March

Here are our happenings in March! 

Hanging out after church.

Biathlon race in Lake Placid.

Kimball really became interested in biathlon this winter and pulled Joseph and Lincoln into the interest as well.  After watching some biathlon during the Olympics they decided to go watch a race in Lake Placid.  It was a long drive, but it fulfilled a desire to see biathlon in person.

We always have a lot of snow at the end of the winter (especially this year), and I'm always amazed how quickly the snow melts with a few warm days.  The yards were completely covered in snow and within a week the yards were bare.  We are now snow-free and looking forward to spring....actually, that was Mother Nature playing a trick on us.  We received 6 inches of snow after the snow was all gone, just to remind us that spring doesn't actually start until March 20th!  

Annika went to the school musical with friends.

Surgery!  Removal of hardware (two screws).

Rebecah has been having some ankle pain in the ankle that she broke 3 1/2 years ago.  After many tests the doctor couldn't figure out what was causing her pain and as a last resort suggested he take out her screws.  She has a golf trip planned over Spring Break so we jumped on the chance to have surgery before break and before the golf season got underway.  She'll miss a week of golf tryouts, but her coach indicated that she would be on the team.  As with most things medical, it was a hurry up and wait game.  We had to arrive at 11:45, but surgery wasn't until 1:45.  We were able to keep each other company during the wait.  She was having two screws removed, but we overheard the young guy next to us was having FIVE screws removed from his ankle/foot.  We were amazed.  We started calling this guy "Five Screws" when talking about wait time because we knew he would have surgery before Rebecah.  

Surgery went well.  The doctor was so friendly when he checked in with us before surgery.  He said Rebecah could keep her hardware.  As he left he patted her leg which was a very fatherly thing to do.  It was still another hour (2:45) before Rebecah actually had her surgery and one of the screws was well fused to the bone so it got a little bent.  Recovery was a little rough for Rebecah and they had to put her back under and try a second time to bring her out of anesthesia.  I was finally called to the discharge area about 5:30 and we were home around 6:00.  Rebecah's foot was bandaged more than we were expecting.  Dr. Lemley kept calling it a "small bandage" but it was a full-on ace wrap post-surgery bandage.  She has a cast shoe to help with walking.  Her pain was tolerable with Ibuprofen and Tylenol. 

Kimball applied to VUB (Vrije Universiteit Brussels) this month.  He's looking at dorm options and the start of the year.  He'll probably hear within two months if he's accepted.  The application deadline was April 1.  He and I are now starting to make preliminary plans for a trip to Amsterdam and Brussels so I can drop him off at school.  I never would have thought two years ago that dropping Kimball off at university would mean an international trip!

Joseph and I celebrated our 21st anniversary this month.  Joseph had to work the afternoon/evening of our anniversary so we had a nice dinner the Sunday before our anniversary.

I'm at that age where I now have to start more preventative cancer screenings and my number was up for a colonoscopy.  I believe in normalizing what many believe are embarrassing or awkward experiences so I was very up front with my kids about what the prep was like and the procedure.  I can honestly say telling them that I would be pooping a lot, or unable to eat made it better for all of us.  I didn't just disappear for the evening in the bathroom, but they were there cheering me on.  I will say drinking the laxative beverage was not pleasant.  After my second of many cups of this liquid I had to start giving myself a mental pep talk before each cup.  I felt like Dumbledore in the sixth Harry Potter book when he is drinking the potion from the basin in the cave.  IYKYK.  Anyway, my kids were little cheerleaders for me every time it was time for another glass.  I felt so supported in this experience by the kids.  The procedure went well.  Kimball was my driver and he took very good care of me.  Everything checked out well and I don't have to face this procedure again for another 10 years.  

Joseph brought home these tulips for our anniversary on the day of the prep so I considered it extra special because I needed something extra beautiful on prep day.  My girls and I decided that we all loved the random purple tulip the best!

It's official...Rebecah made the golf team!  Yay!

Green and Blue teams together.

Green Team

Joseph, Kimball and Rebecah are spending Spring Break in Greenville, SC this year.  Rebecah has a school golf trip and Joseph, Kimball and his brothers decided to have their annual Coffey Classic golf trip at the same time.  They will be gone a full week with a lot of golf.  The younger kids and I will enjoy a more relaxed week at home with a few outings thrown in there.

Rebecah's driving is coming along.  She's built up her confidence and is now driving on the freeway!  

On the drive to Greenville Joseph stopped in Shenandoah, Virginia to visit the old Artz house on Artz Rd.  It was a mini family history stop.  This is what Joseph said about it:  We saw the stone mill ruins along Pugh's run as it enters into Shenandoah River Bend.  We saw the old Artz home, with additions, and their farm.

February

Our February was very busy for me.  We had 12 appointments over the 20 work days of the month. I had to drive to all of them, except for one.  It was a lot to keep up with, but we made it!

