We had the missionaries over for dinner.  It was kinda fun since we have never done that before.  I was waiting for today to be over before I start ripping up carpet in the tv room to finish tiling downstairs.  I should be all done, except for the pantry and bathroom, by mid March.
 I never really read all that much to the kids before.  I mean I did but it was never every day, maybe once or twice a week I'd read a couple of books.  Well, I read the Indian in the Cupboard to them a few months ago and they liked it and so I figured I would get some more advanced books like that to read to them.  It's a lot better than trying to make up stories every night and I read a chapter every night.  I read a Unicorn book I got Maddy at the book fair and this week we are reading The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  I bought some goose bump books from DI since I remember liking those when I was younger and I ordered a big lot of Judy Bloom books off of ebay.  I want to read some Ramona books next.  I actually am very glad I have started doing this.  I want so much to spend quality time with the kids and some days I just have too much going on.  So this has become something we all look forward to.  It also is nice that I am also interested in the story since teddy bears and princesses don't really get me excited.  Joshua doesn't really say much yet.  Mostly he says nanana(banana) and g'dow(get down).  So, today I was moving the trash can away from him too many times and the last time when he started reaching in it I said, "No, no, no!"  He totally started walking away saying, "no, no, no."  haha  It has been very nice to slow down and take it easy this month, though I have spent plenty of time decorating and cleaning.  It's finally getting to the point where I can say I love living here!

You can't tell exactly how awesome this trellis is in the picture, but I am very satisfied with how it turned out.

I have to say, it is quite satisfying to create something that you came up with yourself.  Today I cut some lattice and cut and tacked some trim around the edges and will suspend it from the ceiling a few inches right in front of my mural and hang vines on it.  I, like mom and dad, have finally gotten around to framing the picture David and Heidi gave us.  We should get it next week.  I also found this picture someone was selling locally.  It is huge, 53"x48" and is on stretched canvas.  I think I hit the jackpot because I got it for $25.  The frame itself is at hobby lobby for close to $300.  The house is really coming together.  It's nice to enjoy my hard work.  We had a good dinner with the kids.  It has become a tradition to have a nice meal at home.  We don't even bother going out anymore.

We got a piano.  It's a digital one and I am quite surprised at how much it feels and sounds like a real piano.  So after printing off a piece that I used to have memorized and struggling to even figure out the right notes, I started getting down on myself.  I don't think people realize how horrible my memory really is when I say it's bad.  I don't even remember much about my good friends growing up.  Anyway, so I told Will that I was a little sad that I don't have a good memory and he goes, "What's 1+1?". I answered 2 and he exclaimed, " How do you know so much!", like he was so proud of me for remembering.  He is such a sweetie.