Catching Up...Again

I actually almost forgot about my blog! I used to be horrified when people would go months and not update. Sorry to all you people I had bad thoughts about for not updating your blog regularly!! Ha!!

Elihu has been wrestling so that has taken a little chunk out of each week. He practices two nights a week and has matches here and there. He is actually really good...better than I even would've thought. He doesn't really get all the rules and stuff just yet but he is definitely having fun. It seems like he constantly has a new slight injury of some sort. When he first got his uniform he was borderline horrified. It's a singlet (spandex tank top/shorts outfit thing) so he felt like he was naked when he would wear it. I think he's gotten used to it by now and doesn't think much about it anymore. He's done well in practice and had his first match last week. He didn't "win" either match but he wrestled hard! Neither of the boys pinned each other in the first match so it was a sort of tie I guess. Elihu got pinned in the 2nd match but he still really enjoyed it. He has another match this week. Surprisingly I'm getting excited about wrestling! It's fun to watch the boys practice and practice and then watch them put their new knowledge to use!!

Josiah has enjoyed going to the practices and cheering Elihu on. He says he gives him "advice"...which is kind of scary since he knows nothing about wrestling. :-) He usually takes a book and reads awhile, advises awhile, and then reads some more. I think he enjoys just wandering around in the gym. His scouting stuff should be getting cranked up again over the next few weeks. He'll have pinewood derby, cubanapolis, and meetings here and there followed by the spring family camping! The 2 camping trips each year are the highlights of scouting! The boys all have a blast and we all get to go tent camping. Surprisingly, I really enjoy these weekends too!

Isaac has all kinds of teeth now and is saying all sorts of new words each day! He's also learning some sign language from Baby Einstein (his absolute and ONLY favorite videos). I put the DVD on Spanish the other day and you could tell he knew something was different. He watched that entire video like he'd never seen it a thousand times before! He knows the sign language for school, library, salon, and driveway. Shannon said the Spanish word for library the other night, just being funny, and Isaac did the sign language for THAT too! It was hilarious!

Mama's been helping me organize and clean up the basement. We're trying to get the storm room ready. It is leaking and needs to be sealed from the outside, THEN from the inside. Once we get that done we'll paint it white to brighten it up a little, and then I plan to store a lot of my canning stuff in there...my pressure cooker, my jars, my canned foods, etc. Amy & Mama both bought me some super nice shelves to go in there just for that purpose. Mama and Daddy came over this week and put them together for me. Now if I can just get the room ready we'll be set!

I've also been sorting out closets and shoes and clothes. My yard sale room is getting packed to the gills. It's bustin' at the seams and ready to be rid of it's inventory!! I told Shannon I was having a "reckoning" in this house!! If I haven't used it or wore it or even looked at it in a year or more, I'm getting rid of it!! This is very hard for me normally for some reason. But I'm trying to take full advantage of my current mode before it passes!!

I really need to work on year-end tax junk. Ugh. NOT the highlight of January...that's for sure. But the sooner I get it done, the better. One less thing to have to think about and dwell on. I just finished paying the bills and was pleased that there were actually a few dollars left over. Yay for us!!

My friend Amanda sent me an email updating the latest info on her Mama. She has been diagnosed with a mild type of cancer and is in the hospital. Her blood count is low and she has had to be given blood many times. The boys' school is having a blood drive on Monday. I initially dismissed it as (1) not really having the time (2) just didn't really feel like doing it (3) just not important enough. But then, when I got Amanda's email and saw that this blood donated by who-knows-who is literally saving her mama's life, it made me totally re-think my stupid and selfish decision. I will now be a faithful blood donor and proud to know that I am literally saving someone's life. I hope the next time you hear of a blood drive, you will either donate (if you are physically able) or at least encourage someone else...reminding them that they are literally keeping someone's loved one alive.