Spring and Chili and Camp

Fridays snow was mostly gone by saturday afternoon, and we were able to go to the
2nd annual Mitchell Branch Chili Cookoff. We invited our neighbor J.P. and his little boy Gavin (visitors got to judge). Our family took three different pots. Franks chicken chili with corn. Franks chicken chili w/o corn and a pot of Cowboy Beans. There were ten entries altogether. The sister half of our missionary couple won judges choice. Tom won the hottest, as well as the kids choice, for different pots. which was interesting because the the difference between the two was that one had corn and one did not. Tom now has a new apron and a chefs hat.

Sunday after church, Pres. Smith asked to talk to me, and issued the calling of Girls camp director. We will have three girls going this year. This is the first year that our branch is sending more than one girl. I am very excited about going. I will have to plan some easy dinners and such for the kids who will be home. Tom will be home evenings. I have already talked to the teacher who will be teaching my summer math class, which I will miss twice, she said she usually allows one missed day, but since I am letting her know so far in advance it will be o.k.

SPRING???????

For the last three nights I have been hot enough that I ended up tossing off my blankets, and quilt and sleeping with my sheet. Yesterday I took the extra blankets off my bed, and left the quilt on, but before bed, I folded the quilt at the bottom, just in case.

This morning I woke up to rain. To be fair, it did rain all day yesterday, before I left for school, It had turned to slushyness, as I got back in the car from dropping the little boys off at daycare, I decided it was sleet. It took me fortyfive minutes instead of my usual 25 to get to Mitchell Tech. I got there and had time to print out the paper due at the end of my second hour. Then right before my class got out at 9:50, my class was interupted by office staff telling us that Mitchell public schools were closing at 10:30 and MTI was officially closing at 11:45. by this time it was "sneeting" I went to my 10:00 teacher and handed her the paper, (I had planned on reading thru it and doing any fine tuning)(Oh, well). Then I left, I had to go grocery shopping on my way home. It took an hour. Then I drove home. It took 65 min. to drive home. My kids called when I was almost home -6 miles, away in Alexandria- to tell me that school was canceled and they were home, Jim and Echo went to the daycare and picked up the little boys. According to the radio as I drove home the visibility was 1/8 of a mile. and the wind was supposed to be increasing.

An interesting thing here in S. Dakota is the wind. even with a day of rain and then sleet and sneet and snow there is a side on all the trees that is dry.

The kids were supposed to get out of school on May 16, but they had too many "snow days" and now school gets out on May 19. They were told that since they started the day at school they will not have to makeup today.

Katie is hoping for a good day for her B-day on May 5, so she can play outside on that day.

I am planning on planting some bulb flowers, crocus and tulips and daffodil but what will this kind of weather do to them?

An AMAZING day!

Today started out as an ordinary school day, I got up, helped Tom get off to work, showered, dressed, The big kids got my little kids dressed. We were out the door about 10min. earlier than usual, which allows me more time to refocus on school, when I get to school. Jim drove Carie to school, since she is on crutches, this helps her start her day easier(but it only happens on my school days) then drove around the block to get to the day care at this point Jim takes his school bag out of the car and walks across the street to school, I take the little boys into the daycare - Mikey into the preschool room and Danny into the toddler/infant room- then back out to the car and drive to school.

At school I started with Business Law, then Human Relations. As soon as H.R. ended I walked down to the room where they were doing the school blood drive. They asked me if I was willing to give twice. I did. This took a bit longer, so I was late to Math. Mrs. Star welcomed me to class and told me that she was disappointed in everyones scores from the test on Monday, so the class was reworking missed problems for half points. But I only missed one so I was not eligible for this. So I started working on my homework, I could have left, but I felt a bit shaky and was not sure if I was ready to drive. By the end of the hour class, I was feeling lots less shaky, so I went ahead and drove home.

