Good Stuff

 

:: The last Saturday of March I did the Badger Mountain Challenge 15K again. This year I actually trained and prepared for it. What a difference that makes! I shaved off an 1:06 from my time and didn't want to crawl home afterwards. It was incredibly windy which made for interesting hair, ha. Hiking has been my 'out' this spring and it's helped my mood as much as my speed. I injured my heel when I was training and then again during the race. I've been babying it for over a week now and just when I think it might be better, I'm limping again. I'm afraid I'm going to be moving towards geriatric sandals soon. No more bare feet for me. I sure hope healing comes soon because my mood needs me to get back on the trail.

:: I'm 99% done with this semester and it feels good. I can hardly believe it but I finished with a 4.0. Sure, it was only two classes (with great instructors and a decent work flow) but I'm celebrating anyway. Six more credits down.

:: Back story- Dane and Kathryn ordered new glasses a couple weeks ago. Our vision insurance was never the greatest so we would often shop for glasses at places cheaper than the doctor's office. Dane had a pair he was set on getting from their office so I asked about a program they have that caps the cost at a certain price. Her face was confused a little at my question and said not to worry about it with my insurance. She told me that pediatric glasses were covered 100% every calendar year. What?! I questioned her a little bit and she said, 'Well, it's one of the few benefits we are seeing with the changes brought about by Obamacare. Glasses for kids under 18 are free.' Totally stunned, I told the kids to pick what ever glasses they wanted. At least there's one benefit, right? I told my mom and a couple other people this story because this. is. news. Free glasses for three kids!

He loves his new specs

We picked up their new glasses last Friday after we came home from Idaho. Last night I was cooking dinner and Dane told me a kid at school was teasing him about getting new glasses. Their conversation went something like this-

Mean kid in a taunting voice, 'You got new glasses. Where did you get those? From your mom?'
Dane responded, 'No. From the eye glasses place, actually'
Mean kid- 'Ohhhhhh, did your mommy buy them?'
Dane- 'No, actually Obamacare did.'

Haha. What a good laugh that gave me. Obviously, Dane has heard me tell the fabulous story about our free glasses. I have to say, his quick wit wins again. Thankfully he recognized what a silly insult it was but still it reminded me kids can be cruel.

:: We spent a few days in Idaho last week during spring break. Richard and Jeni are so generous to let us come and stay with them for a few days. We total 9 kids. That's a lot of mouths to feed. The biggest victory of the week was no fighting amongst the kids. And that's including the two 3 year old boys. We shot guns (a first for most of us, including me), rode their go karts, watched movies, ate donuts and had the best time. Reentry into a schedule was pretty rough yesterday.

Kat is sporting her new contacts. Too grown up, that girl.

:: It was Easter Weekend which also happened to be General Conference. I love when they end up together. Most of my kids do really well watching all four sessions of Conference. Reed would watch more but Owen begs to play with him so he gets excused to the other room often. I heard many messages of families and the sanctity of marriage. The importance of true conversion and coming unto Christ. Some of my favorite messages to ponder on. I needed so much of what I heard. Between the Saturday sessions of conference we went for a hike. We didn't make it too far. I couldn't decide which was more annoying- my heel that I thought was better enough to hike on or Owen. He wants to go all the time and then when we take him, he cries about it. What can I say, he's three.

:: My goal for the two week break off school is to dejunk, dejunk, dejunk. It's a pretty lofty goal because I let the deep organizing go completely when I started school last fall. And coming totally clean, it's not something I excel at anyway. The big boys were lucky enough to draw the short straw and I started in their room on Saturday. Two bulging garbage sack later and their room is livable. With one goal in mind, I'm taking on every single room. Less is more, less is more.