Sarah started Driver's Ed this week.  She has class everyday at 5:45 in the morning for three weeks.  For the first three days she also had to drive in the driving range directly after school until 6pm.  So, for the first three days of this week Sarah was gone for 12 hours each day!  Holy smokes!  Then when she got home she still had to do homework for driver's ed in addition to her other school classes.  It was a hard three days.  Thursday and Friday were a little easier, but I am still not sure if she is going to forgive us for asking her to take driver's ed in the first place.  She is not a happy camper.  "Just two more weeks!" I tell her.  Hopefully it will go quickly!

Savannah and Mariah got to go to the temple on Tuesday.  It was Mariah's first time to go and we were so glad that Savannah could go with her.  They both had a great experience.

Megan had track practice everyday after school and a track meet on Friday.  She ran in four events on Friday:  the 400, the 200, the medley, and the 4x400 relay.  She is a speedster and doing really great.  She is not thrilled about having to practice everyday, but she is being a trooper and making every practice so far. It's great to see her be dedicated.

Megan also had to make a mouse-trap car for science.  She and Kevin worked on it together!  Oh, the crazy things the school asks us to do!

I taught preschool this week.  We talked about ladybugs and worked on our handwriting and our phonemic identification.  The kids did a really good job.  They've learned so much.  I don't think they even realize how close they are to reading and writing.  We made ladybug kites on the last day and that was my favorite part.

I started potty training Ben.  We are in that great trial and error period.  We'll make it, though.  He's doing pretty good, really.

Speaking of Ben, guess who had a birthday???  Ben turned three on Tuesday.  I didn't have his presents, yet, though, and his sisters were having busy, busy days -- so we postponed our celebration for Thursday.  It turned out really well.  His Grandma Gazdik had her birthday on Wednesday, so we celebrated both birthdays together.  Grandma's brother James and his wife, Kathleen, were even in town to join our party!

I made this super cool cupcake train for the party.  It kind of fell apart on the way there, but Ben loved it and was so excited to eat it.  He was so excited to go to Grandma's house for his birthday!!  Oh my goodness!  He was jumping up and down!  He was so excited!

We had a cake for Grandma, too!

Then we opened presents.  Ben knew just where he was supposed to sit and just what to do.  Man, he was cute!

Then Grandma opened her presents, too . . .

and we got a picture of both the birthday kids together!

It was a great party!  We all had a grand time!