week 5 2013

With the girls being off track, there has been a lot of Just Dance going on.  There has also been a lot of dressing up and wig wearing by Jessi.  She is obsessed with the wig from her Merida costume from Halloween. She loves how if flips and moves.

We grill come rain or shine.  However, this cold has caused us to break out the George Foreman.

The girls headed to the park to sled.  I got a call a few minutes later asking me to pick them up because the snow was too deep and fluffy for sledding.

They came home and cleaned the driveway.

Tiger is a very picky cat.  She has three bowls with different food in each.  When the one she wants is gone, she stands by the dish and meows and Bev always obliges.

I'm not sure I like this new habit of listening to music while doing homework.

It was Meet the Masters day at school.  I did the assembly on Georgia O'Keeffe.  The girls came with me to do the art lesson in Christian's class.

O'Keeffe has been one of my favorites so far.

Bev turns 12 this year, and was invited to the Young Women's New Beginnings program.  The moms all brought a pair of shoes that represent their daughter.  I took her soccer shoes.  I also got to tell all about my amazing girl.

More Mama Cat therapy time.

Mike bought the apple cutter a few years ago.  The kids often break it out to make slinky apples.

Friday night was the piano recital.  We are so lucky to have such an amazing teacher in Katie Snow (who also happens to be our backyard neighbor.)  The kids did so well.

It was Christian's first recital.  He has only been taking lessons for about a month.

Christian in his Chinese outfit (in preparation for the Chinese New Year program) doing his Chinese homework online.

Bev spent the day at Grandma and Grandpa Peel's.  Grandma always takes pictures of the kids while they are at her house.  Bev got to ride the stair elevator.

Saturday night and we had the four boy cousins sleep over.  My kids adore them.  Henry loved snuggling with Drew, Bev and Baby Bob.

week 4 2013

Inauguration Day and President's Day.

We spent the day at home and then met up with our pals for swimming and dinner.

Jessi set up her tent, chock full of her stuff, in the piano room.  I let her leave it there for the week. She took the picture with my phone.  Lots of fun pictures showed up on my phone, including one of me in my unmentionables.

She took this great one of Tiger looking out the window.

School spelling bee.  She didn't win, and was disappointed, but sure learned a lot of new words in her practice.

On Saturday Mike took the kids ice fishing to Rockport.  For the first time, Jessi announced that she wanted to go.  She told me that she is getting more used to the cold the longer she is in Utah.

Mike has an ice shack he sets up for them and took his water boiler to make them cup-o-noodles.

Christian caught 2 trout.  He is by far the most passionate about fishing.  He stayed and manned his pole, set his own hook and reeled in his catch by himself.

Christian and Drew have really long hair (for them anyway.)  They do not want it cut, but allow me to trim the back and sides.  They love having hair that they can flip.  They have had to learn to use hair products to keep it tame.

Andrew has been spending lots of time with Mama Cat, trying to socialize her.

We went to Jessi's Great to be Eight activity.  She is excited for her baptism next week.

We have started taking the kids on dates again.  Christian chose sushi.

It was a dark and foggy night after sushi.

Jessica got to spend her first day at Grandma and Grandpa Peel's.  They always make it special.  She came home and couldn't stop talking about all the things they did.  Her favorite was playing cards.

The huge clock is going to be the death of us.  It keeps slowing down or stopping.  I love it, but it is becoming quite a pain.

week 3 2013

Every picture but one this week was taken with my phone.  

This is what Monday after school looks like.  Monday is the day we have no extra-curricular activities, so we try to get as much homework done as possible.  

The girls are off track, so they do some thinking activities and then lots and lots of crafts.

This week Bev has used Pinterest more than I have.  She is working on a special project for Jessica. She ran out of supplies and called Mike to ask him to stop at the craft store on his way home from work.  A girl after my own heart.

Christian has discovered the art of hiding to play his iPod.  He thinks if he is out of my sight, he will be out of my mind.

Drew at the scout Court of Honor.

Bev went on to the 6th grade spelling bee and won, so she goes on to the school spelling bee next week.

Tis the month of lots of soup.  This pot of veggies became vegetable puree, or as the kids call it "baby poop soup."  As much as I dislike that name, I can't argue with the fact that that's what it looks like.

After their photo session, Jess and Kiki got a cupcake at The Sweet Toothfairy.  They took them home to share with the others.

My favorite part of the day--snuggle time.  Jess and Drew are always game, but I have to take what I can get from the other two.

She always brings something to my bed.  Tonight it was funky glasses and a play cell phone.

One day a few weeks ago, Christian announced that he wanted a fedora.  While shopping with Mike, he found one.  He now wants to wear it everywhere.

Mike replaced my tires just in time.  I had to slam on my breaks to avoid a car that cut in front of me, on an icy road.  It was a heart-stopper.

Mike got Drew all ready for his scout overnighter.  They were building snow caves and cooking their own food.  Basically, my idea of a nightmare.  He had to have an entire second set of snow wear, food and a whole bunch of other gear.  Mike got him all set.

Ready to roll.

Bev has been in a triathalon training class, and this Saturday participated in her first sprint triathlon.  She did so well, taking 3rd in girls and 5th overall.

Saturday is the day he gets ready for Sunday.

Playing a family game of Clue and this girl can't sit on a chair.  She is in constant motion.

Not happy that I said "no" to the fedora for church.