Proud Parents

As usual, we are very busy when school starts.  It's fun, but hectic. 

Tyler is playing football this year.  We feel like in all the years he's played, this is the year when his knowledge and talent are coming together.  It's fun to watch.  His long legs get him up and down the field so fast! (He is nearly 6'1 now, CRAZY!)   That's a big improvement from his meandering and smelling the roses on the field days of the past.  He is also teaching himself to play the guitar and piano in his spare time.  He's doing pretty well.  Sometimes I call him Troy Bolton but he threatens me when I do...  :)

My Michael was just elected "Student Body President." We've been calling him Mr. President here at home.  We are so proud of him!!  He's still writing his book.  Now he has a teacher helping him so hopefully by the end of the year he'll have a "finished manuscript."  He is taking piano lessons but he's been teaching himself also so he is already way past beginner stage. 

Jules has discovered that she really enjoys hip hop dancing.  Uncle Quinn also spent hours teaching her to play a few songs on the guitar for the Primary Talent Show.  She did so well!  I need to record her playing.  Like her brothers, she has natural musical talent.

Joshua is playing football for the first time.  Oh yeah, he is a baller... He LOVES being a Coolidge Bear.  He takes the game very seriously.  It is just so fun to watch him.  He says over and over that he's been waiting to be a Coolidge Bear since he was three.  We worry about little Josh out there but his love of playing makes it worth it.  He is still creative as ever with his legos.  He builds complex bases and spaceships in his spare time.

Matthew is along for the ride right now.  I just love his laid back personality.  He is catching onto reading quickly and has lots of good friends.  He loves tagging along to all of Tyler's football games.  Tyler calls him his "good luck charm" and insists that he is at all his games no matter how late they start.   (It is so cute.)

And Bella, oh my Bella.  I love her.  She is so cheerful and loving.  She is also a "hot mess."  She spends most of her life covered in markers, water, makeup, bruises and sweat.  She just doesn't stop.  She wears me out but every day I am so glad that I have her.

I just wanted to update all of you on the kids so far this year.  I really need to add pictures!  It's almost time to print the blog into a book.

I love you all family!

Guardian Angels

I am so thankful for guardian angels.

To anyone that I know and love.  We don't raise these babies on our own.  We always have help.  You absolutely cannot control every situation and you can't be everywhere all the time.  If Heavenly Father wants to intevene and keep your child safe, He will.  If He wants them back, he'll take them.

Bella was having "a night", like she sometimes does and was covered literally head to toe in marker.  I went upstairs to get the bath started and she comes in whimpering.  I notice a small cut on her leg and think that it looks a little weird, like a slice.  I am holding her and trying to comfort her and she is gagging.  I swept her mouth a few times and nothing.  Finally, she throws up a little and there is a piece of glass in it about the size of a dime.

To say I was a mess is an understatement.

In the five (or less) short minutes I'd been upstairs she broke a canning jar of salsa and put the only loose piece of glass in her mouth.  Literally, the rest of the glass was up inside the other half of the jar.  There was no glass mess.

I am just so thankful that we are not alone in raising our children.  I've had a child jump off the second story stairs, get outside and wander the neighborhood, fall out of a window (luckily onto our patio roof), and I still have six children.  This was another one of my miracles.

Thank you angels!

PS.  I've been working on an Activity Days activity and looking through some art.  This picture moved me and made me think of this incident.  I have a thankful heart.  The picture is called "Heavenly Hands".