Ready for Spring

I just had to drive to our nearest neighbors (the Ravstens) to drop off some papers. Instead, I ended up looking for a safe place to turn around (after driving past and realizing that they had no road) to come home. I ended up guessing where the road was because in the time it took me to turn around the road had drifted over again. It hasn't slowed down a bit all day. My kids are ecstatic. Ken and I, who have to drive tomorrow...not so much. After church the kids all bundled up and went outside with sleds and spent hours. Emmy and her three best friends from high school were all planning on coming over for dinner tonight but we told them the roads were pretty bad and to be careful. They got ready to head out and it (finally) started snowing in Logan so they decided to not risk it. It made me sad--I was looking forward to seeing all of them but I'd rather have them safe!In reality, I'm super excited for the holidays and I'm loving that we're getting some holiday snow. Just dreading driving to work the next two days (it's forecast-ed to last that long).
Here are a few highlights:
Those of you who are facebook friends with Emmy know that Daph got her FFA greenhand award and WON the creed-speaking contest. Super-excited for her. She will compete at a higher level next. I honestly think she did as well as the state winner last year. So we will see how far she can take it.
Asher has turned into a little philanthropist. Every year they set out a tree at the school for the kids to put canned foods under and my kids really get into it. Every year I help them find a couple of cans we can spare and they take them to school. The other day Asher was getting ready to go and set down his backpack for a second cause it was so heavy. I asked him what was in it and he opened it to show me. He had TEN cans of Cream of Chicken soup, three cans of beans and a box of mac and cheese. I said, "oh sweetie, we have to eat too! How many cans of soup are in there?" He said "ten." I said, "Oh you don't need to take that much" and started to pull some out and he said, "that's how many I took yesterday." Now that he had mentioned it, my food storage was looking a little thin. Two days later I walked into the pantry to get some tomato soup for spaghetti and it was all gone...  Last Thursday I gave each of the little guys 2$ for the PTA Christmas store at school. Lily came home and started wrapping all kinds of little presents for the family, Sam was excited that he had money left over, and Asher showed my the hat and gloves he bought for himself--that match the ones he bought for a friend that needed them. He can be sweet when he wants to be. :)
Like all of you, I have been pretty shaken up about the events of this past week. I walked into the faculty room at lunch time and the TV was on. I asked what was up and then saw the ongoing coverage. We eventually had to turn it off because the teachers were getting too upset. It was hard for me because my way of dealing with tragedies is to watch coverage around the clock--it makes me feel connected to the rest of the country, I guess. But we had two teachers in tears trying to cover it up before they faced their classes again so we had to shut it down.
I LOVE my job. The fifth graders who were such a challenge to me in the beginning have become my favorite age. They are just so cute. They think they are so big and grown-up and then you occasionally catch glimpses of littlekidness still in them. It's fun. It was just such an adjustment, after focusing on secondary education, and then getting an elementary library, to actually be TEACHING a FIFTH grade group. Way younger that I was trained for, and way older that what I was adapting to. But I love them. Also, they love me, so that helps. haha :) But as much as I love it, I can't WAIT for Christmas vacation. Ready to spend some time at home hanging out with my kids (we're learning "leisure" since the farm stopped being so demanding! :)
I have noticed that my posts are really disjointed. I jump from one thing to the next. I would like to do a rough draft, clean it up, polish it and then post it. But then I would never get a post up and I don't think Mom would go for that so you guys are stuck with rambling posts like this one!
One more thing: Last Tuesday I hit the -30 pound mark since I started cutting out sugar last August. Slowly slowly slowly, but at least going the right direction! I haven't dared weigh since Thursday though because I'm obviously getting sugar in something--My hands and feet have been tingling. I need to watch carefully and see where it's coming from.
That's about all the excitement from around here. Daphne turns 16 tomorrow and is hounding me to take her in to get her license. Another driver! Scared for the next insurance bill! :)
Love you all and looking forward to seeing you after the holiday!