With All Our Love

Shake, rattle and roll! Nine earthquakes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in a 24 hour period last Tuesday, from 1.6 to 2.3 to 3.6. Interesting, but we didn't even feel a wiggle

Also noteworthy was a recent study found in my Sams Club flyer quoting your BYU.  "Treating yourself to a fresh bowl of snow ice cream, as long as the snow is fresh-fallen, does not pose a significant health risk."

The last noteworthy piece of news this week comes from Forbes:  They posted the top 25 best places to retire list, and Granbury was chosen as #1! The Schenewark Chalet is open for business ;-) The other places that were of interest to me were the three other Texas locations (Austin 3rd, Fredericksburg 14th, and San Angelo 22nd). Utah had two, Ogden 17th and SLC 21st. Fargo, ND made my eyebrows raise (13th, I kid you not ;-), and Morgantown coming in at 16th was interesting. The list rounds out with two in PA and SC, and three in FL.

I was lamenting one day this week at how little I have to do to feed the family some nights. After coming off of two weeks of fix-enough-food-to-feed-an-army, I'm almost in food withdrawal. You two are such foodies, and I appreciate that about you ;-) Porter and Cooper can throw me off once in a while with them wanting more food, but not very often.To liven things up here, I cooked a YUM coconut bread. I've waited too long to make that!

Breyer and I spent a good portion of the week taking down and putting away Christmas decorations. We had a little Breyer accident with some of the Lenox china ornaments, and I had to set aside some time to fix two (you're both 1-1, repaired), plus that stubborn wiseman's head. Got him on by inserting a toothpick, in case you're wondering!

Miller came home after his first day back at school with this cute ornament!

It's that time of the school year when science fair projects are begun in earnest. Cooper chose to do a history board on Cassin Young, and Grampy's time on the destroyer.

Sawyer and Miller are both doing an experiment, determining which lettuce lasts longer: on the counter, in the fridge, or on the counter in water, or in the fridge in water. I'll be so glad when my counters are clean. Most definitely putting lettuce in water, like cut flowers, wins hands down.

Sawyer had his first basketball game Friday, after having his first practice Wednesday. He's one of seven other boys on the team, and his skillz from Ohio make him shine a little brighter. The female coach, a first for us, noticed as well in his seven second try out, and picked him first over her own son.  Sawyer twisted, twirled, dribbled around, behind and inbetween; and rebounded like crazy. Always a joy to watch. Porter also had two games, both of which we had to tip toed in late and leave early.

All three boys in scouts plus your father went to the Weatherford College Merit Badge fair yesterday. Going to a new venue is always an adventure; Porter didn't like being the tallest or oldest in attendance. He's probably done. Everyone froze, not knowing the classes would be held outside. Good old Texas was a toasty 37 degrees.

Dad took the most pictures of Sawyer, since he hung around him the most: Wood carving, Indian lore, and golf.

Porter took architecture, model design, salesmanship; Cooper took Citizen in the Nation, landscape architecture, and model design (he's already finished one of his requirements today).

Miller, Breyer and I were toasty warm at the pinewood derby race. Miller continued his Cars theme, and was wildly successful, with Cooper's help, in winning the trophy for Most Detailed, and with Dad's help in winning the trophy for first place in the Wolf den, and the trophy for second overall. Banner year for boy number six.

Your Dad finished the bookcase except for the molding. He said he would work on that during his spring break in March. He put some stain on, but has more to do. He really wanted to get books on it before classes began Monday, and found out he needs another bookcase, or two  ;-)

Breyer is still in the terrible two stage but almost four. Your father was funny today chasing her around the couch, "I thought this wasn't suppose to happen until you were twelve!"

We love you! Be good!

Love,

Mom

P.S. Found this!