What's going on this year so far?

Giant sheet tent in the living room. There's a monkey in the foreground and a monkey in the background.

Adam is screaming through skating lessons - he's been bumped up 2 levels in 3 classes.

Hi friend Drake (and his mom, my friend Jill) are taking lessons too. We are both enjoying seeing our friends on a regular basis.

Adam's coloring in the lines now - it's bittersweet :)

Lunch at the Children's Museum several weeks ago.

Laura fits in a dress my mom made me many moons ago.

So pretty and special.

Adam's "key coloring machine" at the sculpture part of Good Times Park

Goofball

Goofball

Jim's enjoying the new snowblower. I'm enjoying letting Jim enjoy the new snowblower.

She's a knitter!

I ordered and installed shelves that slide out for my pots and pans. 

Sooooooooooo awesome! 

How do I have so many pots and pans?

Adam decided he wanted to empty all the trash cans in the house and then wash them. He does this sort of thing from time to time. I don't argue. 

Laura helped too.

Rock on

Adam's first day of school 2013

I'm sorry I never posted this. Its from last September. I really didn't want to look back someday and not be able to search for it at least. Isn't he handsome?

Laura's first karate tournament

Laura's first karate tournament was a few weekends ago. Last month, she told me she didn't want to ever do a tournament because she knew she wasn't intense enough. So, I started a very hard-headed campaign to get her in that tournament and make her see the truth. It was fun.

She looks very nervous, no?

They have these things split out sooooo intricately. She was in a group of 7 year old double green belts. So, the 8 year olds were in a different ring, the 7 year old single greens were in still another ring. Consequently there were only 4 in her group.

This was a competition to see who does the best at basics. No sparring yet, but she just reached the belt level that she can start if she wants.

I must say, she did fantastic. After watching the other kids, it was clearly obvious that her teacher (the man watching behind the judges a little after she starts) expects more than most and gets results. She was crisp, confident, loud, and looked like she belonged there. And definitely intense.

)

And it paid off - with a 1st place trophy!

The Winter of 2014

A conversation between Jenny and Laura:

Jenny: Did you play outside today at recess?

Laura: Yeah

Jenny (surprised): You did?

Laura (with no sarcasm): It was 3 [degrees], Mom. Of course we played outside.