Week 37 Family Report

Here it is Monday morning and I am just now doing our weekly update.  I'm not sure where the weekend went but it went quickly!  I downloaded photos from my camera and there is very little to document with photos so there will mainly be words this week! 

Another dry week with no rain!  Our mower guy did come mow but I do not think he'll have to do it again this month unless we get some serious rain in the next few days.  He came three times last September so I guess it was a lot less dry this time last year!  Mornings are still crisp making my running very pleasant.  I managed to run 21 miles - see Twelve Fit Feet for more on my running!

School went well for the kids.  We mainly kept up with our daily piano, reading, math, grammar, writing, more reading, more piano and chores.  We received a postcard from Massachusetts.  We are really enjoying the postcard exchange and even Gabe can locate many of the states in the U.S. due to this little project!

I hosted a little luncheon for the ladies I visit teach.  I served Danish pancake with strawberries.  It was fun to gather together and discuss some thoughts on the Family Proclamation which is 15 years old this month!  It is a beautiful statement focusing on the family which is really our greatest strength in this life.  I'm so grateful for its message which supports the family in a world where so often the family is looked down upon.  One of my favorite blogs, Chocolate On My Cranium, is dedicating this whole month to posts on families.

Ben and I went out on a date on Saturday morning.  He needed a new suit very badly.  The one he currently has we bought eleven years ago while we were living in SLC in preparation for his residency interviews.  Thankfully we found one at our first stop.  I know he doesn't like to shop but it was enjoyable for me to go shopping without four kiddos and just be together!  We also went out for lunch at Panera (my favorite) and I got a yummy salad with pears, dried cherries, and blue cheese.  It was so tasty!  We really need to "date" more often! 

On Sunday we had the missionaries for dinner.  Ben made a yummy roast with mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, and a salad.  Grace and Ben made a lemon meringue pie for dessert!

I think that about sums up our week!  Here are a few photos . . .  

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Hummingbirds!  We love our hummingbirds.  We enjoy watching them from our kitchen table.  Oh the simple pleasures of life! 

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Seth and Gabe in their cave eating grapes!

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Grace and I made some healthy granola bars this week.  They are called "Smart Bars."  They have pecans, raisins, dried cranberries, dried apricots, mashed banana, sunflower seeds, whole wheat flour and eggs.  They definitely are fiber-filled.  It was kind of a sticky-gooey mess but they were fun to make.  Grace took the photos.