March 28, 2021

 Well, it's been a year. A lot has happened, but the world finally seems to be recovering from...you know...

So, what's been going on? A lot actually.

We are still part of our Classical Conversations community. I'm tutoring again this year and it has been a great honor to lead this wonderful group this year. We only have four more weeks before the end of the year. I cannot believe how time has flown! 

Let's get down to the important stuff: the kiddos.

Andrew is now every bit of two and has been since his birthday back in June. If you ask him how old he is, he will give you some random number and then smile innocently like he doesn't know it was the wrong one. "Andrew, how old are you?" "37. " It's hilarious and just shows his cheeky personality. He is so very smart and will take apart anything if given the opportunity. I have to be super careful not to change batteries around him or I will come back to find dismantled remotes or other devices with Andrew trying to reinstall the batteries he has removed. His favorite show is Mickey Mouse and he likes doing "schoolwork" when he can. Lately he's been using Francis's cousin's book Head to Toe (by Jessica Lawler) and loves feeling like a big kid. He is very big in fact. Andrew is already in 4T clothing and is quickly making strides toward Hannah and Robert in the weight department. He is so determines that being the 4th child will never be an issue for him. He knows how to get things done!

Hannah is our princess as always. While she would love a sister, I think she sees the advantages of being the only girl. She has learned to read pretty well and does addition and subtraction problems quickly when the mood strikes her. Hannah is pretty quiet in public places, but that's not true at home. I love hearing her thoughts about the world, princesses, and what she likes. Hannah loves to dress up. She has decided that she does not have to wear a skirt every day (thank goodness), but has developed a taste for shoes. We don't go into stores much anymore, but when we do, oh boy! She will tell me which shoes are beautiful and which are not. We don't always agree. She enjoys play ABC mouse on her tablet and reading Dragon Masters books (with help). She enjoys so many things and I am looking forward to seeing how her interests grow.  

Robert is as creative as ever. His "what if" questions can sometimes leave me stumped. Yesterday at the dinner table he asked, "If you could have your ancestors be born anywhere in the world different from where they were actually born, where would you want them to come from?" It took me a good 5 minutes to unpack what he was actually asking and then I didn't have an answer. I think he was disappointed when I listed countries I would like to visit instead. Robert reads whatever he can get his hands on, which con be difficult with four kids who like books. He's by far the most giving and forgiving of the kids and his three siblings always welcome him as a playmate. Robert's love language is physical touch, so he is also an expert hug-giver. You can count on his to give sympathy and a good squeeze no matter your problem. Robert is so sweet! I love to see how his intelligence and his compassion  work together to make him an expert problem solver. 

William is nearly 10 and he is definitely in preteen mode. He questions the validity of everything. Always wants to know why and generally has an idea of exactly how every task should be accomplished. He's so smart, that usually his way works. William is a crazy fast reader. I sat and read 115 pages in an hour the other day (I'm a fast reader) only to find William had read over 189 pages in the same span of time. We were reading two different books from the same series, so it wasn't even like I could claim his book was easier. Words come easy for him. I am happy William is becoming a critical thinker. He challenges me in ways I never thought possible, and makes me want to be better. William is getting tall and getting dangerously close to me in weight, so Francis is starting to take on more of the discipline. I enjoy seeing Francis lead William. Francis is such an excellent father, and William will listen to him much better than me when it comes to certain things. I'm so glad Francis and I are a team. William always leads us into uncharted territories as the first born, and I can only smile when I see him mature and grow into the wonderful adult I know he will be someday. 

Francis is still working from home. We moved back in September to a new house (that was an ordeal in itself) and now Francis is no longer working in our bedroom closet. We hope to build an official office for him soon, but for now he is in the future homeschool room. He coaches the boy's sports teams (currently soccer) and volunteers in AWANAS and doing the lights at church. He's mine and I love getting to see more than I ever did when he was away all day. So, I guess you could say I'm very content.

