Update

Well, it seems like it has been years since I have posted any kind of news from our household. In actuality it has only been 18 days, but yikes you can really feel behind when it happens.

Summertime has ended in our parts, the kids are back in school. Nicholas (8) started the third grade last week and Emilia (7) started 2nd grade today. I was glad to see a few familiar faces in her classroom from last year. She is in the same room as the son of my boss...so I might get a different viewpoint of my crazy girl.

Jordan started school today, Margaret found a M-W-F program that will give her a taste of school without being away from Mom too long. Little peanut is still on schedule to appear sometime in November and Margaret is looking great. She is definitely showing but as yet hasn't popped out all the way. We are all anxious to meet the new little one.

I have started a few new hobbies; I have decorated a few cakes (pictures to come) and have actually made quite a few pieces of Jewelry. I am toying with the idea of opening a stand at the farmer's market next year. I am looking for a way for me to work out of home...but it is a long way off.

Church is going good. I have been assigned my sister's to visit so I am looking forward to getting to know them a little better. One of the sister's is the RS president - Yikes! Well I guess I better get it done then. The kids were having an issue with a little girl in the ward being unkind, but their family is moving shortly so I am hoping that they will be able to make friends with someone. There are a lot of young families in the ward but there aren't too many their age.

Steve and I have done a lot of cooking and have frozen meals for the month of August. I would not be surprised if it lasted into September. We are trying to eat out of the freezer and cupboards this month so we can save and pay off more debt. We have sent in the final payment on one of our credit cards and it feels so good. Steve and I have talked and we have set an aggressive goal of debt repayment for the end of this year. We have also set up a consequence so that we are more eager to obtain this goal. Through Steve's work we have been saving weekly for Christmas, he and I really would like to get a Wii for the family. However, if we are not on schedule for our debt repayment then we have first use that money to get it done and then the leftover goes towards Christmas. I am hoping that this will deter us from spending frivolously. Wish us luck!

Steve is on schedule to get back into school come fall. He has been thinking about pursuing a computer degree. I have left it up to him. I want him to do something he loves. He is going to be going up to Ohio to visit family in September, because the kids are in school we will be unable to join him. We are hoping that we will be able to all go up next year, it marks my 5th anniversary here at the Chronicle and I get an extra week vacation that I could definitely use.

My family is still proposing to get together next June at the Grand Canyon, it will be so much fun as long as we can get the idea off the ground. There are so many options for lodging and such and we still have to decide on a week to go.....Hopefully after the holidays we will be able to get a better grasp on things going on and get it planned out.

Nic and Emilia are both doing soccer this year. They will have practice on Monday's and games on Tuesday's. Although it will be a strech to travel across town twon nights of the week. I am glad that we will at least have Saturday's to ourselves to plan family events. I would really like to get back into hiking and since Emilia loves it we look forward to that time together.

Well, I hope all is well with everyone! We love and miss you all!