GRE...Check!!!

Kason will be 9 months old next week! He is enjoying eating lots of new foods! He has had some of almost all our dinners this week.  He especially likes feeding himself, although he tends to eat less that way.  He still loves the stairs and the bathroom and now really likes playing in the bottom drawer of his bedroom dresser.  After many bruises and scratches, we think he has just about learned how to go up and down stairs.  He is pretty good about going down the stairs backwards if we remind him.  One time this week he started going down backwards, but got distracted and forgot which direction he was going, so he crawled back up the stairs again.  He likes sitting at the glass doors in Grandma Lindley’s kitchen and looking outside.  He babbles quite a bit.  His favorite sounds are “Mama, Dada, and Nana”.  Last night, he practiced walking with Grandpa Lindley and Dad.  He even took a few steps all by himself! He hasn’t been so successful today though!

This week has been a different week for us with Spring break and both grandparents out of town.  Kolt took the GRE on Friday afternoon, so he spent most of Monday-Thursday studying in a bedroom with the door shut.  It was quite a challenge to leave him uninterrupted! He took lots of practice tests and reviewed all the material on the internet and in the Kaplan GRE book that was recommended from friends.  He went into the exam feeling pretty confident, but feeling a bit of pressure to meet the requirements for ISU.  ISU has one of the higher requirements for the GRE.  He got some quick results back, but gets the full results in 10-15 days.  Our prayers have definitely been answered as he scored well (hopefully well-enough for him to be admitted to ISU for PA school)!

Kason and I spent Monday at work.  On Monday, Kolt actually picked up Nathan from preschool and took him to Natalie’s house.  Kolt and I had a nice evening at home with Kason.  I made Cheesy Chicken Rice for dinner, a recipe I found on Pinterest.  It was a check plus!

Tuesday we had Brooke and Nathan for a couple hours in the morning at our house.  My visiting teachers came over in the morning.  I think she might have thought my house was madness as I had 3 kids in and out during her visit.  Kolt took Nathan and Brooke back to their house for naps.  We picked up Brooke and took her to Walmart and Porter’s for some shopping.  She and Kason were fun to bring along.  They were both happy after their naps! After shopping, we went back to Natalie’s house.  I played outside with Nathan for a little bit and then made Chicken Stir Fry for dinner.  It was a new recipe the Natalie helped me learn. It was delicious! We might even make it again this week! Kolt played with Brooke and Kason inside.  On Tuesday evening, I had volleyball practice with the 10 year olds.  Kason and Kolt came and helped.  Kason took a couple volleyballs to the head—he wasn’t quite sure what he thought about that!

On Wednesday, I went to work with Kason.  Kolt helped me fix my interior light in my car in between studying. I made Supper on a Slice for dinner.  I had fun this week planning my own meals; however, I still don’t know how to cook for 2.  I made enough dinner for an army, so we had it for a couple nights in a row.  Good thing it’s one of Kolt’s favorite dinners!

On Thursday, I watched Brooke during Nathan’s preschool and then took then both home after preschool was over.  It was good practice for me to have 3 kids in the back of the car.  Kason fell asleep right away.  At one point, Brooke screamed because she wanted some of Nathan’s papers.  In trying to convince her not to yell, I mentioned that I might have to make them walk to their house instead of riding in the car.  Nathan thought that was a good idea until I explained that it would not be a “fun” walk like in a stroller, but it would be like a punishment and I would leave them by themselves. Nathan got pretty serious as he asked me, “Susan, why would you leave us all alone? It’s a winter day outside.”  I tried hard not to laugh and realized that I better not make threats that I don’t intend to follow through with.

On Thursday I also picked up a big boy carseat for Kason.  It is a 3-in-one that sits rear-facing, forward-facing, and has a booster.  I have been dreading buying one for a while, but found a good deal on one and decided to do it.  I still like the infant car seats because I can carry him inside places and keep him asleep.  However, he has officially gone over the weight limit in that seat.  We are taking our time in switching over to the new car seat as he still has to be rear-facing until a year, but we are glad we have it, so we can make the transition.  It will also be nice for when we have Kason’s cousins with us. 

