March in Review

It's April already ~ Happy Birthday Daniel ~ and so here we are to review our busy month of March.

Working in reverse, we had a terrific Spring Break! Not having to get up quite so early was probably the highlight. Now we're anxiously waiting for summer to get here!

Just before our break, Kathryn and Melissa got to go snowboarding on a school trip. They had a great time! And, I have no pictures. :( Sorry. Melissa wasn't so enthusiastic about not being able to stop, but since Kathryn got to go last year, she was the seasoned veteran. Thanks to Chris and Jennie for letting them borrow the snow pants and gloves again!!

Our family celebrates two birthdays in March. Melissa's is on the 15th. She was probably one of very few three year olds who knew what the "Ides of March" meant, and why the warning was given to "beware" them. She turned NINE this year ~ our Melinnium baby!!

Melissa had an AMAZING day. She was the only one to raise her hand two weeks before when our outgoing Choir director at church asked if someone would take the music and the calling list while a new director was called. She ran with the assignment, leading the choir through one rehearsal, calling everyone to remind them of the choir's performance on the 15th in Sacrament meeting (and that we'd be meeting early for a run through), and finally leading that presentation. She practiced leading 4/4 and 2/4 time at home and did a GREAT job! Even after we were home that day, she came to me with two new hymn ideas for upcoming Choir presentations! They are beautiful songs ~ she has great taste.

Melissa somehow managed to make it through Sunday school and to Sharing Time, where she got to give a talk. She spoke about the responsibilities each member of a family has, quoting from the Proclamation on the Family, as well as giving examples of her personal responsibilities at home and at school.

Since the choir sang in church, there was no practice after (a concern Melissa had about missing ~ since she is in charge) so we were free to come home and get ready for our family to come to dinner. Melissa's grandma and grandpa Freeman as well as her cousins and uncle Chris and aunt Jennie were there. Grandpa Evans was kind enough to drop off Melissa's present on his way to pick up Grandma Karolyn from the airport.

An American Girl doll ~ Felicity ~ who Melissa LOVES.

Dinner was Missa's favorite ~ ham, funeral potatoes and corn, with salad. And cake. Melissa wanted to have a lemon cake, with lemon frosting, and lemon pudding to fill the middle.

It was very yellow!

Nathan wasn't able to wait for everyone else and decided to take an early swipe. Argh!!

We somehow forgot to get candles, so we improvised and came up with a funky alternative:

those would be matches!

We ran with the American Girl theme and added Kit Kittridge to Melissa's collection. She would further add to her stash by ordering the Felicity movie as well as all six of the books with the Amazon certificate Aunt Barbara sent her. Yay!

March also included an "80's Day" at Elizabeth's school. She found a big flannel shirt in her dad's closet, put it with leggings and socks and keds, added some big hair and it was 1987 all over again.

We were surprised by a phone call from Liz who had been sent to the office and told to call home for pants. Seems that her outfit didn't meet the dress code because her shirt did not fall below her fingertips (instead it was just above). Hmmmm.....we all made it through school wearing outfits like this.....how times change!

So, we took her jeans that she pegged and was good to go. What a cutie!!

I had a wonderful day on my 34th on th 5th. Getting to order new socks and a hair dryer was awesome. As was having family over for cake and ice cream. Kurt made an amazing quadruple layer chocolate cake. Add cookie dough ice cream and what more could a girl want?? Oh, except a hugely huge gift card from my dear dad that I had a ton of fun spending!! And the $20 (pictured) that bought a new haircut and color. Wahoo!!

I laughed right out loud when I opened a card that came in the mail from my friend Stacy. She sent a great pack of journaling boxes and wrote that she was sending them because of anyone she knew, she was sure I would use them! Ha! Oh how I have a wordy way with journaling!!

March was another busy month that went by so quickly, as all months seem to these days. Emily turned seven months and is champing her therapy and hitting her milestones. Sitting is a breeze and she's propping and reaching through all nine of the planes. *big elbow pump here!*

During the month we celebrate the Orton's Anniversary (19 this year!), Grandpa Murdoch's birthday, David Orton's birthday, Krista's 30th!, L'il Shawn's 17th (he's not so little anymore), the 17th anniversary of my baptism into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Since I was 17 when I joined the church, I've now been a member longer than I wasn't. Super cool. All of the Shakespeare girls have a birthday in March, as does Aunt Barbara and Ginni and Darin. Michelle and Kaleb are 14 in March and Shelby turned one! Wendy and Brad celebrate NINE fabulous years together in March as well.

What a FANTASTIC month March is!!