Seth got to start learning to read today!  We're using the same book that we did when Brooke learned to read.  He learned that m says mmmmmmmmmm and s says sssssssssssssss.  He even practiced writing those two letters.  He was very, very excited!  It was fun to teach him today.

Brooke has a very loose tooth on the top.  It actually looks like she has already lost a tooth because the space has gotten bigger preparing for the new tooth to come in.  This afternoon she wrote a letter that she's going to leave for the tooth fairy when she looses her tooth.  It was pretty sweet.

I liked going down the slide.  By Seth

Seth is my new friend.  And he's S E T H like me.

Luke is the funniest of our family.  He tells funny jokes and stuff.  By Seth

Brooke was having a fun time climbing at the park.

Me and Seth were having a fun time climbing at the park. 

Maw Maw, I like my GI JOE shirt and I love you so much.

Josh and I got this shirt for Brooke for Valentine's Day.  It has glitter on it that I find all over the house.  She said it is her new favorite shirt.

Seth and Luke got a new bunk bed.  Luke will probably start sleeping in it later this summer. 

Luke LOVES to chew on the corner of his blanket. 

                                     Karate man!  Seth likes his karate outfit he got for Christmas.

This was before church on Sunday morning.  After I took the picture Seth asked me if I got him with his legs like this.  He really likes wearing his cowboy boots.

Since August we have been going to the public library and having exploration day at a park.  We often max out on the number of books we can check out on one library card which is 50 books so then we use Brooke's card so we can get those last few books they have chosen.  Brooke and Seth often pick out books that they think each other would like.  Well the past couple of Wednesdays we went to a different park and we have discovered that there is a homeschool group of 40 plus children that meets there every Wednesday at noon to play.  Perhaps it is an answered prayer of finding a group.  Luke mostly enjoyed being pushed in the swing.  After 25 minutes of me pushing him I noticed he was doing the head bob.  I had rocked him to sleep in the swing.

Tonight at dinner Brooke and Seth were telling Joshua about their day.  Luke was mostly wanting the rice and beans wiped off of his hands and shouting a bit.

So Seth told Joshua there was a boy there that played soccer for about 20 years and he was 6 six years old.  He also told him that he got a "blist" which was actually a splinter at the park from mulch.  I'm thinking he's not quite clear on what a blister is.  Then he said there were some girls playing frisbee.  They threw it 20 miles, which was actually about 100 yards.  They even threw it over the lake, which was a small creek.  It was just so funny to hear him tell about everything.  Kids and time and distances are pretty entertaining.

We hosted our Valentine's party today.  Here's a few pictures when they were making Valentines.  It was a very fun time.  We were so glad the Shidal girls and the Owens girls could come.

Seth went to chapel with Joshua.  We just asked him if he would like to do that.  He excitedly replied, "YES!".  I asked him if wanted to wear his church pants and shirt or his suit.  He wanted to wear his suit like Daddy.  He asked me if he looked handsome like Daddy.  We practiced shaking hands before he went and he needed to get around Brooke so he told her excuse me.  Then he looked at me and said, "That was good wasn't it?".  He had all of his manners goin' on.  He also got to take his lunch and eat with Joshua in the faculty lounge.  Seth thought chapel was great.  When we asked him if he wanted to go again, he asked if he could go tomorrow.

So while Seth was at chapel, we made a fast trip to the zoo. 

Not a snowman, just a chunk of ice.

Joshua decided it was a good idea to get the weight off of the trampoline.  He had some great help.

The beginning of a snowman.

Joshua and I were eating snow so Luke wanted to try some.

Our snowman was rockin'.  He had headphones on his head.

It's the 4th day in a row that Joshua has been home because of snow or ice.  He was been Brooke's substitute teacher.  I thought he was fabulous.  It was nice for me to observe a bit and watch his laid back style.  It was also nice to spend more time with Seth.  Luke kind of demands time no matter what.  So we've been in a nice little routine this week.  Each day after lunch we bundle everyone up and go out and play.  You know where you spend as much time bundling as you do outside.  We have lots of warm stuff but there's more warm stuff up in the attic.  You know the "hill" on our driveway is frozen solid and the car and van are in the garage so we're not getting in the attic.  Maybe next winter I'll think that through.  But, who would have expected all of this?  One day I decided to put socks on Luke, then his fleece pajamas and then pants and a shirt, hat, coat, etc.  I got him all dressed and then realized his shoes wouldn't fit, so we got Seth's old pair of tennis shoes and pulled them really tight.  Poor little fella fell down a lot and kind of just walked with his arms not bent and sticking out.  The next day I didn't dress him the same.  But I did use a binder clip to tighten a thing you use to wear on your ears.  It became sort of a scarf around his neck.  It's been a fun week!

Yesterday afternoon we made Valentine's sugar cookies.  This year when I got the Valentine's decorations out, Brooke and Seth asked me if we were going to make cookies again this year.  It's been a fun tradition, and a yummy one!  I took some pictures but they didn't turn out.