Luke's Tennis

With this session of tennis lessons coming to an end, I thought I'd say a few words and post a few pictures.  As I've said before, tennis has been really good for Luke.  For the most part, he has been really, really excited every week to go, although the excitement has waned a bit toward the end of the 14 weeks.  I hope that doesn't mean that we've squashed his love of the game already, but I'm sure he will have more than just this to blame us with later in life.  His tennis coach tells me that he is a really good listener during the lessons and hardly ever strays from his "dot" that they're supposed to stand on--even to reach for a ball.  He tells me his favorite part is practicing volleys at the net.  My favorite part is when he runs up the stairs from the courts to meet me at the end of lessons with a huge grin on his face and a hug.  "I had such a fun time, Mom!"  

I wish I had better than this picture-of-a-picture, but here is the little class.  Aren't they cute?

Luke is the one in the white shirt, hitting.

Progress

I am a goal-setter.  At any given time, I will have 50+ goals that I am working on written on at least 10 pieces of paper scattered throughout the house.  This, obviously, isn't the best way to go about improving oneself, but I can never decide which are the most important goals to work on first.  I beat myself up all the time about how I am not improving at anything, so it's nice when I can actually recognize improvement.  I am kind of embarrassed to admit these things, as most of my friends do these easily and naturally, but here are a few things that are looking like progress for me:

• Although I am only averaging waking-up early twice a week, I have still found time to exercise 6 days a week for two weeks in a row.  My clothes are still as tight as ever, but I have more energy and have felt more positive and cheerful.  (This is also due to rising temperatures outside!)
• Mostly because of fear, I have been doing a whole lot better about keeping up with housework.  With spring in the air, I am really afraid of a repeat of Ant Infestation 2008, so I've been doing the dishes and cleaning the floors every night.  Clayton smiles a lot about this.  He wouldn't have planted the ants in the house that morning last year, would he?  Nah.
• A few months ago, after reading Same Kind of Different As Me and watching the movie Gridiron Gang, I felt a really strong pull to do more in my community.  We live so close to Detroit, and the city is declining so quickly, there are people literally at our doorstep in a whole lot of need.  As a stay-at-home mother of two on a very strict budget, I had no idea what to do outside of church work.  This past Thursday, I was sworn-in as Administrative V.P. for the Grosse Pointe Mom's Club.  That mouthful basically means that I am in charge of the club's service efforts for the next year.  My very poised, elegant, capable, and amazing friend, Julie, held the position last year.  She did such a brilliant job coordinating the women of the club to really and truly help people in the community, I am scared to death of failing miserably in comparison.  But, I am also excited for this great opportunity to help make a little bit of a difference.  
• I have NEVER claimed to be "green" and have always chosen convenience over earth-friendly, but we have a bit of a green push going on at our house.  This is mostly due to two factors:  (1) I was inspired by a video I found of a couple of moms who only throw away one garbage bag a month, and (2) our garbage can situation is in dire straits.  With crazy squirrels constantly knocking the lids off of our cans or chewing through them (!!!) water and snow pile up inside.  This, apparently, makes the cans too heavy for the strict city workers to lift.  I have tried so hard to fix this, but we have been receiving nasty notes from the city that have put me at my wit's end.  It seems that cutting back on our garbage is the answer.  Even if we only cut back by one garbage bag each week, that makes 52 bags a year kept out of landfills and one less squirrel-ravaged can to worry about.  I've been surprised at what a garbage-maker I am, and just a little bit of effort on my part has made a big difference.  I try to use rags instead of so many paper towels and wipes, and washable containers instead of plastic wrap and bags.   Plus, I've been recycling a lot more.

Baby steps, though small, are still progress.

Everything Audrey

There is so much to say about Audrey.  She is a beautiful, loveable, curious, crazy girl who enjoys playing cars and "b-ball" (as she calls anything involving a ball) as much as playing kitchen or dolls.  She's incredibly dramatic, as you can see in the second video, but she's quick to give out smiles and kisses.  We say rhymes about her all the time, like: "There was a little girl who had a little curl..."  "Audrey Wudrey was a bear.  Audrey Wudrey had no hair," and "Audrey, Audrey quite contrary, when will your hair grow?"  Luke told me the other day that he's decided to love her after all.  With those big eyes, rosy cheeks, bubbly personality, and dang cute dresses, what's not to love!  Oh yes, and her hair is definitely growing.  

I'm not trying to be the wicked mom of the west here, but the girl would eat an entire block of cheese if I would let her.

 

Twins

I think I might have broken my nose a couple of weeks ago.  Something very heavy fell on me from a high shelf while I was looking up.  Ouch!  It was tender for a while, but I'm not really sure if it was actually broken or just bruised.  Clay looked at it the other day and declared it crooked.  Since his nose is also crooked, I guess we match.  Luckily, mine is bent the opposite direction of his, so I guess it facilitates easier kissing.

Luke has a bit of me in him, too, but he has A LOT of Clayton.  Aren't they cute?

Audrey loves to do everything that Luke does.  Maybe that's why she's been cranky for the last LONG while.  The poor girl just isn't 3 1/2 yet.

I have people telling me all the time (Clay at least daily) how much Audrey and I look alike.  I usually can't see it, but I guess we do have the same eyes.

Luke's Superheroes

 

Here is Luke in the Batman costume I threw together for him the morning of his friend's super-hero birthday party.  I mean, really.  What kind of mother doesn't have super-hero costumes in the house for her son?

Luke gave his first talk in Primary a few weeks ago.  We practiced at least 20 times that week.  We even built a pretend pulpit in our living room with popsicle-stick children sitting in all the chairs "cheering."  The talk was partially written by Luke, and it included Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, with allusions to sports as well.  He talked about how they all have special powers, but his dad and lots of other dads have a special power from Heavenly Father called Priesthood power.  I ended up actually giving the talk while he held up the pictures, but it was a really great first try for him.  I have been so proud of him that he's doing so well in Primary and learning so much.  

Speaking of Luke and super-heroes, he told me the other day that, when he grows up and is a grandpa, he is going to have a cool red car like his dad and will drive it to the post office every day to pick up presents from his grandparents (both of his grandmas send really great packages).  In his mind, grandparents and dads are the greatest people ever.  I don't think they mind him thinking that one bit.  Of honorable mention is Lightning "The Queen," as Luke calls him.  To a child who turns everything into a race, the animated race car is pretty cool.