Alex Plots to Invade The Girls' Sanctuary

When Katherine and her friend shut the door on Alex and his friends, Alex had an idea. He had me write out this note to slide under their door:

"We're girls. We want to come in. Can you open the door please?"

Eventually the door opened and the boys piled in. Unfortunately, their presence was still unwelcome, and they were ejected almost immediately. Alex, undeterred, started writing a second note:

"We,r gils..."

Becca says

"My feets are making me cold."

Snow Lake in Winter

About 1500 feet above Alpental, the dark crescent of Snow Lake's shore is visible.

A new bedtime delaying tactic

Alex: "I can't go to sleep unless somebody reads me the airplane book." A point he argues for 20 minutes, fulfilling his own prophecy.

Resolutions

An entry in an old journal lists my new-years resolutions:

• Be nicer.
  
• Let Josh shoot the BB-gun (Check).
  
• Visit all the national parks.
  

It looks like I still haven't caught up with my goals from 1985.

Hooperstar

What you call your curry-cooking, lemon-bar baking, kid-minding husband when you're trying to say "hero" and "superstar" simultaneously.

A first?

Kids actually finished piano, homework and chores today! It helped to have an early release Wednesday, and that all my piano students cancelled, so I had all afternoon to encourage them. Then kids got ready for bed quickly because they were promised a cookie. We prayed early, played, and read Book of Mormon with flashlights, and only then did things degenerate, because Alex wanted Lar's color-changing headlamp, then started to pout and sulk about all the other things he wanted. Finally got him back into bed by a public accounting of points earned (new system), and he retired happy.

Getting Things Done!

Get out of my way, it's a "get things done day!"

Overdue projects, you're going away.

The laundry stains I meant to bleach

From blackberries so hard to reach

Have 4 months later gotten boiled

(And I treated a shirt that was stained with oil)

Christmas things back in your box

Snowflakes, lights, embroidered socks,

But worry not, you'll bring good cheer,

When we unpack you late this year

Seatbelt buckle, prone to slide

Slows my son down every ride

Sewed a button on below

No excuse now to be slow!

(Should have done it years ago.)

Boxes, bottles on the deck

For my son to build and wreck

Sit unused, collecting mold

Toss them all--they're way too old.

Toys and trash from our long ride

Finally brought them all inside.

Won't mess the van up anymore--

('Course now they're covering the floor.)

Laundry, clutter, dirty plates,

I glimpse, but I can't concentrate.

Average clutter's going to stay

Until my next "get things done day!"

Excited

I let my baby girl wear training pants today for a few hours. She was so excited that she ran to put them on herself. Later, I asked her to sit on the potty and pulled the pants down for her so she could sit down. She promptly popped up again. Why? Because she had an extra pair on under the first!

Now that's protection.