Jan blog

I'm sure I've mentioned how much we love our library. The kids go once a month to a Coding Club and once a month to Tween Crafting, and they make super fun things. This month they were using 3D pens to make things. 

Alex made a light house. Evan has asked for one of these for his birthday.

I started onions.....

and ran a lettuce experiment to see what seeds were still good.

I was super surprised to see some of the lettuce germinated in one day. 

I was walking by the boys room when I saw Evan's feet sticking out of their animal bin. He said this was comfortable... I didn't believe him. Listening to his MP3 player in the most comfortable spot in the house. 

Kids.... :) 

Eliza and I painted tiny canvas's for the library art display in February. Eliza made an awesome snowman and I made the Northern Lights. 

Evan all ready to go to church.

Eliza set up a store in the hallway at church for me to come and order food from. 

We just keep getting snow. This is 4" of new snow.

We just said yesterday this is the first winter I can remember that it stays white outside. The snow hasn't turned gray or dirty, it still sparkles in the sunlight.

Family puzzle with a D&D theme. 

The kids convinced us we needed to head to the library sledding hill. Mike decided to join the kids on a run down the hill. 

Eliza maxing and relaxing.

Evan is continuing to take piano. He knows all of Fur Else and is learning Moon Night Sonata.  

We got to hear Uncle Geoff play at his church event. We were not aware that there was a play as well as the performance. It was very cold in the church, but the 'play' was really well done. I could not believe the actors weren't wearing anything on their feet! We really enjoyed a skit that had someone getting a little can of coke and being so happy about it, but the next person got a bigger one from Jesus... and the first person was not happy they didn't get the same thing from Jesus and just got what they needed. There was a skit on how to pray with all kinds of people teaching this guy how to do it correctly. It was fun.

Eliza needed to get some blood work to see if the dark circles under her eyes is just an Eliza feature, or if it is something else. 

The boys joined her for support while getting the 9 vials filled, but it turns out Alex wasn't much help and Evan almost fainted again. 

 After the blood work we took the kids to Starbucks to use up some of my super old gift cards and got cocoa... which Eliza didn't like (because she doesn't like whip cream, she's crazy!) and it was her special treat for doing the blood work so she got a cake pop as well. 

From the initial blood tests we found that nothing was wrong with her, she just has lots and lots of allergies. She's allergic to every tree, every grass, hazelnuts, cats, dogs, almonds, dust. We are getting more tests this week and also taking Evan to see if he has any allergies.

We made 'dragon eggs' again this year with balloons and food coloring.

After a few days this is what we got.

Eliza looking cozy one cold winter day.

Mike and I found some time to do a puzzle a friend of ours let us borrow. I'm getting better at them.

We had our monthly Degan game night. The kids spent some time outside sledding and then got to reading.

While the adults played games..... they are invisible. :)

We were visiting the Douglass family and playing on their frozen canal and the kids brought up how somehow ALL of them have destroyed their gloves and needed new ones. So I said, ok on the way home we'll stop at Dunams and get some gloves and a few new saucer sleds because we are down to two. So on the way there Evan says "Mom, if there's a metal saucer sled at the store can we get one?" and to that I said "Honey, they don't make metal sleds anymore, everything is plastic." Well she showed me, they had a metal saucer sled, so of course we had to get it along with the new gloves. The boys have confirmed they go faster on it, but it's harder to jump with.

Evan had his first concert playing trumpet. He did a wonderful job!

All dressed up and proud.

We all had a nice evening.

Boys getting ready to head to school. Meijer had coats 50% off so I picked up a coat that can be squished into a ball that's about 7" for Alex so he might wear a coat to school and stuff it in his backpack. Turns out he will get a demerit if he puts a coat in his backpack, so he has been putting it in his trombone locker because it fits. I'm just thankful I've got this kid in more than a hoodie this winter. 

Got some pretty good snow dunes in the sub this year.

Eliza and Evan did spelling Bee's this month. Eliza made it to the 4th round at her class and Evan made it to runner up in his class. If the person doesn't make it to school on the school spelling bee day Evan will need to spell. 

Alex is doing a STEM Science class after school this semester. He also has been in a Reading Club put on by the library and the school and he's still doing Robotics which Evan has started as well.

Evan is working on a pretty awesome diamond art of the universe. 

My snapdragons all came up, so I had to make some sacrifices and thin them out. Lettuce needed to be put into a bigger pot and my onions and basil are off and going.

Evan headed out to take some more pictures of the moon. We are having focusing issues, but we haven't had enough clear night to do more tests.

The moon

Jupiter and it's 4 moons.

The Douglass family introduced us to Bischoff spread, and it's amazing on pancakes... Evan thinks its even better with strawberries mixed in. The spread tastes just like the cookies and it's nut free. 

Another visit with Uncle Geoff and Steve.

It's amazing how fast time goes by and how fast the kids grow.