Update from the Dicks (List Style)

* After looking for a job in Kingman for two months (with nothing to get excited about), Sean decided to pursue some self-employment options (that he's been thinking about for a while). He is going to start doing some financial planning. He took and passed his test for his license a couple weeks ago. YAY!

* Because of this new venture Sean has been in CA a bunch lately working with my dad (trying to learn all he can about the business).

* We are thinking that we will be moving to CA at some point - we're just not sure when (it depends on what we decide to do with our house: rent or sell, and also how close it gets to the end of the school year for Caelan). We're pretty sure we'll be there by summer.

* Caelan is becoming quite the reader in school. She also started dance classes again (just once a week, but she loves it).

* Ben is loving the computer (ABC websites) recently. He is our little runner - loves to run all over the house and the yard. He has great form too (arms bent and pumping - it's awesome).

* Meg has decided that she LOVES to take off her clothes. I'm starting to wonder if she is ready to start potty training. I'm just not so sure I'm ready yet....

* Nathan is growing so much. He is very social these days and doesn't really like to be by himself. He has the greatest smiles and laughs. I just want to "eat" him all day.

* I have started watching a little boy (almost two years old) a few times a week. He is a fun addition to the house full.

* With this new kind of work it takes a while for money to be coming in regularly, so I've been trying to be as frugal as I can, and I've been exploring new recipes for the basics: beans, wheat, etc (healthy and cheap).

We're good. It's funny how you think things are going to work out a certain way (for example we thought for sure that we would be here in Kingman for 5 years or more), and then just a short time later everything changes. We don't mind the changes - it makes for a fun ride!

It's Been A While

I haven't posted much in the past month, so her are just some pictures I've taken recently.
Aren't they looking so much alike??



Crazy kiddos!


Look at that scowl!



Summer in February. We had some really beautiful weather last week and the kids thought it was time to bust out their swimsuits. Actually, they were pretending that the guest bed was a jacuzzi ("wakuji" as Ben calls it). What imaginations they have. This is Meg showing off her new talent - removing all her clothes.

Caelan's Quad

All of the Kindergarten classes at Caelan's school had a Transportation Parade. Each student was supposed to create a vehicle of any kind that they could wear for the parade. When I read the paper I immediately turned to Sean and told him this was his project to do with Caelan. Well a couple weeks went by and we didn't really think about it. Then Sean ended up going to CA the week of the parade. We thought he might be back in time, but when the afternoon before the event arrived I decided I better get to work myself with Caelan. She wanted to make a quad, so we got busy. I sent Caelan to bed at around 9:30 PM that night, and I finished it at around 11:30 PM (I was having problems fastening the wheels on). I felt like I was right back in school, staying up late into the night finishing projects due the next day. Anyway, here is the finished project.