Tuesday, February 5

It's 1 a.m.

It's late. Very late, and way past my bedtime. Had such a busy day. Filed our taxes, to which we won't be receiving our refund until early March, because we qualified for an Education Credit. Go figure, but with this credit, our refund is $1200 more. We can wait a few more weeks.

So much has happened since the last time I posted, that I hardly know where to begin. My last post was in October. Most of the changes have to do with M, so I guess I will start with him. In Oct. he was dating a very sweet girl, whom we all adored. In November, they broke up. Soon after M quits college, because she won't leave him alone. M looks for a job all through December. M volunteers at New Beginnings Thrift Store during December. M gets job for roofing company in January. Weather is cold, and work is not steady, so M finds another job. This one is full-time, and for a windows and siding company. Matt is currently doing very well for this company. We are beaming with pride. He is really growing up.

H was elected as Secretary for our 4-H club, and E was elected Vice-President. They have been very busy with club activities, and projects this year. They are both very excited to bring their pets to the next meeting for their demonstrations.

Scott is just about the same. Same job, although he is now working for the hospital directly, and not an outsourced agency. He loves his work, and even though he is making $5,000 less than he did last year, he wants to continue working there. I just realized the $5,000 less part this afternoon while I was doing our taxes. I sure don't know how we missed that one. I do know that it was incredibly tight this year to say the least. I had thought his paychecks were less than before, but I didn't realize that they were that much less. Yikes!!

I am still running the household, homeschooling the kiddos, and crafting as much as possible. I enjoy my weekly Bible study group, and my card club (greeting cards, not playing cards), and my scrapbooking group, and a couple of  local Charlotte Mason groups I belong to. We are also very involved with our church, and all the fun  homeschool field trips, ladies retreats, and a lovely Sunday School class, I simply could not live without (for wives and mothers only).

A couple of weeks back, we took a trip down to Missouri, to visit the folks, my grandma, and my sister and her family. We had the best time! Mom, Jennifer, and I went to a day-long scrapbooking retreat sponsored by the medical center where my mom works. It was such fun creating pages, and looking at old photographs together. Such a blast! We will be heading down again in early April so Scott can go spoonbill fishing with Dan and Dad, and Mom, Jennifer, and I are going to another scrapbooking retreat, but this time it's being sponsored by (Jennifer's) David's school. I can't wait!

So anyhow, 2013 is looking better than 2012 did, so far. Sorry I didn't get Christmas cards out this year. School is taking up so much more time, as the boys grow older. It's really my full-time job. I didn't get all the sewing I wanted to get done before Christmas this year either, and my mending pile is quite full as well.

One week from Thursday, will be Scott's and my 16th Wedding Anniversary. He told me tonight that he made reservations somewhere for next Thursday night, but wants to surprise me. I can't deny that I do like surprises. We have some other exciting things coming up in the next month or so, but I can't really mention it, until after that happens. I will keep you updated. We are also Wisconsin/Minnesota/North Dakota bound in June. We hope to do some visiting along the way. Hoping to see old friends, even for a little while.

I think my next post will be some random photos that I have taken throughout the past year of the family. The boys are really growing. H is only 11, and he's taller than I am. E is 8, and nearly as tall as I am. I guess that is par for the course when they have a father that is 6'4".

Well, this girl is heading to bed. It's 1:30 now, and I can't type another word.

Good Night!