Lucy

Hello Family,

I missed last month but I have recruited help for this month. I asked my kids at dinner what they wanted me to write about them. Nathan said to let you know he just earned his first and second-class rank in the boy scouts. He went on his first camp-out with out his dad this weekend. There was 18 inches of snow and the low was 2 degrees. Brrrr. He already did the Klondike with Dave in February where the snow and temp was the same. I am amazed at how much work this Boy Scout thing is. Fortunately we have good scout leaders. I only have one son; you parents with multiple boys are amazing when you put all that effort into scouts. I was recently released as the Webelos leader, but I enjoyed the experience especially with Nathan acting as the Den Chief. This allowed Nathan to earn the Den Chief award also. He really loves scouts. It must be in the Lindgren blood.

Kristen has been sick the past few days, she has done a lot of reading, that is one of her favorite past times. Kristen also loves art and music. Kristen was recently in a school program where they sang Chinese songs. Spelling is one her best school subjects – I tell her she is like her Grandma Lindgren. She will be a great Scrabble player. Watch out Wendy. Kristen and Nathan were both in a piano festival where they had to memorize two pieces of music and then they were judged. Both of them received superior rankings. Their parents are proud of all the time and effort they put into piano practice. Kristen will be turning 8 on April 4th. She will be getting baptized on May 2nd. She is so excited.

Rachel has been teaching piano to four beginning students. Our neighbor asked her to start with her daughter and it seems to be going well. She gets paid $10 a half hour lesson. She has learned so much about teaching and about piano through her teaching experience. She also loves the money and has really been working on a budget to save money for her many different wants. She just finished her last cheer competition. One of the girls on her squad broke her wrist doing a backhand spring the night before competition. So they had to change their routine and did not do as well in the competition. Rachel really enjoyed her cheer season over all. I know Cheer is the most dangerous sport she could be doing. However she loves it and more people are injured driving in a car and we still get in cars every day.

Dave is doing well. We have both been exercising. We got the Wii Fit for Christmas and we love it. I should have listened to Angela Gilbert last summer when she was raving about it. We will have to compare scores on the balance games. Dave is getting very good at them and has competition with his brother who has downs syndrome; his brother spends hours at it. The economy has greatly affected Dave's business and there is a lot of creativity required on his part to keep busy and try to keep his Dad's business going. He is very patient and we both feel very blessed with what we have.

For our spring break (end of March) we are going to Oahu, Hawaii as a family. This has been a trip in the planning for a few years. We have cashed in all of our frequent flyer miles, which we earn through Dave's work credit card, and also Marriott miles and we have our vacation pretty much paid for. Too bad food costs so much. We are all looking forward to seeing the sun for a few days. I look forward to teaching my kids how to snorkel, but I wish I could teach them in Baja Mexico with Uncle Scott. I did not know how good we had it as kids. That was some awesome ocean swimming and snorkeling.

I feel like a woman of many occupations. I have been a nurse the last few days, a travel agent and bookkeeper, a human recourse organizer, teacher, chef and auditor of my children's grades and schoolwork. I have been an investor and a video producer (that one actually earned me some money this past month. I've been doing some house cleaning for hire also). I have been pruning fruit trees and preparing the spring garden; I think that makes me a temporary arborist. I have 5 baby tree seedlings to plant that I picked up at the homebuilders show in Vegas – a freebie from one of the companies promoting their wood products. Who would have thought that Dad and Mom thought they didn't teach their youngest how to work like the other 10 kids. I love all my jobs, but I love the relationships I have with my husband, children, other family and friends, the most. Life is good, despite a government that is really dysfunctional.

Have a great spring, plant a flower or something edible and be grateful for what God has given and blessed us with.

"Come what may and love it" -Wirthlin

Love Lucy & family