what's been going on with us?

Here is just a little bit of what we have been doing since my last Shaw update. 

Spring Break is over and I'm so happy!  Actually, I love spending time with my kids, just not so much when all they seem to strive or is constant fighting.  The first few days of the break we all went to MT to see my family.  When we came back, Jon had to work night shift and that meant we were all to be quiet.  How hard is it to keep 4 rowdy kids quiet during the day? VERY!  I had to remind myself to lower the volume a few times as well.  The last couple of days, the kids spent time at Grandpa and Grandma Shaw's house.  That would have been perfect if Jon didn't have to work, but he did and so I spent most of the time alone, in the quiet.  I was SO bored!

Jon is busy as ever with work.  Things may be starting to wind down though.  They think that the end date for processing is in October and then we add the time that they will keep him on for the the clean-up phase.  So, still not sure as to how long we'll be here.  He is also busy with his Varsity Scouts.  He's trying to figure out ways to involve more of the boys and to also get more training in.  He will be taking off and heading to Woodbadge training a couple weekends of April.

I am trying to keep up with the kids and with Jacob's preschool class.  He is in a co-op and I teach every 6 weeks.  I have 6 kids  when they all show up and we have had a lot of fun (so far).  My brother is getting married in June and that means my sewing machine is going to be running A LOT!  I have 5 girls' dresses to make before June 4th.  OH BOY!  I'm excited though...I haven't sewn in a long time and my hands were getting itchy to create something.

Kyra has good marks on her most recent report card.  She is above 4th grade level in both math and reading and she's only in 3rd grade.  She is loving her Activity days group with church and likes being able to do more "big girl" things. 

Megan also is doing well in school.  She is in 2nd grade and is above the 3rd grade levels in math and reading.  She turns 8 in July and is excited to get baptized!  She is an overall great help at home and loves to clean different rooms of the house and get her lunch packed the night before.

Jacob is a smarty pants.  He's been ready for school for quite some time and will finally get to go to kindergarten in the the fall.  He loves learning the Primary songs and is always asking me to turn them on when we are in the van.  He is obsessed with dinosaurs....and obsessed might be saying it lightly.  He's all boy and trying hard to be good.  We have struggles everyday, but what parent with a 4 year old boy doesn't?

Ethan is finally 3 and still not talking clearly.  He is doing SO much better and has added several words to his vocabulary and tries very hard to get his point across.  He loves watching me cook/bake in the kitchen and is happy playing in a mound of dirt.  Typical!  He loves to snuggle and I don't mind one bit!

That's us in a nutshell!  There really never is a dull moment at our house...speaking of which, the boys are jumping over each other and one of them is bound to miss....time to go!

Elder Holland

Totally worth watching!

Ethan is 3!!! (almost)

Tuesday will be Ethan's (Ets) third birthday!  3 years ago I had no idea that I would have a baby spend 10 days in the NICU/Peds sections of a hospital.  Especially one who was born 4 days early and weighed in at 9 pounds 6 ounces.  But I did and he's been surprising me ever since.

Ethan is a very quiet, stealthy kiddo.  He's got a smile that will melt your heart and he loves to wink at you!  His long eyelashes get lots of girls and women to swoon at him...He's a major flirt! 

A couple of weeks ago my mom came over from Montana to spend some time with her mom.  We decided that we should have a quick birthday party for Ethan since she wouldn't get to be here for his real birthday.  Here are a few pictures of him and his pre-party:

He had a blast opening his gifts and having some cake and ice cream! Here's to another year with my Ets!!

(By the way, Ets is short for Ethan Taylar Shaw)

CrAsH, bAnG, bOoM

The computer CRASHed.  It want to aim at it and go BANG and watch it go BOOM!  Jon and I have not had good luck with computers.  The current one, that just died, was our 3rd in 10 years.  I'm really beginning to hate computers.  I wish we weren't so dependent on them.  I need it to pay bills, chat with friends and family, get phone numbers, and of course, waste time. 

A year ago, or so, Jon's sister in law gave us an old laptop of hers that we could use for the kids to watch movies while we were on trips in the van.  She had bought a new laptop and didn't need the old one anymore.  When I came home and discovered the desktop's demise, I exumed the laptop from the dust and configured it to run with our wireless internet.

HALLELUJAH!! 

We have a working, albeit slow, computer.  It does what I need plus an added option to help me search and re-search for a new desktop. 

I'm thankful I was unknowingly prepared with this laptop so that life could continue.  I count my blessing everyday even though they may not seem like blessings when we first encounter them.