Oy vey!

We are Mormon, not Jewish, but this phrase is heard around our home all the time. It is a Yiddish exclamation of frustration or dismay, that literally means, "Oh, woe", but in our home it more closely aligns with "you've got to be kidding me". I don't know if Seinfeld could be to blame ...

Anyhoo, it quite captures the tenor of our home the last 3 months+, particularly since I was asked to serve in our stake Primary presidency. The pace hasn't been blistering, but it's a little nuts, even with me trying to avert my eyes from the Cub Scout elephant in the proverbial room. Three ward conferences, one new leader training, one general board training, 5 presidency meetings, one stake council ... and this has been during a period of relative downtime for my Scoutmaster husband. Every change brings with it a new normal, and we're still getting the hang of it.

Our 17-month old toddler Sabrina is no longer a walking baby, but a little girl, teeny pigtails and all. She is a charmer, with a curveball pout that she uses regularly to get her way and her wants. We adore her, in spite of some spectacularly cranky evening episdoes. She doesn't say many words yet: ca-ca (cookie), Da-da, ma-ma, ow-sy (outside), no (very well), and she will say ee-aw if you say donkey. She actually does a good little handful of animal sounds.

Emma was baptized in December. It was a lovely evening for us, spiritually. I wrote a big journal entry on it. Imagine that! Journalling instead of blogging :)

We are in the midst of special school projects: Emma was Abraham Lincoln in her 2nd grade presidential wax museum yesterday (they "come to life" when they are approached and tell about themselves). Harrison is doing a diorama for "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Book 1, and no doubt science fair will follow shortly thereafter for both of them (joy!). And then, suddenly, the school year will be winding down, and we'll be eyeing our summer plans ... April and May always seem to fly. Whereas, January seems eternal sometimes.

I keep going to the gym. And going, and going. I work hard, and I'm always glad I went and pushed it. I will be 40 years old in just over 2 months. It doesn't freak me out; age never really has. But I'd like to be getting it together, rather than coming apart, for my 40th. A work in progress, still!

We got a Wii for Christmas; it is a novelty, and the only game system that I remotely approved of. The kids have been more apt to get their requisite chores done in order to have their turns on it after school. Still, overall, I'm not quite sure it lives up to the hype. I still wish that my kids' first instinct was to run out and play rather than run for the controllers. A different age, right?

Well, I need to get going on our taco salad dinner. Life is good - just a little exasperating and exhausting ... and overly chilly. I think I'm actually ready for spring this year.