This week in our life

Garry has been busy working on shelves in the garage.  He spent all day and all night building these beauties from scratch on Saturday:

 This is a man who loves his tools.

Garry also built a sturdy shelf in the office to replace the one that has crashed a few times in recent months. His next project is to hang some overhead shelves at the front of the garage, expanding current storage in that area by about 50%.  He also plans to install a shelf above the fridge and rolling can rack in the garage.  Can you tell we need more storage? Once the dust settles (and we clean up all the dust that has settled on all of our possessions in the garage!), we will load all of these fabulous new shelves.  Until then, we are parking in the driveway.  Garry has developed a very sore shoulder joint (it kind of appeared out of nowhere), so we're not sure how home improvement endeavors will proceed from here.

Zachary discovered on Wednesday that he is one requirement shy of completing his Bear rank in the Cub Scout program.  Go Zach!  That was a happy realization for all of us.  Now we just have to find a community sporting event to attend and he'll be ready to advance.  It would be fun to do that before his next pack meeting.  Zach taught a great Easter lesson for FHE on Monday, which we finished off with yummy "bird's nest" treats.  Zach has also been enjoying Rick Riordan books at lightning speed and running with the Landsharks running club after school twice a week.  His first meet is Monday night.

Tyler was over-the-moon excited to spend yesterday afternoon at the home of his best school buddy, Sam.  The other day we watched a show where Garfield was hypnotized to enjoy farm chores.  Tyler proclaimed that if he could hypnotize someone, it would be Sam's mom, so she would invite him over, let him stay forever, and feed him whatever he wanted!  Ha!  As it turned out, he got four hours of fun at Sam's house, which included jumping on the trampoline and an ice cream treat. Tyler was a lucky kid to have such fun, especially in light of recent home behavior which has been struggling, to say the least.  One of his consequence chores this week was cleaning out our window wells.  The Littles joined him.

Gavin continues to be himself, which doesn't require much more detail than usual.  He is currently obsessed with Tyler's old Halloween costume, the Bumblebee transformer.  This is wonderful and charming except when Gavin needs to use the bathroom.  Regardless of the costume, Gavin has had a dozen potty accidents this week.  His laundry pile was three times the size of anyone else's on Tuesday.  Gavin also raided my purse yesterday, folded my most-used credit card in half, and chewed on the crease.  I guess I'll find out next time I shop if it is still useable.  How does he think of these things??

Lexi has learned how to open doors.  While she feels quite triumphant about this milestone, I am less than thrilled.  She is easily the oldest of our children to figure out this trick, but only because she is the shortest.  Lexi is battling a Strep-caused diaper rash and her various other skin issues, but antibiotics seem to be helping.  Lexi has started referring to Zach as "Zachie," which I find completely endearing.  She sure loves her big brothers.

I am counting down the days to Women's Conference (Thursday next week).  I finally feel good about my Power Point presentation but need to thin out my talk a little because it is too long.  All of my travel and lodging arrangements are set and I'm starting to make a mental packing list.  This week the scripture study group I attend began studying Doctrine and Covenants, which promises to be a delightful course.  The girl I have hired to babysit during the study group posted this on my Facebook wall after watching the kids: "I pretty much ADORE your kids!  Your job as their mother has got to be dang entertaining.  :)  I hope I didn't traumatize any of them when I threatened to make them go do my chores at my house if they fought.  Hahahaha..."  Yeah, she's a keeper!