Happy Leap Year!

If you look at my calendar for February, there is something to remember, somewhere to be or something to do EVERY day- except today! Today, February 29th- that special day that is only given to us once every four years- is blank! It's like everyone forgot it was even an option for their meetings and activities. So, with no commitments (except for taking kids to and from school), I am posting! Here are 29 things that we did in 28 days of February:

1. We didn't have school on February 1st, so we headed to Target to pick out our Valentine's. The selection was already low (I hate commercial holidays!) but everyone found something and we came home and finished them! I thought we would be so on top of things this month! Nope- just this. It went down hill from here.
2. Kate turned 11! She is an amazing girl and I love her! But I am also completely terrified for what comes next- I am not ready for this!! How did she get so big so fast?!!
3. Kelly had a birthday too! I don't know how he feels about his age. I haven't had time to ask him. I was just proud of myself for having dinner ready and his presents wrapped when he got home so he could head right out the door to Kate's Science Fair. Probably not his best birthday ever- but I hope it was a happy one!
4. I attended four SEP's (parent teacher conferences) where it was again confirmed- I have really smart kids!
5. I finally saw National Treasure 2. Maybe I am really easy to entertain, but I really enjoyed it. Not quite as much as the first one, but definitely worth Kelly's 7 bucks!
   
6. I drove through more snow storms than I cared to! The worst was on February 13th- the 10 minute trip to Kate's school was a 55 minute white knuckle nightmare- each way! I was so relieved to make it home and find all our activities for the night were canceled. We just hunkered down and kept warm! I'm so sorry for those of you who spent hours parked in it! I was happy to hear that you all eventually made it home safe!
   
7. Once the snow started to melt, the main road to Kate's school flooded! It was so bad that one day I had to have a police escort as I drove through the flooded area. I tried to take a picture of the spray coming up from the cars but only ended up with what got dumped on my windshield:
8. Megan took the A.L.L. test. We find out in April if she makes it. After Kate's experience this year, I really think it would be great for Megan. Wish us luck!
9. Kate earned a medal at the District Science Fair. She did not move on to regional but she was one of 30 honorary mentions and she is very happy with that! Way to go Kate!
10. Emily got a hard cast. After three weeks in that stupid splint- her new x-rays showed NO healing! The doctor would have guessed she broke it two days ago! Ugh. So, now she is in the hard cast for three weeks. She is not happy about it and she won't let me take a picture of it. I'm not fighting her on it, yet.
    
11. Kate and Kelly went to a book signing at Deseret Book in American Fork. Brandon Mull, author of Fablehaven and The Candy Shop War (see my 2008 book list), came and made about 500 people VERY happy! Including Kate, who "borrowed" her teacher's copy of his book and had him sign it. "To the Best 5th grade teacher I NEVER had!" LOL
    
12. Ethan fell out of my van! We were parked, but it was ugly. I was in the back of the storage unit when I heard him scream. Somehow he fell over the back seat and out the back door to face-plant in asphault and ice! I didn't even have a take-out napkin let alone a baby wipe or Kleenex in my car! I poured a water bottle down his front to remove as many rocks as I could and then we came home- having not found what I was looking for at the storage unit. I went back and forth between feeling bad for him and feeling doomed to never get anything done!
13. We turned down an offer on our house! A GIANT leap of faith for us but we believe things will work out.
14. Our old neighbor, Patty, came down with her girls to visit us on President's Day. We didn't make it easy on her by showing our house twice during her visit!
15. We read a LOT for our school read-a-thon. It was worth it because the kids get to have a Utah Jazz Basketball player come to their school on Tuesday and every kid gets a huge cup of Russell's Ice Cream. Megan was our best reader documenting almost 3800 minutes in one month!
16. I got a pedicure- my second ever. I went with my friends, Maria and Melissa, which was way more fun than my $70 pedicure on the cruise where I had to sit by myself because they had my mom was in another area of the spa! Let's face it- I might even enjoy a root canal if I could take my funny and fantastic friends with me!
    
17. Kelly gave me a valentine's present that I was NOT expecting! It was first thing in the morning, so I didn't get a picture. But he gave me a wonderful white terry cloth robe to replace the 1980's flannel red plaid one his brother handed down to him and I stole! AND- he got me a notepad on a lanyard- to wear around my neck so I can make notes for myself all day! I think it just might be the best present ever because I need it and it means he listened to me!
18. My valentine was wrapped in a furoshiki! If you love fabric or saving the rainforest- you'll love these! Check it out here.
19. I did a lot of mopping from the wet and muddy feet that came in and out of my house! Why do they think it is necessary to shovel every day but the day it actually snows?!
20. I braved the snow ONCE, for Ethan. This was my reward:
21. Kelly and my four oldest kids went to see Spiderwick. According to Kate, if you have read the books then the movie only gets 5 out of 10 stars. If you haven't read the books, it's a 10!
22. We watched President Hinckley's funeral together as a family. I wasn't sad until his daughter, Virginia Pearce, said, "Our dad was adorable!" And with tears welling in my eyes I thought, yes he was! While in Seagull Book the other day, Ethan asked why Pres. Hinckley's picture was on the wall since "he died, mom." Well, yes Ethan, he did. But he did great things while he lived and I am so grateful for the message of faith and the example of endurance that he left behind.
23. I helped with and attended the Blue and Gold Banquet. Really, I had very little to do. I was just a set of hands. The gal that was in charge did a great job- the dinner was SO good and each of the boys took home a goldfish that had served as the centerpieces (ours died in two days).
24. I taught another Relief Society lesson. I used a science experiment as my object lesson, made a study sheet and ended on time! It was a good lesson for me and I hope to post more about it than I have time or space for here.
25. Angela got me hooked on Gilmore Girls. We watched it while we took turns on her elliptical which means I only get to watch it when I go to her house, so we're only on episode 7. Come back soon Angela! I'm dying to see what happens next!
26. Kelly and I went dancing! We had a great time swinging at our church valentine 50's dance. We wish we had more opportunities for this, mostly because we need the practice!
27. Soren played a lot of basketball- attending 4 classes and 2 games this month.
28. I spent a LOT of time in the car.
29. In addition to the other things I already mentioned, we shuttled around to 3 art classes, 4 choir rehearsals, 3 activity days, 3 den meetings, 2 dance classes, 4 violin lessons, 7 reading parties, and a first grade donut date!

What a month! I really needed this bonus day to get ready for March!
Happy Leap Year!