We finished official school work for the year before "Spring Break" (yes I'm aware of the irony) so we are doing some fun supplementary stuff before we pick back up in late April or May. We school year round and that means we can take time off any time we need to. I'm still working for VIPKID tutoring the most adorable students in China in the early morning hours. I still enjoy it, and I'm thankful I can work from home. I also tutor for Classical Conversations, and I wouldn't trade our community for anything. The most exciting thing about me personally is I accomplished something that has been a personal goal since I was a teenager. This past week I finished writing my first full length novel. It currently stands at just under 82,000 words and is the product of months (and years) of work. I don't know if anything will happen with it, but I am proud of myself for doing something hard and completing it. So far the only people to have read (or heard) it in its entirety are William, Robert and Hannah, but they seem to have enjoyed it. It's fantasy, which is William's favorite genre. I have now begun to edit and will be praying to see what (if anything) comes next. This book is technically in a series of 5, and my kids already are urging me to work on #2. It's nice to have them appreciate my work. After I edit, Francis will get a chance to read it too. So far he's only heard bits and pieces. I'll be interested to hear his impressions since fantasy is definitely not his thing. If anyone else might be interested in reading/editing/artwork, let me know.

That's all for now! 

May 13, 2020

It's been a while. Things are still moving along at the Phillips' household. Life's good but these kids keep me on my toes!

After nearly 6 weeks of no official school (we've been doing tons up other stuff), Hannah found the school curriculum for next year. She immediately demanded to start Kindergarten and would not lat up until we did. Robert also wanted to start. So after a week and a half of restarting school (William's started math because everything else is tied to the CC calendar for him), Hannah had finished 16 days of Kindergarten and Robert has finished 14 days of 2nd grade. The first 20 or so days are super easy or mostly review, so I am sure they will want to slow down after that. I like their enthusiasm because it means when we are able to go out, we can take some time off! Hannah is so proud to be a Kindergartner before she turns 5. She had a (very unrealistic) goal to finish all the work before her birthday in July, but I talked her out of it. Whew!

Andrew's potty training is coming along. We finished with his last diaper on Sunday and now are onto Pull ups and underwear. He's doing pretty well, but there is room for improvement. 

We've still been biking most evenings and have been visiting different friends on our trips. One family returned the favor by riding by our house on their bike ride. It was so fun! Other than that we went to a restraunt for Mother's Day. It was the first time the kids had been in a building other than our house for two months. It was surreal. The kids behaved well the whole time and didn't complain at all. Happy Mother's Day to me! 

Speaking of Mother's Day, we've been getting good use out to the new green screen. The kids made an adorable movie to the song "Skidamarink" for the grandmas and great grandmas for Mother's Day. They also worked with Francis and made me a special Mother's Day video as well. We are no where near professionals, but it's brought some fun family time. 

I wish there was more to tell. We are ready to see more people and do more things (I'm sure you are too!). We continue to pray together and hope for a brighter tomorrow. I love you all!

Till next time! 

April 27, 2020

Time is simultaneously flying by and going at a snail's pace. We've started to loose track of the days. We finished our last CC class of the semester over a week ago. While I'm sad to not see our campus online each week, the prep for hosting the classes was wearing me down a bit. It was all totally worth it, but I took a good 2 hour nap after the last class! I am still having Bible study online for the next couple of weeks. Mostly it feels like we are in a holding pattern. We go on bike rides in the evenings. We have started going over 3 miles in the evenings with the boys. They are getting good and have quite a bit of endurance built up. Hannah and Andrew ride in the carriage behind Francis's bike, so they just like the ride. We have been doing odds and end of learning since we already finished our curriculum before spring break. We've been working on typing, math, languages (william-french, Robert-Chinese, Hannah- latin (her CC work) and Andrew- English and signing), and today the big boys are taking an art class online while Hannah is working on learning to read. Never a dull moment around here. William did manage to complete Memory Master even amongst all the chaos. He memorized all of Cycle 2 and even recited it for his Grandad via Zoom. We are so proud of his hard work! Other than "school", we've been having a lot of outside time. The kids got a dome for Easter that has turned them into monkeys and we have been replacing their fort piece by piece so that it is slowly becoming brand new. Oh and Andrew got a water table from Nana and Grandad, so there's been a lot of water thrown about. Good times!

Speaking of Easter, we had a good one. This is only the second time in my memory that we haven't been out camping on Easter. We didn't let that stop us. We put up the tent in the backyard and the big boys and Francis camped out Friday evening. We still had an egg hunt (with a gazillion eggs thanks to my mom sending reinforcements) and gifts for each of the kids from my in-laws (Legos, Kinexs, Teenie Geenies, and a water table respectively). We assembled the new dome and a good time was had by all. I am loving the family time part of this adventure.

We've also been having movie nights on the weekends. We pick something we want to watch and picnic in front of the TV for dinner.  We've mostly been watching old Disney classics, but we spice it up with things like Lego Masters and Be our Chef as well as the occasional Torch-lighter biography.