I stopped at the post office and found a package card in my box so I went to the window and presented it to the postmaster Reggie. He had me sign for the package, and then I took it home and opened it. It was an early b-day present, from Della. It was a wii. Wow! We have set it up and started playing it. I have wanted something for my kids to do at my house, with their friends, at my house (is there a bit of redundancy here). Now I have one.

I have also discussed with Della my concern of the S.Dakota alcoholism. So she wrote out an oath for my kids to take before playing:

I (name) hereby promise and decree that I will never partake of alcohol.
I do solemnly promise that when I am bored I will seek out positive forms of recreation.
I will encourage my friends not to drink.
I will be an example of what I believe is right, to stand up for it at all times, in all things, and in all places.
I also swear that under no situation whatsoever, regardless of embarrassment, loss of friendship, exposure to the elements, or any other painful or uncomfortable thing will I ever, ever get in a car with a drunk driver.
This I do solemnly swear and promise, because I value my own life and the quality of life that I enjoy, under the binding of my own word and integrity, so help me God.

Isn't that great!

I am so excited. It has been an AWESOME day.

life

Its been a busy week with not much to show for it, except another week crossed off of the calendar.

Jim has been working on his paper from his trip to D.C. and the powerpoint that goes with it. I think he is turning it in today.

Echo hurt her ankle in track and missed two meets trying to rest it. She got to go to Young Womens, Wednesday night. I drove her in to Mitchell and sat reading for one of my classes while she did her thing. Her YW leaders (they have assigned the sister half of our senior missionary couple to be the YW counselor) are really excited about girls camp this will be the first year that our branch has sent more than one girl. There will be two - possibly three,- but the third is not sure when they are going to leave for the summer long summer vacation.

Carolyn has a sprained ankle as well, and is about 1/2 done with her time on crutches. She is looking forward to being done with them. about the time school gets out.

Katie is busy reading the Little house books and is greatly enjoying them.

Mikey and Danny both went to the Preschool screening. The speech therapist for Mikey had recommended we have his hearing checked. and I am wondering if Danny should be in speech. Mikeys hearing is fine, and Apparently Danny is right where he should be for a two and a half year old. We can reasses when he is three. (though self admittedly, I am a bit more worried about speech as a speech kid myself.)

Tom had a busy week at work. Today he gets to give part of his caseload to the new therapist at work.

I am falling deeper in love with S. Dakota everytime I have to drive into Mitchell. Which is three times a week for school, plus church I love the changing fields and watching the colors in the sky.

Auction Quilt

I made this quilt during some of my spare time, in February and March. It was for a benefit that Emery city and Bridgewater City (the next town over)held. To help a lady and her one year old daughter who lost their husband and father and their home.

I was not able to go to the benefit/auction because we were sick that day.

I just found out that the quilt sold for $90.

Quilt

I spent last week working on the quilt for the R.S. it turned out a bit smaller (36x36)than I thought it would be but I think it turned out good.

The middle block says Remember the Great Things of God. The primary made the blocks.

SCORE!

Last week in math I took a test and struggled through the whole thing. Then worried all weekend about how I did and I was frustrated when school was canceled Monday due to snow. Today in Math our teacher announced that only one person got 100% and we all needed to study harder. I thought, well, it was not me, I was so surprised when she said "Good Job, Lillian" Wow, apparently my struggles were not in vain.

Then tonight when I took my weekly online test, I got 97%. I usually get 75% or 76%.

It's been a good day for me.!

Events

Just wanted to share,

Echo is in the choir. there was a performance tonight, she did very good.

Last week the Missoula Childrens Theater was in Emery. They came on Tuesday, and
practiced all week putting on two shows, Saturday. The show: The little mermaid.

Janet tried out and was given the part of a seahorse.
Carie did not try out, she was at the dr.s with a sprained ankle, She heard that the lights person would not be able to be there on saturday, and asked if she could help with that. she did. They both did a good job.

The girls are looking forward to when the MCT comes again. (every 2-3 years we are told).

Dannys Quilt

I made this quilt while we were still in Missouri, but I have now learned how to post pictures and I think it is interesting that Carrie and I made similar quilt for our little boys.