Called To Serve

Ethan usually will not sing primary songs at home, other than Popcorn Popping. But, today he was washing his hands and singing Called To Serve. I thought I heard him singing it not quite right, so when he came out I asked him to sing it for me. His version goes, "Edward, pressing forward...". Yes, Edward is popular in this house. Brittany has a life-size cardboard stand-up of him in her room...kinda creeps me out. :)

I need a drivers ed. car

You know...the ones with the brake on the passenger side.
Ashlei got her learners permit last week-exactly 6 months before her 16th birthday. So, I figured we better start logging in hours and get some practice in so that she can sign up to do the range soon.
Yesterday, I drove us over to our chuch parking lot and traded places with her. I told her to press LIGHTLY on the gas...let's just say that it's a good thing we weren't near any obstacles. But, she picked up on it quickly and got some practice in.
We went again today and I had her practice going in reverse quite a bit more. Then...I made her drive home. She was very nervous...and the snow and garbage can lined streets were making me nervous, but she did a good job. I only panicked a couple of times. :)
Just 39 hours to go (10 of those after sundown). And 4 more kids to go after her. Sigh...

Conversation with E

E-"Mom, look what I found!" (Holding up his old backpack)
Me-"Where was it?"
E-"By the princess thing." (Okay...) "But, it can be my hunting backpack now." (We don't hunt)
Me-"Oh...when are you going hunting?"
E-"I don't know."
Me-"Who are you going hunting with?"
E-"Everyone...but, I need one of those collar things so I won't get lost."
Me-"What are we going to hunt for?"
E- "Fish!" (his sisters are snickering at this point)
Me- (trying hard not to laugh), "What will we do if we catch any?" (Daddy hates seafood)
E-"We'll give it to people who like fish."
Me- (wondering if he pictures these fish dead or alive) "What will they do with them?"
E-"Cook them and eat them. Like penguins!" (Interpret that as you like.) :)

Conversation overheard

Between my 6 yr old son, E and the 4 yr old girl I babystit, L:
E-"Did you know there is a book called David?"
L-"Yeah, and he's bad in class."
E-"I have that book."
L-"So do I!"
E-" What a coincidence!" (With an emphasis on 'in')
L-"Cool!"
E-"Awesome!"
Me--chuckling in the laundry room...too cute. :)

Bad singers

On the way home from dropping D off at school, a song came on the radio and E said, "This is a bad singer." The 4 yr old girl I babysit disagreed. Ethan clarified, "She's not a bad singer, she sings bad things." I figured he got this from things his sisters have said about this singer, since they aren't allowed to have the cd, and one of which won't listen to any of this singers songs because of the few "bad" ones. But, to know for sure, I asked him. He responded, "She says a swear word." Um...yeah...she does. Back to Radio Disney, I guess. :)

A day at the dr's

I arrived at the neurologist 10 minutes early...and it's a good thing because I got taken to an exam room over an hour later! :-p I then sat in there for around 45 minutes until Dr. Gaufin came in, swiftly went over my MRI's, did a quick questioning exam, tested a few strength/movement things and then discussed my options--operation or physical therapy. Well, surgery is a last option for me, and hopefully the symptoms that stem from the Bells Palsy will continue to diminish, making the disc protrusion more bearable. So, I chose therapy and went home to comparedthe Phys. Therapists in our insurance booklet to those in the phone book (found a guy I went to high school with, but he's too far away) and made an appt. for Wed.
Dr. Gaufin requested a traction machine for me to take home-hopefully that will help. So, I do traction, massage, heat, exercises, etc. for 3 weeks and then go back to what hopefully won't be another 2 hour wait for a follow-up with Dr. Gaufin.

What a week!

And it's only Tuesday!
On Sunday, we had a Stake mtg. re: ward boundary changes. Our family got bumped into another ward. And because of the high inactive/non-member homes near us, there are only 4 other active member homes changing with us. But, it could be a good thing. Caitlin says she has no friends in our current/old ward...and Destini only has 1 other girl in her primary class. Maybe that will change.
Today I went to look at a home for sale. The house is very nice from the outside and in a nice neighborhood, but insane on the inside and in need of a lot of remodeling. It is just under 6000 sq ft and could sell for a low price, but the amount of work needed...not worth it. And, to make matters worse--the streets in the NE part of town on a non-stop snowy day are AWFUL! I had to park down around 2 corners from the house because my van got stuck trying to make it up a snowy inclined street. (Luckily I was able to go in reverse and search for a place to park--which, there wasn't any, thanks to snowplows pushing all the snow to the sides of the streets--so, thanks to the lady who allowed me to park in her driveway). And, by the time I was leaving, I had a text from Caitlin saying she missed the bus and, glancing at my watch, I saw that Destini and Ethan were just getting out. Crap! So, I called Brittany and told her to walk to the school to get them--not exactly super close...uphill...and snowing. I got stuck in a traffic jam in front of Foothill Elementary, further discouraging me from moving to that part of town, and finally picked up Caitlin, just after receiving a call from the elem. school office that D and E were there waiting. We got to their school just ahead of A and B and then drove home to discover that a snowplow had done a swipe up the middle of our cul-de-sac leaving a wall of snow in front of our driveway. Amazingly enough, my van rammed through it and made it up the driveway and into the garage (good thing I shoveled and de-iced this morning). And now, I am ready for an uneventful rest of the week. :)