The kids are doing well. They miss their friends, but get along well most of the time. Andrew is still potty training. He's doing...ok. He goes at least half the day with no accidents and has gone a couple of days with no accidents. When he does decide to go elsewhere, he happily brings me paper towels to clean it up and then he shows me where it is. So... progress. His language is exploding. He says a few new words every day and is beginning to repeat what we say as well. He's cute and he knows it. and he's a problem solver. He's got a strong will and doesn't like to hear "no". I love him so much and he is always challenging me to be a better parent and seek Jesus. You're a keeper, Mr. Andrew.

Hannah is progressing with her letter sounds and numbers. I actually think she is on the cusp of really reading, which is impressive at 4 and a half. She likes it when Robert teaches her things, which has helped her progress more than I could have hoped! She's sweet and missed her friends much more than her brothers, probably because she's the only girl. She has decided she wants to change her name to "Princess", which is what I tend to call her anyway. She has her own way of doing things and her room is a "boy free zone" about half the time. She loves her brother's though, and the restriction never lasts long. She is truly a princess-in-training.

Robert likes to teach as much as learn. He is always trying to teach Hannah, Andrew, or even William and me something. He's smart and creative. He helped make a video for Timothy and Gideon's birthday. When he learned we would have to attend their birthday party via Zoom, he came up with his own edition of "Some Good News" and got his siblings to help. It was so cute and the video came out great. While we were sad to miss seeing family, it is a sweet memory. Keep shining that light, Robert!

William is a jack-of-all trades. We've been listening to Andrew Peterson read the "Wingfeather Saga" live in the evenings, and it's been inspiring all sorts of adventures from William during the days. He's made his own version of "ships and sharks" (a game from the book) and is currently drawing his own fantasy creatures. His critical thinking skills are in high gear and his snark has reached pre-teen level. This makes for some humorous (and sometimes) frustrating interactions. It's a whole new ball game and I'm learning the rules as I go. William, you'll always be my first baby. I love you!

As I said we missed the twins second birthday, but did get to attend via Zoom. We decorated our house and had a cake ready to eat with them too. It was good, but not the same. I've been holding up well, but after the party, I lost it. I'm so thankful for a handful of friends who have talked me back from the ledge. I'm ready for this to be over, I tell ya!

We did have a family reunion with the extended Phillips Family last night. It was fun having a meeting of the minds from the US and Canada. I'm going to try to dwell on the positive and let go of the sad as much as I can. I will keep praying. If you need anything, let me know!

Till next time!

April 3, 2020

It's been far too long since I posted! I'll give a quick update what we've been up to.

William and Robert completed their 3rd and 1st grade curriculum back at the beginning of April. They were happy to be done before our "spring break" started, and so was I. Hannah has learned all her letters and their sounds and is beginning to use those sounds when she sees them. She is ready to read! She knows her numbers and is able to identify them. Robert is a reading machine and likes reading chapter books about animals and pretend adventures. William is still an avid reader, and over the past couple of weeks seems to have read all the books in the house at least once. Andrew is growing so much. He has quite a few words now and even some sentences like, "Are you?" ("Where are you?"). He says it mostly when we play hide and seek. He knows the routine and always tried to be one step ahead of us.

The end of the first week of March, my in-laws came and got the kids and took them back to Dallas. They spent Thursday night through Sunday at my in-laws' and Sunday through Wednesday at my parents' house. They went to the Perot Museum, Legoland, the Grapevine Aquiarium, Dallas zoo, went swimming and so much more! They didn't miss us at all. Francis and I got to go on our cruise! The cruise was an excellent time of relaxation and a chance to recharge. The sea was very rough, so rough that we were unable to dock in Costa Maya. The waves were literally washing over the dock. As a result we only had one port: Cozumel. We didn't mind though. We decided to take everything in stride and just enjoy the quiet. I read an entire book! In Cozumel, we visited the beach and enjoyed dry, solid ground. It was a good trip, and just what we needed.

We arrived back March 11 to a world that was very much unlike the one we left. Francis had to go back to work, and so I drove to Dallas from Galveston to get the kids. I had planned to stay until the weekend so I could see my family and have a mini spring break with the kids. Wednesday evening the whole Noble clan (minus Francis and Chad) had dinner together. We went to a place where there was a playground and we kept having to tell the kids to wash their hands before they could come back to eat. The TV announced that the NBA was suspending their season while we ate. That's when I knew what was coming.

