2011.2.7–2011.2.13

Introduction

We’re trying to get into a better habit of keeping family up-to-date on goings on in the Burrhouse each week. For the most parts, one week is the same as the next, but occasionally something new happens, and even when it doesn’t, we know family likes to know how things are going.

So, you’ll start seeing these (approximately) weekly blog posts, and the occasional other post when something spectacular happens. I’ll divide the posts into sections by family member, plus a section on other news, and a section that looks forward to anything we have planned next week.

**Note from Amy: I'ma throw in a few pictures and notes here and there!**

Enjoy!

Ben

Ben attended Boy Scouts for the first time this week on Wednesday. He’s an 11 Year Old Scout, and his patrol is very small right now (just him and one other boy). He likes his scout leader, though; I know him, and he’s a great guy. So, even though he was the only scout at the meeting this week, he had a blast.

** He also got very excited about a science experiment he had done at school, and had us do it here at home. It involved celery and red dye and weighing things - it was fun. And cute.

Earlier in the week, he managed to get a very cute photo of Macska hanging out under the table. Budding photographer, perhaps? :) **

Joshua

Josh is a Bear now, and he had his first Bear den meeting on Tuesday. I gather he enjoyed it, too. We’re still working on getting Josh baptized. On Saturday, the Elders took us on a tour of the church building that included a walk through the font, and discussion about baptism. It’s going to take patience and working step-by-step to overcome Josh’s fear of water, which dwarfs any desire he might have to be baptized right now. We’ll get there, though.

** Joshua's also the one who discovered that a hummingbird has built a nest atop our windchimes in the front patio. I got a so-so picture of the bird at rest.

I say so-so because Matt discovered an egg in the nest today, and just look at the photo he got! Whatever, Mr. I Know What the Different Camera Setting Are For. :)

And let's not forget who discovered the nest in the first place!**

Joseph

Joseph was sick Monday through Wednesday. He got whatever Josh had last week. It started on Sunday. I noticed he was unusually lethargic, and found he had a fever when I took his temperature. By Monday, it seemed to have gone, and we took him to lunch with us in the afternoon, but by evening it had returned full force, then again on Tuesday. By Wednesday, he was fine, but the school district insists that he can’t return to school until he’s gone 24 hours without a fever.

He’s all better now. The boys all got long overdue haircuts this week, and they’re looking great.

** By the third day of his having to be home from school even though he felt fine, I started to cave on our otherwise very strict No Electronic Joy When You're Home Sick From School rule. Enter Plants Vs. Zombies.**

Amy

Amy started genealogy indexing on Sunday when she was home from church with Joseph. She indexed 400+ names that day, and she’s been going strong ever since. I catch her at the computer several hours each day indexing census records; she really seems to enjoy it.

Matt

It was a pretty typical week for me. I’m nearing release of the project I’ve been working on at work, so a lot of my time at work is spent on the last little items needed to get things just right. I’m enjoying school; I have only one class, math, this semester, and it’s fun.

**Isn't he the cutest?**

Other News

The dogs got much-needed baths this week. They smelled tons better until yesterday, when they got into I don’t know what. We got an unexpected overage refund on our escrow; some of that – I think – is going to go toward a freezer. This year is about conserving money, and part of that is buying food in bulk and storing it for longer periods of time; hence the freezer.

Next Week

Wednesday, the boys’ school is holding “Astronomy Night” as a way to introduce their new science & technology center. Next year, the school is becoming a science & technology “magnet” (not really the right word, but close enough), so they’ll be detailing the program on Wednesday. Next weekend, we may be heading up to Monterey for the first of our “Explore California” vacations (another way we’re saving money: making smaller weekend excursions around California instead of a large interstate vacation).