Thursday evening we met Landon, Shauna, Paisley, Brand and Rope at Fat Cats in Rexburg to see Divergent.  I won some free passes from winning the volleyball tournament, so we decided to use them. I really liked Divergent and am a bit of a fan right now! Kason is definitely over the age of going to the movies with us.  We spent half of the movie standing in the walkway on the side of the theater and running out when he decided to let out a good yell.  Our last movie we timed right, so Kason slept through it, but we didn’t plan so well for this one! After the movie, we went bowling.  I bowled two strikes in a row and ended up winning! I didn’t really know how I learned to bowl, but I realized that my dad had taken the family bowling a few times growing up and taught us how to do it right. We also bowled at the Earl Lindley Family Reunion for several years when we were younger.  Landon and Shauna took us to Winger’s after bowling which was great since the Winger’s around here are slowly closing down! It will be a sad day when that happens. I sure love that place!

On Friday I took Kason to work and Kolt took his GRE exam.  In the afternoon, I went over to High’s to prepare for the next 10 days watching the kids.  Ashley gave me the details on meals and activities for the week.  Kason stayed with Grandma and played with the cousins.  We are glad that Grandma and Grandpa Lindley are back home! We have missed them! On Friday evening, Kason took a late nap, so we were up late.  I spent the afternoon working on a craft I improvised based on something I saw on Pinterest.  Thank you Bryant for the wood scraps and Natalie for the Cricut! I was super happy with it! Kason was grumpy right in the middle of it, so Kolt actually painted it! It turned out great! Kolt and I also read talks from General Conference.  Our Relief Society challenged us to read the talks from the October conference before the next conference.  I am getting close!

On Saturday, Kolt helped a family in the ward move.  After helping, he came home and did laundry for next week.  Kason and I went to fill in for a coach who couldn’t make it to his 14s tournament in Aberdeen.  It was an eventful day! Thank goodness my dad helped me find it and Kason slept the whole way. I made it just in time for the coaches meeting.  On top of that, I only had 5 girls show up and a couple were pretty late.  They ended up moving the schedule around and letting us play with 5.  We didn’t do very well, but the girls were nice.  Kason was also a good sport and played with another coach’s daughter during one game, sat with one of our moms for another game, and then slept through another game.  It was pretty smooth once we got playing! On Saturday evening, my mom and I watched the General Women’s Meeting at home.   It was a fabulous meeting.  It was neat thinking about women ages 8 and up all around the world watching this conference together.  What a powerful thought! I left feeling motivated to be a better wife and mother and better example to the world.

On Sunday, I played the organ in Sacrament Meeting.  The Carlson’s blessed their new baby.  It was fun to see the Harrigfeld’s visit.  We sure love them and are inspired by their neat family.   I feel pretty lucky to be 3^rd cousins with the Harrigfeld kids.  Kolt taught the Sunday school class. I haven’t been to our class for several weeks. I may have to take them treats when I go next, so they remember me! I filled in for the CTR 5 teacher.  I had 4 cute kids in our class.  We learned about baptism in our class.  As part of our lesson, I showed a picture of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. It was covered by 4 pieces of a puzzle that we took off one at a time.  I then did the same thing with the picture of Alma baptizing in the Waters of Mormon.  The last picture was a picture of my dad and I on my baptism day.  It was really neat for me to tell them the story of my baptism day.  I will also remember the walk with my dad to the church on the morning I was baptized.  I really felt his love for me and the Savior’s love for me as I chose to be baptized.  The kids made some comical questions.  One said I looked like a boy in the picture (because my hair was pulled back).  One asked if my dad was dead.  The picture must have looked old. They were pretty confused when I tried to tell them that my dad was the bishop of the ward.  That didn’t make sense to any of them. It was sure a neat class though, and I’m grateful to be able to help in Primary.  I enjoy being around the kids.  After church, we had a nice dinner with the Lindley’s.  Kason loved playing with the cars with the cousins.  We are sure blessed to have great family.

For the next 10 days, we are watching 4 other kids at their home! I hope to get a Family Letter written next Sunday! Wish us luck! We are excited!