Thursday we hung out with my parents and Dani and Kevin around my parent's house. We swam, watched TV and played board games. We decided not to go anywhere. Mom was on calls much of the day with the governor an others. Spring break got extended another week for public schools. After all that was announced, I decided to cut the trip short and head home on Friday. The kids were so happy to see Francis. Francis got the order that he needed to begin to work from home. We ran all of the errands we needed to including grocery pick up, getting me a new bike and getting Francis's bike repaired. After watching first hand what had happened thus far in China (via teaching my sweet students across the sea), we decided we needed a way to continue to exercise as a family. I'm so glad we did.

So then social distancing/general quarantine occurred and has been for the last three weeks. I'm still teaching in the mornings, and am now tutoring our CC campus online on Tuesdays. I'm doing my Thursday Bible Study via Zoom. I feel busier than I have in a long time and we aren't even leaving home! The kids are keeping busy. They love playing on the fort in the backyard. We are doing activities we normally don't have time for. Robert learned to ride on two wheels last week and William has gotten more confident in his bike riding. With Hannah and Andrew in the bike trailer, we have been going out on nightly rides. The first night it took us 45 minutes to go a few blocks. Last night we did our longest route ever and it only took us 10 minutes (the rain cut our trip short). I'm loving to see the kids grow.

Overall the kids don't seem to mind the change. Francis is home all the time (which they love) and they get time outside and get to explore on bikes. Because school is over at our house, we invested in ABC mouse.com and so the kids have been doing some "online school" like everyone else. They are loving the fun activities. Robert took his first Mandarin class online and William is continuing with his French. These kids are each other's best friends, and I am cherishing the growth in those relationships. And in other news Andrew went on the potty for the firs time last night. If we can get potty training accomplished during this time, words cannot express how happy I will be. But between the last two sentences, I had to change Andrew due to an accident, so it may be a pipe dream.

Life is not perfect here, but we are embracing the good and releasing the bad. Francis and I are sharing the laundry room as both of our offices (it's a big room and Francis also works from the garage and out bedroom). We are learning a new normal just like everyone else. I'm glad I have Francis. He makes everything better.

That's all for now!

Tha

February 20, 2020

It's been busy these weeks. Francis and I had a wonderful early Valentine's Day Dinner while the kids were at Parent's night out a couple of weekends ago. We had steak and it was AMAZING (the company was top notch too). My best friend since third grade, Ashley, came to visit that same weekend and got a dose of our crazy life for a couple of days. She didn't see the big boys much because they had basketball all day Saturday, but Hannah and Andrew loved her so much! We took her to the park and they made her slide over and over again. In fact Andrew grew so fond of her that when we picked him up from church class the following day (Sunday), he went to Ashley instead of me. He never goes to anyone but me. Ashley, the kids can't wait for your next visit and neither can I!

Last Friday was Valentine's Day. The kids have the best grandparents and great-grandparents. They awoke to sweet notes and cards waiting for them on the breakfast table. Each told them how much they are loved. They even got a small gift, a bit of candy and a new toothbrush (compliments of their mom, haha). It was a fun day. The kids had already had 2 valentine's parties, so they also had candy and cards from all their CC friends and Bible Study classmates. We ended the day with Francis and watched Lego Masters as a family on TV. It's really a show that has something for everyone in our family. It was perfect. Francis gave me a doozy of a Valentine's gift. We are going on a cruise! He knows I'm in need of a break and so he booked a trip for the two of us in March. I'm so excited! I've got a good man, and I know it. I love you, Francis!

This past weekend, we went to Houston to celebrate my nephew Jackson turning one. I cannot believe it has already been a year. Abby, my niece, was not feeling well, so we were sad not to see her much. The party had a bounce house, balloon animals, face painting, a ball pit and food. It was certainly a winning combination. We love being able to see and celebrate our cousins. I wish we could see family more often!

Francis had Monday off before heading to Maryland on Tuesday (he is on his way back as we speak). We enjoyed getting to have a little extra dad time! After taking Hannah on her date to get her nails done at the beginning of February, taking Robert to chuck E cheese last week, and taking Andrew to the park on Sunday, I completed my final date of the month with William Monday afternoon. He also chose Chuck E Cheese. I treasure these times with my kids. They get to tell me things without interruption that I might not otherwise hear. Next month is Francis's turn, and I'm already looking forward to my turn again in April. I think it's time well invested and something my kids will remember.

