A Slice of Life

By the Dave and Julie Daines Family

So, since I don't have any big news or exciting events to tell about.  I'll just give you a slice of what life is like here in our house.

Stuart:  Is a dating machine.  He's always planning dates for him and his friends.  He takes girls rock climbing and mountain biking.  Next weekend:  Homecoming!  Stay tuned for pictures.  He's driving now and takes a car full of kids to school every morning.  It's a little scary to think of him out there driving on the road since he continues to fall down, or up, the stairs every day.

He also continues to ask every time why he has to be home by curfew.  Apparently, he's the only kid in the entire high school with a curfew, limited income, parents who monitor his grades, daily chores, and that has to drive a 2001 Camry.  He spends a lot of time at the piano trying to figure out his AP Music Theory class.

Brady:  Is fighting the never ending battle against the eventual zombie uprising.  He bought a gas mask from eBay, takes his ninja grappling hook with him on campouts, and reads The Zombie Survival Guide religiously.  I gave him twenty bucks to walk over and get a haircut, he came back with a haircut and a watermelon.

He teaches karate on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  He brings a piece of fruit every day during lunch to the astronomy teacher.  He doesn't have a class from the astronomy teacher, but he brings her fruit every day anyway.  Then she gives it to whoever wants it in the next class, which happens to be Stuart's.  I don't really have an explanation for that.

Jacob:  Found a new hero in Brandon Mull.  I brought him back a signed copy of Fablehaven from a conference, and now he's sleep deprived from reading the whole series all night and at every other moment of free time.  I think he finished 8 chapters during conference despite the fact that we told him to put his book away a thousand times.  Brandon Mull gave a fireside for the YM/YW in our stake, and Jacob went, sat on the front row, and beamed at him the whole time.

He has a pet praying mantis in his room that has laid two egg sacks.  We expect the arrival of 400-1200 baby mantis nymphs any day now.  Yipee....

Maren:  Was lost for a few days in her room.  But we managed to borrow some of Brady's weapons and hack our way through the mess to find her.  Yes, she's a hoarder.  But she put Brian Regan on full blast on Saturday and managed to throw out two garbage bags full of stuff, so there's a nice path to her bed now.

Someone gave her a bag of colored string for her birthday.  She spent the last session of conference putting a halloween hair wrap in my hair.  The other day, she wanted me to help her make something, but I told I couldn't because I was busy.  (I really was very busy.)  Next thing I know, she has green fabric spread out on the floor and is cutting away with my good scissors.  "I'm making a shirt," she said.    

So, life goes on pretty much the same.  All the kids are doing well and they really are the best kids ever!