**Gasp!** A New Post!

OK, I know, it's been a while. Sorry.

Cory's been busy with school and another top secret project. I've hardly seen him in the last month. I'll be glad when he's done with school in another year or so. We also took our home off the market - the lot we had reserved was sold out from under us by someone who was ready to build right away, so we just threw in the towel. We'll try again in a year or two. We're actually not upset about it at all. We love our house and neighborhood, so it's no great loss.

I've been working on stuff for the Utah Flute Association - we had our yearly festival a couple weeks ago, and since I'm the President, I was in charge. No pressure! I stressed about it for weeks and weeks, but it all went very well. I'm glad it's over!

Q has been super cute! She's decided she doesn't want to sleep as well as she used to lately, but she's still the best sleeper of all our kids, so we'll take it! She's not crawling yet, but she's so close! E was walking at 10 months, and frankly, I can wait for Q to get ambulatory. That way I can put off baby-proofing stuff for a little longer. She has also learned to wave at people, which I really enjoy - she waves at people at church, in the grocery store, at the dinner table - and I love seeing the smiles that immediately appear on everyone's faces when she does it.

Speaking of E, she has been occasionally letting me fix her hair. In case anyone needed proof that I do know how to fix my kid's hair, here it is! We call this the princess braids.

Not bad, huh?

L is such a smarty pants - he is reading at a 5th grade level - wow! I can't really take credit for it, other than setting an example of a love of reading. He actually says bedtime is his favorite time of day, because he gets to sit and read his books (as if he can't during the rest of the day). Cory can ask him questions in French, and even though he can't always answer in French, he does understand almost all of what is said. His teachers gave us glowing remarks about him at parent/teacher conferences.

He and my girls are such a joy in my life. We may not be rich, or have all the toys, or be doing all the things we wanted to with our lives, but having these sweet kids make up for all of it. Now, if I can just figure out how to keep them liking me when they're teenagers...

L quote: "Mommy, you sure made me some cute sisters to love!"

E quote: "Look, Daddy - there are girls playing basketball on the TV!" We felt bad that she thought only boys could play b-ball. She recently saw some "chee-litas" on the TV, too. Cory asked her if she wanted to be one of them or one of the players, and she said a player. He was very proud of that.