probably the busiest ski day we've seen yet (we have been avoiding Saturdays so far). They brought home some burgers and then we all prepped for school starting back up tomorrow by showering, cleaning bathrooms and finishing up some homework.

How can it be? He's getting so big and enjoying school and thinking things through more. I still love to hold his little hand and snuggle (even though right now we're going through a phase where he comes in every night around 2am for a snuggle then he puts himself back to bed -- most nights). First thing in the morning, even before breakfast, he asked me if I'd made his dessert yet and I said, no I plan to make it while you are at school. He requested muffins with sprinkles, I clarified that he wanted cupcakes. We sent him to school with birthday rice krispy treats for the class and he said, "They were freakin awesome. Every kid at school loved them."

When Ellie got home and in between the other kids Chinese classes we sang Happy Birthday and ate cupcakes (it was either then or after 7pm when everyone was home from dance and violin). He was so excited to see his blue cupcakes with sprinkles. He could barely wait for us to get through the song before he grabbed one and started eating and as soon as he was done with the first one, he grabbed another -- good thing he is the birthday boy.

 

So there you have it. He really is sweet and cute. He has a great imagination and can play by himself for hours, but he also loves to play with his "friend" and brother, Andrew. However that does not always go smoothly. Hugs and Kisses birthday boy!

Here is a bonus picture of him giving a talk we prepared during our family primary class. He did really well and even made sure we had a section about rainbows and how he is grateful Heavenly Father gave us rainbows.