Aspen
Aspen is doing awesome at school. I've been helping out in his class twice a month, and that has been so much fun. I've been able to meet his friends and see what he does at school. His teacher is quite organized and always has a "to-do" list for me, which I love. I want to be helpful while I'm there!

He has come a long way in his reading skills this year. He is now reading longer, easy chapter books and is able to read to himself as well as read out loud. Math comes easily to him, but he has had to work harder at reading and writing. Each week his teacher has the kids draw a picture and write about what they did over the weekend. I had to laugh as I started to notice that each week he would write about the same thing.... "I played Wii Mario Cart with my Dad. It was fun"... Or some variation of that sentence. His teacher must think that's all we do around here! lol

Aspen is really growing in his helpfulness around the house. Each week he vacuums the basement and other areas of the house, as needed. He also empties the dishwasher every morning, empties the garbage's around the house, and puts his laundry away. He cleans the toilet, mostly as a punishment :) I could have him do that as a chore, but it's one of those things where I would have to go behind him and do it again to make sure it was actually clean.

Journey
I did an update about her recently, so I won't write too much today. I do have to mention the purple princess purse/bag she got for her birthday from Charity that she just loves. It has become her favorite possession. She keeps her markers, a coloring book and make-up in it at all times as well as various other important things. It's one of those things that was cute at first, and now is a bit annoying. The bag is filthy, and she insists on taking it everywhere. To the park, to the table when she eats, to bed, any time we go anywhere in the car, etc. Silly girl. :)

Willow
Our little Willow is such a sweety. She's much happier now that teething is behind us, and is now sleeping through the night consistently. Yes, it took 18 months, but finally she's sleeping good! She has been really affectionate with Mark and I lately, and tells us "I love you". There is nothing better than getting sweet baby kisses and hearing her say "I love you"! She is also the first to greet Mark when he comes home every night from work with a loud, DADDY!!!

Willow is my cooking companion. When school is over, Aspen and Journey are pretty inseparable. They try to include Willow, but lately, she would rather be with me, on a chair in the kitchen helping me make dinner.

Willow is at the age where we are having to work on fits, learning "no" and "come". That girl is SO stubborn, and I am learning how to parent her, with her unique personality. She is a lot like me in the stubbornness category, and I am having to learn how to let go of some of the less important things I would like to have control over (like letting her feed herself). Yes, I know, ME. Letting go of control. Kids sure do have a way of turning the mirror on yourself, don't they?

She is very smart and is able to communicate quite clearly. Many times, when she is about to loose it and throw a fit, I will tell her, "Willow, change that attitude. Do you want a spank?" and many times she will pull it together and say "No!" haha

I am learning that I need to prepare her for situations that I know she won't like, and make my expectations of her behavior clear ahead of time. These are mainly situations where I will be leaving her with Marissa and Christine. She hates it when I leave and freaks out. If I warn her ahead of time that they are coming over, and I will be leaving her with them, and then let her know that I expect her to have a good attitude, be happy and not throw any fits, she does much better.

It's amazing how different each child is, and what tricks you learn parenting each personality :) With Willow, so far it's been mostly about learning how to teach her to control her larger than life attitude. I think that and the stubbornness will be a continuing theme for her :)