We just got back from Sunday dinner at Jack and Jean's with Rick and Rachelle and their kids. It's much different than our Sundays in Oregon with our little family. We used to go to the park with friends and that was really nice - but in the winter we were pretty much stuck inside like Dr. Seus's Sally and Conrad on that wet wet day. We quite like the white snow but mostly to look at and recreate in. It isn't so great to wear heels in or to fetch the mail in.

We enjoy our recreation center where Olive goes to swim team and where I bring the kids to run around the indoor track or play on the machines. Olive is swimming faster every day and she has earned several ribbons. She is also in the Aline school play Calamaty James which she enjoys very much. She goes to practice at 7:30 in the morning which is early for her. It makes for long day when we have swim team in the evening.

Ingrid is busy playing in the snow. She is a great example to me. She started reading the Bible recently and does so before she goes to bed. I am inspired by her persistence. She wants to do Basketball and play the drums. I think we'll start her in gymnastics again because she does handstands nonstop.

Greta is learning to read. She and August are playing together very happily lately. She dresses him up and builds forts for them on the kitchen table. The other day I walked in and they had a comforter spread over the top of the table with pillows to lay on and a pile of all of their stuffed animals at their feet. She fed him lunch there, read books, and took a "nap".