Monday, February 29, 2016

February Fun

I've become obsessed with indexing and finding names for the temple.
It's a great stuck inside winter activity.
 February is Black History month.  In school they did a reader's theater.
Issac was asked to participate.  He did awesome.  I love the way he sits.
 Super Bowl Sunday was a relaxed affair with one of our friend's family coming over.
Great and plentiful food.  So fun.
 While on a date night with my hubby and friends for Valentine's Day,
we found this poster in a shop.  I was just laughing.
 Isabella bought Travis a bowtie for Christmas. 
He doesn't love it stylistically, but he wears it for Isa.
I think he looks handsome and dashing.
 My dog is ridiculously awesome.
Even the way that she lays sprawled out like a human.

Friday, February 26, 2016

What Do You Do in Winter?

Bowl
Apparently, I'm really good at coming in 2nd place!

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Sports, Sports, Sports

Growing up I lived and died for sports.  It didn't have to be a team sport, it could be as easy and simple as backyard pick up games.  My parents made us a patio with a basketball court.  We had a great yard and we played many football and baseball games, ran countless foot races.  We lived on the edge of a wooded area and we played hosts of very intense games of Ollie, Ollie In Come Free or Capture the Flag type games before they had names and brands of their own.

Despite all of this, my parents also heavily emphasized music.  I wasn't always so on board with the music thing and by the time my piano teacher sent a polite letter to my mother telling her that I would no longer be her student because it was a waste of her time and my own, I cheered inside and promised I would never make my kids do the things I loved.

Deep down, I never worried though because I knew they would be super athletic and love it as much as me.  How couldn't they, I mean I worked out through most every pregnancy not only in a gym but playing volleyball and the occasional pick up game of basketball.  I even skied a time or two.

But alas, Heavenly Father has a rather ironic sense of humor and despite many false starts, ballet, tap, karate, baseball, wrestling, running, etc...most of the three older kids just dabbled on the edges of athletics never taking to it the way I would have loved.  Biologically speaking they were perfect physical specimens of gymnastics and wrestling. 

In the end, I held true and discontinued the mini push to love sports. But what really did shock me is the way that child number 4, Kody, has taken his own initiative to join every sports team available.  It started with baseball camp last summer.  Then he wrestled, with great success and is already chomping at the bit for baseball season to begin.  His last wrestling practice is March 1st and the first baseball is March 14th and he thinks he will "die" waiting those two weeks.

Last week there was a tournament and he wrestled three matches, it was double elimination.  He ended up in the Champion bracket, but lost and placed 2nd in 6ish school tournament.  We were quite proud, but he went from being super sad and trying to fight tears, to sobbing, and finally flipped the switch to angry Kody.  Eventually he got happy again that day, thanks to his friend inviting him over for a playdate. 

But I can't wait to watch baseball season take root and see what he brings.  If nothing else I love that we share this love.


Saturday, February 20, 2016

The Teen Years

I'm a little terrified but cautiously optimistic.  Isa is a dream come true and has been for years as a child.  People telling me I'm about to enter the worst of it, but to this point her teen outbursts have been crying, which I will take over hostility or moodiness.  Most often that crying is linked to tiredness and so she and I have learned to just drop everything and sleep.  I wholeheartedly support that notion - school, chores, and instruments are promptly relegated to the back burner.

In addition, I have tried to actively combat some of the things people have warned me about by building our relationship tons and by actively making her friends my friends.  So we started a tradition of mother/daughter {I have been specifically forbidden to call them mommy/daughter}game nights.  We have a group of her friends over with their moms.  We play games, talk, eat and laugh.  She has great friends and I want her to continue to make and forge healthy relationships and I like the moms too.

These girls are kooky, crazy and just perfect for us.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Crazy Time is Over

For two and a half months I run around like a crazy person starting the middle of November.  I get Christmas set up, we leave for Texas and spend Thanksgiving there.  We return just in time for Issac's birthday and party.  I furiously prepare for Christmas.  I make it through Christmas, do the post Christmas craze and plan for two more birthdays - Travis and Wyatt.  This year Candela came to visit too. 

But February starts my month of practically nothing and I love it.  It's the rest I need before heading into Spring.  But January wrap up included:
I have finally mastered cheesecake - cranberry cheesecake

Cinderella @Hershey Theatre with Boobaloo


Wyatt's birthday ice cream cake

Isa tries the skater vibe....

Kody finally decides he cares about school.  He starts bringing me A's.

He looses more teeth.  I had hope for Christmas so we could sing "All I Want for Christmas"

As Family History Consultant, I rolled out a new program for our ward.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Spain, Spanish, Spaniard

Our old foreign exchange student is like another member of the family.  And despite her summer stay two years ago, we have daily kept in contact.  She has been planning another visit and finally after some schedule arranging she came for 11 days in January, right before T-dawg's birthday. 

I love her like my own child and the first morning the kids were all in school, we climbed back into bed together to watch TV and wake up more leisurely and try to overcome the jetlag.  Then after that...it was game on.  We played, we visited, we shopped, we laughed and talked, we cuddled and occasionally cried (especially near the end).  I would keep her forever if I could.  I love this girl!


Monday, February 1, 2016

The Lowlights of January

A lot of fun has happened, but some of it not post worthy. 
Those bits are saved for our monthly lowlights reel. 
Temple Trip/Date Night
Travis tells us the story of his favorite tool - they are from Wyatt's birth.
New Puzzles for Christmas - excited squeal.  Yes I love them!
Bestie comes for a visit.
Kody becomes a wrestling beast!