how dare you try to ruin my education? I am like the family's greatest athlete

Well, I am the new YW president in our ward.  I'm pretty excited about it, not even being sarcastic.  I really like our girls, and I want to indoctrinate them a little bit.  I want them to go out and grab the world by the . . . let's say "tail."  I want them to be smart, capable, confident girls who don't take crap from anybody.  I believe they are our future, and I want to show them the beauty they possess inside or some garbage.  I am going to need a time-turner for this next year, until I'm unshackled from PTA.  But I can do it; all I have to do is manage my time effectively, which is not even a problem for me.

Last Monday we took Grant to the earnosethroat doctor so they could remove his tubes and vacuum out his ears.  We had to give him the silly medicine or he would have fought us all to the death.  They sucked a bunch of pus out of his ear, which was awesomely gross, and he said a lot of stupid things while he was loopy, just like I hoped he would.

Emmett thinks he wants to be on the swim team this year.  I will have to think about it, just because this year is already going to be so hairy.  But he hates any other kind of physical exertion, so it would be good for him.    If I can get him a spot with my high school piano teacher I could kill two birds with one stone.

Ike is going to be baptized in time to go to the Brigham City temple dedication, which is cool.  Too bad Willa waited so long to be born, or she could be part of the fun too. We'll need to make sure we give Ike some good attention for his baptism, so he doesn't feel like the sad, forgotten third child.  I sometimes wonder if that's why he's so huggy.  Maybe he feels a little love-starved.

Willa has her rake in and doesn't suck her fingers, since she can't without getting metal spikes poked into her fingers.  So far she hasn't replaced finger-sucking with a different self-soothing behavior like pulling out her eyebrows, so that's good.  The rake makes her talk funny, like she's wearing a retainer.  "Slurp slurp, can I have some peaches, slurp slurp."  I think we'll leave it in until a while after school starts, so we can make sure that the new routine doesn't make her nervous and start her sucking again.

John and I have been married for almost fourteen years, and last weekend we did a celebratory overnighter in Salt Lake.  We took dancing lessons because we are festive and also sucky dancers.  Normally I try to lead, because I don't trust him, and then we just step all over each other.  We'll probably start competing any time now, and I'll get one of those dresses with the netting and strategically-placed sequins that make you look like you're naked.  Something real classy.