Eli's Birthday

We had a fun week of making Eli's birthday turn into a week of birthday. Redge was traveling and basically missed all the fun. So I drug out the fun. Redge flew out Monday morning and this was Eli's birthday. We started the morning off with opening the first present. It is a tradition for our kids to pick what they want to eat that day.

Eli's Menu:
Breakfast: German pancakes,
Lunch: Sandwich, yogurt, chips, banana, apple, juice box
Dinner: Lasagne, Salad, cheesy bread (oops forgot that one), birthday cake with 8 candles please, cupcakes, and cookies and cream ice cream

He wanted his cake to be shaped like a minnion from Despicable Me.

After we ate German pancakes he was off to school and I spent the day cooking. Oh my! I told him that morning that he couldn't open anymore presents because I had to find them. I had them scattered throughout the house because I had been buying stuff for a few months. I knew he had his scout stuff I needed to buy (that stuff is spendy!) and I had a few other fun 8 year old stuff I wanted to get him. So it was accumulating in the closets. Well he asked if he could find the presents. He thought that would be a fun game. We did this for Redge so I think he wanted to do it for his b-day... future fun ideas! Funny boy went to school and told his teacher that I had them hid throughout the house. She asked about it when I took him cookies to share with the class.

When he came home he had to do homework but then he was scotch free... the birthday child doesn't have to work on their birthday. :) I had a fun poster set up in the window with 'Happy Birthday, Eli' on it, my minnion cake was mostly ready and I had the table all set for him. I was hoping all this would help him know how loved he is by us.

We ate his yummy lasagne dinner and then went for some ice cream at the grocery store (we got soaked by the sudden downpour.) After eating cake and ice cream we had a spa night for Eli. We all massaged and loved on Eli. It was fun!

Then to help Redge not feel slighted about missing the fun I had Eli open a present a day. I told him it was the 8 days of Eli's presents. Then by the time Redge returned on Friday Eli still had a few fun presents left and we recreated the dinner and cupcakes I had frozen.

We love our birthday boy!

Eli's Manners poster

Eli was very excited for scouts. I was so proud of him because he remembered that he was to make a 'manners poster' for scouts. As we were finishing dinner, he darted off. I thought he was avoiding doing dishes but he came running downstairs with his scout shirt on and his newly made poster in hand. Whew~! one thing I didn't remind this child to do. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel! HA!


This is his poster: (spelling as written by E)
Manners: 1. do not fart at dinner table 2. always say 'plese!' 3. obey mom/dad. 4. when you burp say exuse me 5. Be kind to others.

Can't argue with that!

Lost and Found

Thursday last week Eli came home without his glasses. I must say that I remained very diplomatic and didn't react. We talked about what could have happened to them and all he remembered was his teacher taking them back to his desk because of the physical activities they were going to be doing. Then he couldn't remember anything until the neighbor boy noticed Eli wasn't wearing them on the bus. ugh! What could have happened. I know the teacher wasn't going to lose them. I sent a note to the teacher asking her about it. She looked around and I even came in Friday after school to look for them in the lost and found. She sent out a school wide email to all the teachers to see if anyone had seen them.

We were sick about it all weekend long. I told Eli we needed to start praying for help to find them. No responses from the other teachers by Monday morning. I went into the school by the end of the school day as they were packing up. Ms. Tanner and I were able to piece together the puzzle with Eli about what they did Thursday afternoon. They remembered they had 'specials' after their outside activity time. Eli perked up and remembered where they were. He found them right by the computer. Right where he left them.

I started crying... stupid glasses. I know we had help!! I guess even little glasses aren't too little of a worry, right?

Gift of sight

I am so glad that I have comments to my posts. It is nice to know that I am 'read'. I sometimes feel my thoughts are silly and not worth posting. But I found one thought worthy of posting.


So you might think that seeing the world clearly wouldn't be a big deal right?? Who really wants to see things as they are? Well my Eli got the gift of sight again!

We have had a few hints over the last few months that Eli's sight was not so great. But when Eli and I had a heart-to-heart one morning in bed about what he could see in the room, I decided it was way over time to make an appointment with the eye dr.

When I told him that I couldn't see his face laying on Dad's pillow, he thought it was funny. He would scoot toward me and ask if I could see him now. hmmm still wishing for my own gift!



He has walked around looking over the top of his glasses and then with them on again examining the world around him. We went and played basketball at the church after we picked up his glasses. We were certain that he made lots of baskets because he could see the hoop! Poor kid didn't even know it was that bad.

He is a cute little bugger but now he is just stunning!

Emma wanted to have glasses too. She tried to take Eli's glasses and claim them as her own. As you can see by how she has treated these sunglasses, we are going to keep her away from Eli's glasses!

Happy New Year

Well we started the year off with having a great, goal setting night. It was fun to see what things the kids came up with on their own. I took their list and laminated them. We are hoping to try and work on goals this year with them. How to make and follow through with them. There are so many things that we can promote but this is one part of life that will make them successful and have a feeling of accomplishment. I especially loved one of Eli's goals - love others. Isn't he so tenderhearted! I love it!

Rhett turned 12 in December and wow it is cool to have him in Young Mens and now be able to go to the youth temple trips. Grandma and Grandpa Bodily were able to be here over Christmas and be apart of that ordination. It was fun to have them out here for Christmas. They got to see one of our snow storms and the cancelling of church because of it.

I thought this story that Eli wrote was pretty cool The schools here are really good about teaching the kids how to write. He is in second grade and is able to describe really well. I added some punctuation and kept his spelling as he wrote it.

Along the snowy trail
As I was walking along a snowy trail I came to a marvalos snowman. The snowman was as Big ah (as) a tree. his head seamed to Be as round as a tire. I smiled when I saw the snowman was wearing a Blue and green scarf(.) I stard at his Brown skiny twigs(,) he had two round Blue marbel eyes(,) you coudent miss his orange carot nose(.) I was suprised when I saw the yellow Banana moulth(.) Can you Beleve that the snowman was (had) a radio(?) What was he doing with that(?) I loved seeing the snowman along the snowy trail. by:eli bodily

Oh dear Emma is quiet... better run. I will post some pictures later.

Track-out

We have had a great three week break. I think the kids were rested again and ready to be back in school.

This weekend they helped me put stain on the porch. It was great because one would play and help with Emma and then two would stain. They would take their break from staining to be on Emma duty. It was great. They helped me for 5 hours this way (including lunch). The porch looks great and they are all quite proud of their work.







Rhett is determined to enter a lego contest. They are supposed to write a 200 word essay. He and Megan did this together. I guess I am going to have to get on the ball and get his picture developed so he can enter.

We thought this picture was so funny because it looks like it is just Rhett's head sitting on the table.

Eli Football

This is a clip of Eli getting a great sack on Saturday. He is the one running up through the middle. He is number 7, if you can see that much.
The second one might be better to see because we are zoomed in more. Eli is the one dancing around on the far left side on defense. I wish you could see this in HD. Totally awesome!