Another Cougar! plus Valentine's Day and Curtis turns 16!

 Last Friday night Lily got the email that she was accepted to BYU! It was so very exciting. We all expected her to get in but until it was official, I was uneasy. It was such a relief and now we can get planning. We have to figure out housing, getting her out to Utah the same weekend we were supposed to be in Rochester for my nephew's wedding reception, trying out for theater ballet company, registration and all the fun college life stuff plus all the financial part of it. It is a lot but so exciting! I'm so proud of Lily; she worked really hard to make BYU happen. She did NHS and has volunteered about 75-80 hours of her time over the past two years plus Spanish Honors Society and she was a freshman mentor and did Student Leadership Council. She has gotten perfect grades (not easy when you are often up late doing homework and have to get up early for seminary), she always goes to seminary, she has been a leader in our ward and stake and all while dancing 20 hours a week, plus teaching four more. She may be a bit forgetful and we may have to wait for her to get ready a lot but that girl is amazing and I'm so excited for her and all the opportunities waiting for her in Provo. She'll get to be with a lot of cousins and make fun new friends and go to the sporting events and hopefully be a part of the dance program. Go Cougars! 

 

Valentine's day was low key but nice. Josh took Brandon to his basketball game (and they beat the team with obnoxious parents so yeah!) and I went with Lily to parent viewing day at the ballet studio. I sat there and watched her two-hour class and it was interesting. Mostly it was fun to see how beautiful my girl is when she dances and to support her; I didn't think she wanted me to go because Emma didn't, but she did and that was sweet. She stayed for rehearsal while I went home and we kind of just hung out. Danny came over to play one last time since they moved this week and Brandon is sad, but they had fun playing and we took them with us to the family dance at church. Only Brandon would come and he had a great time with his friends. It was a little lame; no adults were really dancing except us and the Howells and McKenzie, but a bunch of older people were there just watching, which I find to be a bit weird. There were good snacks and Steve took requests for music so I think he played some good songs and he taught us a few dances and that was fun. I think it would have been more fun if people would have just gotten up and danced and not been bums, but there were a lot of fun families not there so that didn't help. So it was definitely better than last years but not as fun as our decades dance. Still, I love dancing with Josh and we had fun together. I love dancing and laughing and get such an emotional boost from good music and dancing. 

We went home and had imitation Cafe Rio for dinner and Lily went babysitting and the rest of us watched the Olympics and had cookie pie for dessert. Sunday was a nice day at church and then Monday Josh had off but the kids had school to make up for a snow day. I actually subbed for an hour in the morning while Josh was in class and then we went out for lunch and it was lovely. Lily and Brandon had made lemon bars and Emma made a red velvet cake so we had a quick family night with lots of dessert and Olympics. Tuesday I went to Inklings and we had a great discussion; I enjoy seeing people during the day and having time to share insights and testimony with each other. 

Wednesday my man child turned 16! He wanted a very normal day so he had breakfast at seminary but then we didn't really do anything else. I made him his requested manicotti for dinner and then he had treats at his youth activity (while the valiant girls and I did dancing and had a dance party that was so fun) but that was it for this kid. I sent him texts all throughout the day; I just can't believe he is 16. He was our miracle baby who after years of trying to get pregnant with Lily, he just showed up and surprised us. He has already been on some dates and is learning to drive so maybe he didn't feel like 16 was a big deal but I do. Last night Josh and I took him out for a steak dinner and we had cake and presents (a cool LEGO set, a hiking backpack and some books, plus some of his favorite treats from his siblings) and then I did make him French toast for breakfast this morning so that completes our family birthday fun. Next week he is having friends (boys and girls) over for games so that will be fun. Curtis is a good kid; he is very responsible and always gets his school work done and done well, he fulfills his priesthood duties, he is athletic and works hard, he is sweet to me and can be very funny. I hope he learns to appreciate his siblings more and engage a bit more with them but overall, he is a wonderful young man and I'm so grateful for him and proud of him. 

 

He and I went to watch Frankie cheer at her last game Friday and that was fun plus I had my first middle school subbing job that went pretty well. Michelle and I went to the temple this week and that was wonderful as always. Saturday Brandon won his semi-final basketball game and the girls had rehearsal and Josh and Curtis went to the stake youth activity where Curtis's team won the three-on-three basketball tournament. Yesterday we went to church and these two cuties baked cookies. Lily is such a good sibling and so sweet and fun. It hit me pretty hard yesterday how much we are going to miss her and her positive energy in our home. We watched the closing ceremonies and cheered when school was cancelled! It has been a great week!