updates

Santa brought the kids $5 to go skating.  So FINALLY on Saturday we went.  It was SO cold.  SO SO COLD.  But I'm always cold.  The kids did pretty good.  I was surprised with how well Rachel and Mayah did.  Ethan fell quite a bit but he was the one who didn't want to go home.  He kept asking if he could just go around ONE more time.  Funny kid.  I surprised myself and actually did really good.  I could go backwards for a while and was able to go pretty fast.  Caleb had fun but got bored after awhile.  Zach didn't want to go so he was at the public library with Don.  Caleb decided to quit early and go sit in the car.  He was too cold.  When we got back in the car it wouldn't start.  We had to call Don to come give us a jump.  It was so gorgeous outside though.....snowing hard.  I love the snow.  I didn't used to.  I just wish it wasn't so cold.  LOL. 

Don has started school at BBCC. He is doing a computer course.  I really wish he was able to use his Arabic.  He loved it so much.  But it will be 2 years in May since he has used it.  He still, on occasion, will read the Book of Mormon in Arabic. 

Mayah is amazing.  She is 6 and has all 13 Articles of Faith memorized.  We work on them quite a bit.  Many times we will memorize them in place of reading the scriptures.  Now Don has everyone working on memorizing the scripture mastery scriptures that the seminary students work on.  Everyone knows two so far.  But now we have decided to go back to reading the Book of Mormon together each night and then maybe 2 times a week do the memorizing.  So today Mayah was really excited that she was able to tell her teacher at church her final memorized Article of Faith.  Her teacher is bringing her a king size candy bar for her hard work.  This girl is JUST SMART.  I know...I'm bragging.  But she is impressive.  I got a text mid week to say Mayah had a talk.  Well come Saturday night I remembered at about 8ish.  Mayah was headed for bed but I kept her up so we could figure out a talk.  After going over three ideas we decided on this one:

Once there was a mousetrap
baited with some cheese
It tickled so the little mouse
It almost made him sneeze
An older mouse said, there's danger...be careful where you go.
Nonsense said the little mouse, I don't think you know.
So he went in boldly, No one was in sight
first he took a nibble
then he took a bit
And snap went the clapper
as quickly as a wink
and caught the little mouse
because he didn't think.

She only needed a little bit of help....and that was just with knowing when to hold up the little mouse and the older mouse (you use a CLEAN mouse trap and two mice)  And when it says "he took a bite" you put the little  mouse to the trap and make it snap.  It is such a cute talk.  Anyway.  She had it pretty much memorized after about three times.  This talk has been done before with the other kids but it was about a year and a half.

Wow.  I can't believe it is 2013.  The time continues to fly by.  I am done with another one of my classes.  I decided to do the Humanities course and I did really well and got awesome reviews on one of the tasks.  Now I am on to my math course and a little scared.  But I know I can do it.  I can do anything after taking the government class.

I didn't really make any resolutions.  I do want to start exercising again.  I was so excited to have continued for so long. Then I had to take the videos back to the library.  Don and I went to the library again about two months ago and I was so excited to get three new ones.  Well I got up early to continue my routine and come to find out....there were no movies in the movie cases.  UGH.  So I couldn't do it.  And after that I kind of lost my motivation.  I need it back. 

I'm excited to see what this new years brings.  I am praying it will be a bit better than 2012. I did have many blessings in 2012 but many trials too.  I am ready for a break.