Well, life not all roses over here (I'm currently dealing with one kid who threw up overnight and another with diarrhea). I'm tired, not as patient as I want to be, and I never get as much done as I want. But if I'm honest, I wouldn't change it (we'll I'd change the throw up situation...) and I wouldn't trade it.

Till next time! 

February 2, 2020

It's been a while! Things are chugging along here. Things are generally going well. I'm still tutoring in Hannah's class at CC and I feel like I'm starting to get a rhythm. Of course, this is our week off, so who knows what week will hold?

Andrew is keeping me on my toes, as usual. When I picked him up last week from Bible Study, the teacher described how he climbed the shelves to get to the counter, and then proceeded to reach over the half door and push on the door knob to open the door (it's locked on the inside). When she called his name, he closed the door, climbed down, looked at her and smiled impishly. This pretty much describes my life with him right now. He's adorable and knows how to get into/out of anything. He's so smart and has things pretty much figured out. He's got quite a few opinions on the matter also. I'm looking forward to the day when we can discuss those opinions with words. He is sleeping through the night most night (cue angelic chorus) so at least I'm able to get a little sleep each night. I can't wait to see what is around the corner for my creative, athletic and strong willed baby!

Hannah is learning and growing all the time. She is having to learn to get along with her brothers. This is very easy sometimes, but she cannot understand why they don't want to play ponies or princesses every hour of the day. She is discovering her own love of reading. She has to be tucked in every night with at least 3 books. She loves looking at the pictures, especially Fancy Nancy or all things princess related. She is becoming articulate in her thoughts and exceptionally expressive in her feelings and gestures. It is fun to imagine what she will be like all grown up. For now, I'm loving little tea parties and watching girly shows with her. She's my girl.

Robert is taking after William in the books department. I can't get them books fast enough. Fridays are library days currently, and they usually manage to hit the max number of books for my card and then read them all before bed on Friday. It's crazy. Robert is loving a set of Dragon books right now. His imagination fits perfectly in the fantasy realm, and he makes up new stories or different endings as soon as he is finished reading. We have started the process of getting him tested for speech therapy. He is still having some difficulty with his "r"s and "s"s (though he has worked so hard and made so much progress!!!), and we just want to make sure he is not in need of extra help. He has been playing his first season of basketball too. He is an excellent defense man. I mean excellent. He's tried making a few goals during the games too, but hasn't yet landed one yet. I can't wait to see it when he does!

William is also playing basketball in the next age group up. He has improved dramatically from last year and even made his first score during a game Saturday before last. I cried like he'd won a gold medal in the Olympics. I was so proud! Fortunately Nana and Grandad were there to celebrate with us. It was a great day! My Dad came the game before that and also got to see both boys' skills. We are very blessed to have awesome grandparents around. I am trying to prepare William for being a big kid. One of those skills is learning to take a test. I will be giving him the ITBS test in April both to get him familiar with testing (he doesn't have much "real" testing right now) as well as to gage his progress in what he knows. He's done well with the practice questions and talking him through a problem when he doesn't know the answer has been very interesting. I'm looking forward to seeing the result!

Francis has been assistant coaching William's basketball team and it looks like he will be head coach of the big boys' team come soccer season next month. He also teaches Hannah's AWANA class on Sunday evenings. He's a super dad and I really appreciate all he is and does. I've still = been working mornings teaching online (as well as tutoring Hannah's class on Tuesdays) and lately I've also been working early evenings. With the crisis in China and so many being home-bound, the need for online classes has risen dramatically for the time being. I'm happy to help ease some of the burden. I like providing an outlet for these kids who are bored, scared, or both. But I also look forward to when things can return to normal for them. Until then, Teacher Melissa is on evening and morning duty.

Till next time!

January 15, 2020

2020! I actually had to erase the year in the title to fix it. I haven't written since Christmas, and honestly there is no way to cover all that ground. I'll try to give highlights. Christmas did not go as expected. We headed to Dallas on that Friday and had a great celebration with my family on Saturday.  We made cookies, sang songs, had delicious food (and I mean amazing!), watched Christmas movies, had a little service and opened gifts. It was a very sweet time. By Saturday evening it was apparent that Robert didn't feel well and so on Sunday he and I stayed at my parents while everyone went to church (except Dani and Kevin who left to be with his family for Christmas). Saturday we also got word that my in-law's were sick and that my mother-in-law tested flu positive. We were planning to move over to my in-laws' house on Monday, so this put a large kink in our plans.

