My Raggedy Boy

I love this Raggedy Boy!  

This little guy isn't such a little guy anymore.  He is a tween...almost teen! Time truly flies...even though it doesn't feel like it when these kiddos are smaller.
Ethan hates getting his haircut so it gets SUPER long in between hair appointments.  This is a particularly long time and he has crazy long hair, but he likes it.  Weirdo!
Just to embarrass him (or embrace his childhood a little longer) I brought my camera and snapped a before and after shot!

My little raggedy boy cleans up nice huh?  

He is a dang cute kid, with an outstanding personality and love of life!  Ethan is growing so quickly and has a great grasp of the spirit and his emotions.  He is my tough guy who isn't afraid to cry...and I like that.  He likes having his momma around, even when she is nagging about homework.

I read a chapter book to Ethan every night. It's our thing.  We are currently reading the Percy Jackson Series that Aunt Kari got him for Christmas.  I love the one on one time I get to spend with him cuddled up to me every night.  My 11 year old will still cuddle me!  I think of when Ethan goes on a mission and I start to miss him already...is that normal?  I can barely let him go to an overnight scouting event without a break down.  I want to burst when I think of how much I love Ethan.  He is my first born. He taught me how to be a mom and he is still teaching me.  He MADE me a mom!  I am so blessed!


{If you don't know the television reference to Raggedy Boy (Raggedy Man), I just lost respect for you, but because you are reading these I still like you!}

Ethan and the Science Fair of 2014

Ethan has a great love of science!  I do everything I can to make sure he gets to use that love and talent whenever possible.  The Science Fair at his school is not a required event, but he always volunteers to participate.  Last year he didn't get the chance to participate and was crushed.  The year before that he participated as a 4th grader and had fun, but didn't place...and he was crushed.  I guess that participation ribbon wasn't enough. This year he wanted to try again.

Ethan decided to pick 5 fabrics (felt, flannel, cotton, knit, and corduroy) and figure out which one would burn the fastest.  He researched the composition of each fabric and decided that the felt fabric would burn faster because the composition was not cotton or wool...it's synthetic. Then we (yes, I helped with this part) lit each one on fire for one minute.  We did a little math and figured out the perimeter of the burnt section.  Genius, right?!  We had a lot of fun play Mythbusters.

After he did his presentation and talked with the judges, he was so excited and anxious to tell me and Corey how it went.  He said it went awesome and he was so excited for the assembly the next day. Corey and I (and Ellie) went to the assembly with Ethan and saw him accept an award for 3rd PLACE!!!  Then we learned that E gets to go and compete at the District Level!  To say Ethan was excited is a serious understatement!  He had the biggest smile on his face...and so did I!  I was beaming with pride!

When we finally got to hug him, he broke down and cried.  He was so excited that he just couldn't contain it!  Ethan works harder than most because he learns differently.  Sadly, he doesn't get this kind of confidence boost much at school so when he does he is overjoyed!  My sweet, sensitive boy! He cried openly without a care of who saw him...then I cried. It was such a great day!

I was so impressed with his teacher from last year; that she would come up to me and say, "Look at that smile!"  She knows how hard he has to work and she recognized his huge smile of confidence!  I love her for that!

Ethan came home this afternoon and said that the attention at school was getting old.  He just wanted everyone to "be quiet about it" after a while.  Not one for the spotlight, huh? He must get that part from his dad!

Asthma and the Utah Winter

Ellie has some nasty asthma!  Usually it's triggered by animal hair and pollen, but it gets really nasty in the smoggy Winter air.  Some news guy said it's like breathing mud for these little ones with breathing issues.  Ellie is pretty used to her nebulizer/steriod treatment, but it still makes me sad that she has to endure this daily (or more).

When she starts to cough and wheeze a lot, Ellie will grab the iPad and say, "Treatment, mom?" We start the machine (which is obnoxiously loud) and she plays Minecraft while breathing her medicated air.  This is a way of life for my baby right now.  Bring on spring...or we could move to Jamaica!