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Another full, busy week. We enjoyed having the holiday off on Monday. We were able to complete several mini projects we've been trying to get done for literally months. Darren was able to get the wireless connected and Netflix installed (oh joyous day). We were able to get some editing software reinstalled on my new computer. I figured out how to print directly on the Project Life cards from my kit. Darren and I got the Christmas lights down. We worked hard all day.

I really did not enjoy the task of taking down the lights. I usually don't mind it but I sure did this time. It was so cold outside and I felt like I was made of lead. The chore seemed to go on forever and I had no energy. Now I realize I was coming down with the flu. It hit me full force Monday night and I ended up missing work both Tuesday and Wednesday as I was in bed with all over aches and pains and zero energy.  I felt like a slug.

But life goes on. I drug myself to take the kids to the orthodontist ( the receptionist told me she has been so worried about our family as it has been her experience that when a family misses six months of appointments in a row then something drastic is usually wrong....  I told her we just wanted the kids to have braces until they were 43), drug myself to the school to watch E2 present the flag at the wrestling match, and drug myself home again.

Thursday was better. N had pack meeting. It was a lot of fun. He was awarded another arrow point from his days as a Wolf and also received three belt loops and three pins in the areas of Soccer, Geology, and Kickball. He is quite the little scouter.

Friday I had already arranged to take the day off to work on Emily's Sterling Scholar portfolio. I felt bad working so little this week, but I knew if I didn't work on it now, it would not get done. We have everything scanned and have decided on a layout.

Friday night E1 had her pre-Region dinner. The assistant coach, Angie Taylor, made an amazing cake that looked like an Olympic size swimming pool. It was pretty awesome. Grandpa T paid for our dinner as I had planned to only attend the parent meeting as I refused to pay $8 per plate for spaghetti.  As usual Grandpa was right on and knew we needed to be there.  It ended up being a nice time and I was very glad we got to share that time together with E1 as a family.
My cousin Deb brought her traveling volleyball team to stay the night Friday on their way to a competition today in Fillmore. They got here late and left early, but left a beautiful quilt in RHS colors behind as a gift to us for letting them stay over the years. I thought that was very nice.

Saturday was the Region swim meet. We swam against Carbon, Emery, Spanish Fork, and Delta. Coach Crimin called me in a panic about an hour before the meet started as the computer would not interface with the timing console. Finally 90 minutes later we tried a different laptop and got it to work. It was stressful as everyone was waiting for the meet to start and several events had to be updated and hand entered and I run the computer for the meets. We got it all done, but as usual it was a team effort with Grandma fanning the printer so it doesn't overheat (a lesson learned the hard way in previous meets), Darren running the meet sheets around, me printing and stapling, and Grandpa T providing the Diet Coke with lime.

Once we got started, things went fine. It was a long, noisy, exciting meet. Emily swam so well, winning both of her individual events and both of her team relays. Every race she swam broke a school record. Is that not crazy? I was so proud. I was even more proud that she was one of only three girls in the entire region to earn Academic All-Region status. My favorite part of the meet was when Principal Brown had Grandpa T award E1 her final medal. It was a sweet moment for all of us. The girls team won the Region title.

For one of N's scout electives, he needed to plan a party. For another elective he needed to host a family video game tournament. For another he needed to create an invitation. So we killed three birds with one stone and tonight we had a "Wii Battle of the Sheffer's " party. He made invitations earlier in the week and passed them out. We purchased a new game and an extra controller plus Darren borrowed two more from Crowthers. We had pizza and snacks. We played Mario. We played tennis. We played Michael Jackson The Experience. We played Mario Kart. I have NEVER played a Wii at any time. So I was so clueless. But it was really fun. And I have to say that even though I had never played Wii AND had never played the Michael Jackson game, I still destroyed everyone else on the first two games. Oh ya... the old lady still has some moves :)

PROJECT LIFE - week 2

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It was a busy week but a fun one.
E1 is doing a picture-a-day album this year. She bought a pair of cute slide-in photo albums and decorated them cute.  She has been taking a lot of pictures with her new camera. It's been a lot of fun to see the pictures she has taken.
E1 had a swim meet and met one of her swimming goals by getting less than a minute on the 100 free.  Can you believe she can swim down and back and down and back in less than one minute? That is INSANE!  Darren was able to watch the meet and said it was pretty exciting. She also got her acceptance letter to USU this week, and worked a shift at the library and the event center. Both she and E2 finished up their first quarter of school.
E2 had a drill competition this weekend. It was in Richfield so E3 and I spent the day at the Event Center.  Darren worked as an usher the night before for the solo competition and also all day Saturday during the regular competition. He warned me Friday night after he got home that the drill team moms were out in force so Saturday I made sure to wear my tightest jeans and my highest heels. I even wore MASCARA.  Crazy, I know.  I didn't get up early enough to curl my hair and I honestly don't own anything with bling as that is soooo not my thing.  But I kept catching the usher checking me out so I figure I was still successful :).  By the end of the day my feet were KILLING me.  Four inch heels and stadium stairs are tricky.
E2 did awesome. She was in the character routine. They were chinese dancers. Getting her into her hair and makeup was intense. It was a fun day.

E3 spent the week roller blading, reading, and going to school.  She is taking care of the neighbors cat while they are on vacation.  She went with me to the drill competition and it was great to have some girl time.  She had a panic moment when she realized Wednesday that she'd left her trumpet on the bus, but good old dad drove to the bus barn and found it for her.  After N leaving his coats, jackets, and backpacks on the bus ALL THE TIME last year, we are on first name basis with the Sevier School District transportation department.
N:  N made the treats for Scouts this week.  He make "candy sushi".  It was rice crispy treats rolled up in sheets of fruit roll-ups then sliced so it looked like rice in seaweed rolls. This was a Rachel Ray recipe we found in her children's cookbook.  It was a blast and he said his den liked them.  He also had basketball this week.

PROJECT LIFE - week 1

In 2010 I made an album with at least one "Picture a Day" for the entire year using a kit from Becky Higgins.
It was a good way to capture the little day in and day out details of our lives. The album itself is a simple "slide a picture in and write a few notes about it on a card" kind of album. So EASY. So different from the traditional albums I have made in the past for each child. Who would have thought it would be the album the kids most frequently pull out??

I didn't do it last year and the kids really missed it. So in 2011 I am doing the album again, with some alterations. The actual printed album will have a picture a day but also will add in extra pictures and pages here and there to make a more comprehensive type album. The amazing Becky Higgins is the creator of "Project Life" and her blog at beckyhiggins.com has a ton of ideas. I purchased the Turquoise kit and fillers. I am excited :)

Like I did in 2010, I will be posting a weekly montage of pictures here so you can have a glimpse into life at the Sheffer house.

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