I'm bad at this!

I really love blogging, reading others' blogs that is. When it comes to keeping up ours, I'm a slacker for sure. I never feel like I have anything fun or exciting to write and I'm not nearly as witty and fun as all of the people whose blogs I read. I also don't know how to do much more on blogger other than type a post and post pictures. Sorry for my sob story, but it's all true. Nonetheless, I thought I'd make a post.

We've been busy with the same old things. Mark has been working mandatory overtime and has been working on a few business projects. He's working on this board game he's created and is working on making these really cute note cards from photos of flowers he took last summer. He was released as assistant scout master/deacons quorum adviser last week and was called as Gospel Doctrine teacher. That's right up his alley and he'll do great. Other than that he's just been being a good guy, like always. I have been crazy busy. I was called as R.S. President when Cole was still one month old. You know how you hear those stories of being spiritually prepared for callings or having a premonition. That wasn't the case for me and I was shocked to say the least. I had been Enrichment counselor for the past almost year and we knew we were going to be released as a presidency, so I was looking forward to a break with our new baby. That wasn't the plan apparently, but I'm happy to serve and truly believe that Cole has been a much easier baby only because of my calling. He's really turned a corner and has been so much less fussy enabling me to get more accomplished than I ever thought I could. My house has suffered a bit, but if something has to give I guess that's the thing to let go. Anyway, I enjoy being involved w/ the sisters and serving them. We have to talk this Sunday in Sacrament as a Presidency, wish me luck w/ that. Other than that, I've been doing the regular. Ever since my wisdom teeth were removed I've had problems w/ my jaw, kind of a TMJ thing. It's pretty miserable and it hurts to eat deep into my ear. I can't open my mouth wide enough to bite some things. I've been going to the doctor about it, but no progress yet. You'd think I'd lose some weight with it being painful to eat. No such luck. I guess I'm willing to suffer through the pain for the pleasure. On a positive note, we recently have put Mark's overtime money to good use (instead of saving it like we should) and bought a new recliner for our family room and a new kitchen table. We've even updated to a flat screen tv just in time for the big change next month. That was hard to spend the money on since nothing was wrong w/ our old one, but it does look nice. We're just doing our part to help the sluggish economy I guess.

The kids are all doing well. John doesn't have much new going on in his life. He did get braces a couple of weeks ago and looks like a true teenager now. Other than that, he's busy w/ piano, scouts, school and all of that stuff. Cooper doesn't have much new to report either, other than he's joined a running club at school. They've had to cancel it a lot though due to the snow since they run outside. He still takes piano lessons, but would rather play the electric guitar he tells me. Ella was a little behind on reading the beginning of the year, but has caught up a bit, which is great. She's so cautious in her reading and is afraid to even try a word for the sake of getting it wrong. That really hurts her in the timed tests. She's great w/ Cole and is my main helper. Seth is as curious as ever and destroys things on a daily basis. He's a smart little guy. Any suggestions on potty training? He's a sunbeam now and still in diapers. Kind of embarrassing, huh? He can change his own diaper which is ridiculous. It won't happen until it's part of his agenda, I just don't know how to add that to his agenda. Cole is such a sweetie. The kids still fight over who gets to hold him. He is so strong! He can roll from his back to tummy and tummy to back and has been since three months old. That's earlier than our other babies. He's laughed a few times now which I love. 4 months is a great age!

Well, since this was an update on the family and posts are always better with some pictures, I'll post some family pictures that we had taken at a nearby college campus by Brian and Kamber (BIL and SIL). Some of you have seen them as part of our Christmas cards, but maybe they'll be some that you didn't see.