This was my view from the back yard yesterday at some point. The storm is back and it rained through the night and is wet and cold this morning. I can't wait for Spring to show it's face. :D I love the rain but also love to see some sunny, blue skies. There is something exciting about a dark sky like this....

Here are just some random pictures this week. I had to document Mitty's agenda for FHE last week. It was just so cute how he wrote it all up and followed it for our lesson. He did a great job!!

It was so great to have the kids helping with chores. They do a great job and it helps me so much. I love that about the kids getting older. Casey and Emily had great fun sorting out the darks and lights. Thanks guys!! I appreciate all of their help.

I love pictures of the kids from behind. It was so cute to see the two of them at the piano playing. Ellie loves to climb up and sit up there. She feels so big when she does it. The backpack is her new thing. She loves to wear it around and run to hear the sound it is making from the toys inside. Very cute. I can remember when each of the kids loved to wear that very backpack. We've had it around awhile.

Here is Ellie last Sunday. She is so into climbing up on any chair that is not occupied. She got up there turned around and sat down. She is so cute and fun. That was her second Sunday going into Nursery. She is doing pretty well. I was teaching Primary and so Todd took her in. He said she was good and didn't cry. :D Oh, how happy that makes us. We'll see how today goes. She has a bit of a runny nose so I'm sure I will be with her in the halls for the duration. She is good through Sacrament meeting but then needs to let some energy out. It is hard for me to sit with her through Sunday School right after sitting through Sacrament. It's been awhile since I have heard a Gospel Doctrine lesson. :D Oh well, this time of life never lasts very long. I am truly enjoying our last baby and the stages. Why rush, Sunday School will always be there. Ellie will only be little for such a short time. I learned very early on that going to church with the little ones is to show them the example of going. It is all a learning experience for them even at the young ages. I didn't expect to hear much or learn much and when I did it was a bonus!!

Last Tuesday night was Family Night at Doc Burnstien's for the kids school. It is always a fun night. The kids teachers scoop the ice cream and clean up tables for the evening. My kids love to see their friends and teachers there. It is fun for all. Todd is always up for any excuse to get ice cream. :D
Todd was home last Friday which was fun. He hasn't had a Friday off for the last month. (He gets every other Friday off but has had to work his last two, so it was nice to have him around.) We took the girls to Target and stocked up on some stuff. I bought the movie Goonies for the kids. My boys had never seen it and it was $7.50. They loved it!! They had a movie night with popcorn in my bed on Friday. All three of them under the covers with just their heads peeking out. It was pretty cute. We also took Emily to lunch. (She loves to go on little errands with us, especially lunch with dad.) Friday night was of course Todd going to pick up YC (frozen yogurt). Oh, we love that place. We were happy to have it two nights in a row. :D
Saturday (yesterday) Mitch had baseball tryouts for the Minor's. Is he really that old already?? I remember my brothers playing in the minors. It doesn't seem like it was that long ago. Todd took him along with Emily and Casey to the field. It was a 2 1/2 hour process and we'll see how it all turned out soon. Mitch loved it and I think he is really excited. Casey was invited to a b'day party at the bowling alley. Oh, how excited Casey has been to go to a party (one that is just for him to attend). He had a great time and brought home some fun prizes. It was really neat that the boy whose party it was decided he wanted to give all of the presents to needy children and so we didn't have to wrap up a gift. It was kind of nice not having to worry about that. It was nice for so many kids to see another boy do that with his presents. What a good example. I loved talkiing about it with Casey.
Did I mention how nice it was that Todd did all of the running around with the kids yesterday. He took them to the field and then took the boys to get haircuts and then took Casey to his party and picked him up and picked up our yogurt. I loved hanging around the house with just Ellie. She napped and I ran the 6.5 miles that I said I would for President Hinckley on the treadmill in my front room. Did anyone see Kristi's blog on that? Very cute idea. I did laundry and vacuumed the entire house. It was nice to do it with all of the kids out of the way. :D It goes so much faster.
Todd helped with getting our papers organized yesterday. We shredded so many uncessary papers(old bills, etc.) I love when he gets into his organizing kick. He makes such a difference and we love it after it's all said and done. Thanks!!
Now we are back to Sunday. It's raining and cold. It's so nice to have a day that I know I am not going anywhere other than church. It's such a needed break during the week. I better get going to get things ready for the day. It's a process to have this group ready even for 1:00 church.