Kimball participated in the Festival of Nations as one of the requirements for his seals of literacy that he is working toward.  He did a presentation on Kaatsen, Frisian handball.  His presentation went well and his proctors gave him top marks.  At the end of February, he finished all of the small projects he needed to show competency in his five languages.  He'll have one final 10-minute oral presentation for each of his non-English languages at the end of April.  Just a reminder, the languages that he is showing proficiency in are Spanish, French, Dutch, and Western Frisian.

Lincoln joined the glasses wearing club this month.  He only wears his glasses part of the time.  He said he doesn't really noticed much of a difference when he wears them.  

Eden's chorus sang the National Anthem at the beginning of the high school men's basketball game.  It was fun seeing Eden and her friends at the game.  They were so excited.

Twin day at school.  Annika and her friends coordinated.

Round Two:  Left Elbow Surgery

Kimball's first elbow surgery on his right elbow went so well he wanted to have his next surgery as soon as possible.  He had surgery on February 13 and it went well. He and I were both less nervous about his second surgery.  He was in a lot less pain after this surgery, but he did admit to enhancing the pain he was feeling the first time so he could stay home from school longer.  This time around he had a full week off from school for Winter Break so he didn't need to milk it for all it was worth.  He is recovering nicely.

Rebecah had her wisdom teeth out during Winter Break.  It was a STRUGGLE!  She was under anesthesia for part of the procedure, but woke up before the doctor was finished and she felt him tugging on her teeth and heard him say that he "just can't get them out."  She was really swollen for the first 4 days, but after a week and a half her swelling and bruising is almost gone.  She is slowly able to return to her normal diet as well.

Matching with my girls.  It's easy being green when you match with your mom!

Someone Special Dance with Eden.

Eden had a special dance at school.  She could bring one special guest and she invited me.  There was a photo booth, dancing, bookmark making station, cookie station, etc.  We had a lot of fun together and she enjoyed seeing her friends.

We enjoyed watching the Olympics this year.  We watched a lot of speed skating and short track because those are the areas where the Dutch excel.  Of course, Kimball and in turn all of us, rooted for the Dutch.  The Dutch made a great showing in both speed skating and short track.  There were some exciting races and a few disappointments.  Kimball and Lincoln also enjoyed watching Biathlon. 

Typically, February is our snowiest month, but that wasn't the case this year.  We still had roughly a foot of snow fall this month though.  Our snow totals as of the end of February are 133.5 inches for the season.  Warmer weather is on the way.  It will be nice to have the snow mounds by the driveway melt, but I don't know if I'm really ready for warmer weather and all of the mud that goes with it.

January

 Happy New Year!

To embrace all of the snow we have gotten this year we went on a snow outing.  Joseph, Kimball, Lincoln and Annika went cross-country skiing while Eden and I did snowshoeing.  The skiers had a nice time.  Eden decided that snowshoeing was not for her.  Rebecah stayed home where she could be warm.

Not the best picture of Joseph, but the only one I took! I didn't realize until I got home that his hand was in front of his face. 

Lincoln was ordained a deacon in the Aaronic priesthood on January 4.  It makes me so happy to see him passing the sacrament each week.

Rebecah's 16th Birthday!!

Rebecah had her "sweet 16" birthday.  It basically felt like a normal day, but I made the breakfast and dinners that she requested.  

She had a little excitement on her birthday, too.  She received the following letter from the Post Master and included with the letter was her birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa Coffey.  The card was in included, but someone had stolen the money out of the envelope!  Rebecah had to fill out a form and return it to the post master so they could continue their investigation.  We haven't heard anything further. 

Rebecah requested a chocolate lover's cheesecake.

The day after Rebecah's birthday she went and took her permit test.  She passed!  She's now asking to drive.  We just need to find time to have more lessons. 

Rebecah requested a party this year.  She loves breakfast foods so she asked for a brunch with her friends.  She planned the menu and activities and it was the easiest party I have had to throw.  Hooray for teenage parties where I don't have to entertain anyone!  It was fun to hear Rebecah and her friends talking and laughing together.

Playing Clue.

Twinners!  Yellow and navy.

Eden had a chorus concert and we attended that.  Eden has attended so many concerts and school events over the years.  She was very excited to finally have an event just for her and to have her family supporting her.  The kids sang some fun songs!

Youth Temple Trip

This was the first time that Lincoln and Annika attended the temple and did proxy baptisms.  It was a really great experience for all of us.  I'm glad Joseph and I were both able to go.

Rebecah has been driving a few weeks now and she has made a lot of progress.  She isn't against driving like Kimball was, so she is a lot more willing to practice.

We have had a fair amount of snow this month with a few days off from school.  We were included in the big winter storm that covered half of the country.  Church was canceled for us and we ended up with only 10-12 inches of snow, not the 18" that was predicted. 

Eden enjoying some snow time with friends during a 2-hour delayed start to the school day.