Robert was feeling much better by Sunday evening, so Monday and Tuesday (Christmas eve) we stayed at my parents and did some fun things around town. As Christian's kids had already opened all their gifts (which wouldn't have mattered if we had been at my in-laws), we got a couple of gifts for each kid so they all had something to open on Christmas Eve. I actually really enjoyed each kid opening two presents, because it meant they appreciated each gift and played sweetly with one another. It was a sweet memory.

Christmas Day we had breakfast with Francis's parents at IHOP and then went back to video skype with Cyndy and her family. We all opened presents via webcam. It wasn't the same, but it was necessary to keep baby Jackson safe. It was still much better than nothing! After presents, Fancis didn't look right. We got back to my parents' house, and rather than packing up the car and heading home, Francis took a 2 hour nap. When he awoke, we packed up the car. He told me he didn't feel up to driving. I knew something was very wrong. I drove us home that evening, and for the next 3 days, Francis was in bed sleeping. Saturday I finally woke him and told him he needed to go to urgent care or the emergency room. He had lot a lot of weight from not eating and his oxygen was low. He was diagnosed with pneumonia. After antibiotics and breathing treatments, he began the road to recovery. This led us into the New Year.

New Year's Eve, Francis finally felt up to leaving the house, so we went over to the Williams for food, games, and even some fireworks. The kids had a blast and it was SO nice to be around other people again. On New Year's day, I took the morning off of work and slept in. It was nice! We watched the parade, took down Christmas decorations and had a delicious fondue dinner and dessert. It's hard word but oh so good!!!

January we have had a few play dates (both at our house and other places). I've been working to try to spend time and invest in other people. I know it is worth it, and now that I am finally exiting the "baby fog" of the past 8+ years, I finally feel like it is doable. If you want to have a playdate, let me know! Everything either has started back up or is starting up in the coming week. I've taken over tutoring Hannah's CC class. We've had 2 weeks of CC so far this semester. This makes Tuesdays a little nuts, but it's a good nuts. Yesterday I taught 3 classes in China, got everyone ready to go, taught Hannah's class at CC, came home and did some prep, made dinner, had dinner and then taught two more classes in China before bed. I feel asleep tired, but genuinely happy.

What else? Andrew has become more of a kid/little person in the last couple of weeks. He understands most things I say and will actually wait for a moment when I say "wait." He sets the table for me before meals without being asked (he's 18 months old so it's mostly randomly sticking utensils on the table everywhere). He asks for things he wants and I even get a signed "please" most of the time. He finds his shoes when it's time to go and helps me put on his hat. I am overjoyed that he is finally understanding. He still has his own opinions about everything, but we are getting closer to having a conversation so I can understand him better. I look forward to that day.

Hannah handles being the only girl like a pro. She's gotten to have a few friends over lately, and I am struck by how different girls really are! Robert went to a friend's house and we took the sister of that family (who is Hannah's age) to our house. William spent the time reading while the girls played quietly and even included Andrew in their play. It was amazing. Yesterday we had two friends (both girls, 5 and 1) over. Even with the addition of two kids, things were somehow quieter! Hannah loves her brothers, but I am happy she gets to have girl time occasionally too. I'm trying to be intentional about spending time with her. Currently we are watching the series "Tangled" on Disney+. She loves curling up in my lap as we watch and talk about it. I love my sweet girl!

Robert's reading has exploded. Now William will finish a novel and hand it off to Robert to read next. Robert has also been reading books to Hannah and it's super cute! I am so proud of the kind and thoughtful child he is becoming. He is also eating a ton right now, so it's possible a growth spurt is on the way. He is almost always willing to lend a hand and this week he even helped sort the laundry without being asked!  Robert does not like being alone and loves it best when he is playing with a sibling or friend. He's definitely the most extroverted of my kids! You keep making friends everywhere you go, buddy!


William forges ahead as my firstborn. He loves and hates the experience of being first. I have to remind him that he is not the parent (he is very good at remembering the rules), but he is generally pretty responsible too. He saved up all his money and bought a Nintendo Switch right after Christmas. He didn't have enough money for the games so each set of grandparents got him a game and so did we. He has been enjoying the challenge of these new games, and has (mostly) been sharing well with Robert. I am proud he had the disciple to save up birthday, tooth and Christmas money to get such an expensive item. He's mostly completed his 3rd grade school work, so we are finding supplementary items to help him gain more knowledge as help him pursue his interests. He's a smart kid, and I want to help him reach his potential!

That's all I've got time for now! Till next time.