Cough, cough. Uh hem. Is this thing on?

Hello? Hi there! I am not dead! Let's just leave my long absence at that and jump back in, shall we? Gosh, been a long time! Have you lost weight?

So, blogger changed it's format. Blogger, I hate it. Truly. This is just ugly. I hope it posts better than it looks here. Also, where the heck is spellcheck???

So, how 'bouts an update of sorts? I still want to finish my Traveling with a Large Family posts....especially since time has come 'round to register for Familyland again. I have been thinking about that. But we have lots going on today, daily mass and then a park day with friends, so first,,,an update and new pics of the gang....

Here's our Christmas pic!



Of course, that's old news, it's MARCH!

So, I will post a little update on us all, and then maybe take some new baby pics at the park today, how's that? Because, you know, the big kids haven't changed much since December, but the baby has of course changed a lot!

Maria....

She hates this picture. Ah well,,,she hates pretty much all pictures of herself. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be a self-conscious, navel gazing teenaged girl again, NOT! What can I say about Maria that won't EMBARASS her greatly...see, she's a big kid now, and can read all by herself, so I have to be aware of such things. Well, she's 16, and she is ready to (finally) take her written driver's test, which we really need to get on with because I could sure use another chauffer around here! She's wrapping up tenth grade this spring, and doing really well. She's still very involved in Life Teen and is just growing up to be a wonderful young lady. Oh SORRY, that is soooo embarassing to say. What I mean to say is that she is really cool and stuff, and uh, like, whatever....

Jack...

What can I say of Jack? Jack is awesome. I hesitate to say that because those of you that see him in PUBLIC don't see the Best of Jack, because Jack doesn't always handle PUBLIC very well. But he is, really, such a great kid. You know, like 98% of the time. Or, maybe, like 90% of the time. Or,,,no less than 85%, surely. heehee. Really, he is so funny, and loving, and really fun to be around. Except when he's not. And that's Jack. He will be just fine and wonderful most of the time, but he has those days....those days where everything is just WRONG for him and we don't really know WHY. So we just buckle up and muddle through. He is doing so much better with his school work this year. His reading comprehension, though, is atrocious. He reads really, really well. But understanding what you read is a totally different thing than just physically being able to read it. I am learning that. He is obsessed with geography and is the resident expert. Our second grade curriculum has him learning the state capitals. Well, he did that in the space of a few weeks, and now has memorized the state birds, and trees, and nicknames, and most of the world capitals, and their flags, and....obsess much? So if you want to know the state bird of Utah, he's your man. (He tells me it's a seagull. Would a landlocked state have a seagull as their state bird? Beats me.)

Tess...

I can say this because Tess can't read yet. Tess is my wild child. That's right, in a house with a teeenager, an autistic boy and a 2 year old, the sweet and angelic looking four year old girl is my wild child. When I say that to people, they say, "Awww, but she's soooo sweeeet!" And she is! She is very sweet. Until you cross her. Look out, that's all I can say. This one turns on a dime. She was a very easy baby and laid back toddler, so I'm hoping this is maybe just general preschool-ness and that her sanity will return. She is not at all unlike Maria at this age, and she turned out ok, hehe.

Henry...

now this one...this one is easy-peasy, sweetness and light. Eerily obedient for a two year old most of the time. Until he's overtired. But most of the time, Henry is gentle and sweet and eager to please. And oh, so darned cute. We have cut his hair since this picture, btw. All those lovely locks are gone.

And baby Mary Claire...

She was six months old when these were taken, and is 9 months old now...and there's a big difference, isn't there, between six and nine months! Also, she has just woken up and is crying for me as I type. So I think I will give an update on her with some new pictures later today. In the meantime, you can reassure yourself with the knowledge that in spite of her frail, thin appearance at Christmas-time, her appetite has picked up and she has filled out nicely. (snort)