Happy birthday Jim!!!!

Jim turned 15 years old today!! he planned for this very carefully, asking to not have to do any chores on his birthday, He wanted to not have dishes or laundry today.
I also gave him extra computer time. He enjoyed finding b-day songs on you-tube, especially weird al's happy birthday. He learned that he shares his birthday with the infamous Schlock, of Schlock Mercenary infame. (though Schlock is only 8 to Jims 15).

Here comes summer

Jim started his Drivers Ed. Driving today. He will go every day this week and then we can take him into the DMV and let him take his test. He would like to get his provisional license before his b-day.

Echo is working hard on her Faith project for YW.

Carie has started babysitting.

Katie and Janet are doing Softball with their first game tonight.

Mikey and Danny are busy playing and being little boys.

Tom and I are busy with school and work. And parenting 7 kids.

Love you all.
Lillie

School's out!!!

I got my final grades for the semester. I have a 3.6 GPA. I was a bit disapointed that the A I earned in math ended up as a P as in Pass/Fail. at least I passed.

I have enjoyed my week off. Playing with the little boys and working on a quilt. There are a lot of things I wanted to get done, however, I will have all summer to get them done and during the summer I will have the help of my children.

Today is my last day off, before my summer math class starts. It is also the last day of school for the kids. They would have been done last friday, but there were too many snow days, so they had to make one up. My math class will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays for a couple of hours each day, and my teacher wants to be there for longer than that, so we can get out earlier in the summer. It is supposed to go till July 17, so I would really like to get out early. I have talked to her already about missing during Girls Camp, and she was very agreeable.

Work is going good for Tom, We went to the company bonfire, (I think it is an annual thing) there was lots of good food, including smore's. There was a drawing for the adults. I think Each of the kids who are big enough to write put their dad's name in, but they only let him have one prize, katie and I are excited about it. It is a bird feeder. (For her B-day, Tom got her a pair of binoculars and a bird book)( She is very interested in the birds around here). Then they had glow necklaces, bubble swords, and kites for each of the kids.

Now what to do over the summer? Jim would like a summer job, but everyone wants someone 16. We will be spending a lot of time at the pool. Katie and I have been talking and I have assigned her the job of researching the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead in Desmet, SD. to see how much it will cost, and what there is to do there, how long it will take to do it all. Echo has read the books more than once, but Katie is on herfirst time through them.

May 13th Celebration

Happy Birthday Lillie and Chet!!! Lillie - 35 Chet - 38 It seems like he's always out scoring her. Go figure.

Echo Back Through Spring

Months ago I was on the Emery Junior High quizbowl team. I placed fist or second and had a lot of fun. The funny thing is I was only signed up because Mrs. Rayman signed up either her math class or her reading class (Kyle Herrick is in math but not reading).
The other thing is Track and Field. The JH season ended last thursday at the conference meet. My relay team ended up in third place (we beat sombody too!) and in the two hundred I came in second to last in my heat which was awesome (I'm usually dead last).
Echo

Cinco De Mayo!!

Happy 9th birthday Katie!! there is a lot going on here. Katie loves living in a small town where we can make our own cupcakes and take them to school. Echo ran in her second track meet today but we didn't have the opportunity to go. Echo on the other hand just likes running so when she got home she didn't remember how she placed or her times. These are some pictures from her first meet. There are only 2 weeks left of school for the kids and for the college student in the family this is the last week and she will finish her first year. Next post we'll have some pictures of how spring comes to the Dakotas.

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.