January

It is cold outside. It is dark and wintery and I don't want to go outside more than I have to- and it keeps snowing. Kind of nice but also- I'm done with snow already.

So... what have we been up to?

Games! Lots of games. We like games.

Painting. We all got paint by numbers for Christmas. We are listening to books as we work on our paintings.

I had to take a picture of this. I drive here a lot. This is where I drop Jaxon and Tanner off to play Magic. They are standing in front of the store waiting for me to pic them up. Jaxon comes here a lot of Friday nights. Tanner goes sometimes. This was a special Saturday event. 

On Martin Luther King day we went to the Bean Museum. We hadn't been since before they renovated it. My little kids don't even remember it.

This is the President Packer display. He was quite the artist.

Jaxon got his drivers permit last week! He has driven a couple of times and it is kind of scary.

Our orthodontist has a free night at Classic skating. We went there and did lazer tag and skating and stuff. This was Alex's first time really getting how to skate. He was really trying hard and putting real effort into it. I was pretty proud. Tanner loves skating too. Jaxon won't try it. and Chase went around a couple of times with Andre's help.

There was a magic show and the kids really liked that. Jaxon felt pretty old- but I still think he enjoyed it a little.

Chase learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and made a project about him.

Chase's dream, "My dream for the world is M and M's to rain from the sky!" That sounds awesome.

There has been a lot of Axis and Allies. We set it up in the craft room down stairs and then they can close the door and play it when they can. I'm done with it. Andre is tired of it now too- but  the kids still want to play.

Tanner grew grass all month. He had a science project about what liquids grow seeds. He did water, colored water, vinegar, bleach, and soda. Guess which ones grew?

I did not get a picture of the whole project that he did. But he did win 5th out of the 7th grade and 12th in the middle school! That was great. He had the idea, did the whole thing, and only needed a little support and supplies from me. That's what I like.

Tanner started HapKiDo in November and it is now time for a belt test. (I had to miss it because it was at the exact same time as Alex's basketball game. So we divided and conquered as usual)

 Here are the 7 people lining up who are wanting to progress to yellow

 Here they are showing off their kicks.

 This was one thing they had to do- right in front of Andre.

This one Tanner had to stand here...

 then he had to jump and kick both of the kicky things. (I am so fluent in HapKiDo vocabulary)

The next class he went to- he was presented with his yellow belt!

Tanner was in a theater class for school. They had a "scenes night" that we came to watch their performances. Tanner and Ty really had tons of parts to memorize and they knew them perfectly. They picked their costumes, gathered their props and did everything. Their scene was 2 radio hosts saying funny things. They did a great job.

My friend Carie gave that cow shirt to me about 1991 ish. I have kept it for a long time. My kids have always liked it. Tanner really wanted to wear it for this play because the guys were just weird- and that is a weird shirt. Do you remember all the cow stuff you gave me Carie? That is totally the beginning of your stocking traditions now huh?

We have had a lot of basketball. Here is Chase...

Here is Alex. He has basketball practice on Thursdays...

And games on Saturdays

Other non picture events...
Jaxon snowboarding every Wednesday from 3-9
Janelle running stake young women basketball every Thursday from 4-8
Chase baptism preview
Young men/scout activities and firesides for Jaxon and Tanner
Chase trying to pass the timed addition tests- lots of practice at home for this.
Jaxon starting his Eagle project
Chase starting wolf scouts- and Alex going to Bears- and Janelle running Webelos.
Piano lessons for Alex- and Chase starting piano lessons next week
Jaxon doing pep band for high school basketball games.
Andre going to work most days- I sure do appreciate all that he does for our family.
I have to give a talk at church on Sunday about something that I really don't feel great at. Blah.


There is always something going on. It is starting to drive me crazy! But I love it. I want the kids to be busy and happy.