This little girl is really good at running errands.
This particular day we were picking up a pinewood derby car kit.
This was the day we took the kids to see the movie Monster Trucks (really good!) and then out to lunch at Cane's. They all sat in this booth and told us to sit at a table for 2 so that we could have a "date". They checked on us frequently and sometimes more than one of them at a time. But it was nice to sit across from my honey and the kids were well behaved.
We did not actually have to make a pinewood derby car this year for cub scouts but we had a ward pinewood derby and so we made a care just for Arabella and Joseph. Joseph made them with his boy scout troop. Arabella is just lucky! They other kids picked from the boxful we have from the many previous pinewood derby races we have been in.
Arabella's car is the 3rd from the left with the broomstick (Harry Potter themed). Joseph's is the last one and I am not sure what theme it was but it was good looking car. When you have 5 kids they can not all race at the same time and so you will see Jon's green car in his hand.
Crazy antics with this girl!
It is always sad to see a missionary go when they have loved and served so well.
We loved Elder Barber and we hope he is enjoying his new area and then will soon head home and we hope to keep tabs on him throughout his life.
Jon was selected for a type of honor choir. It was made up of all of the feeder elementary schools for the high school. They learned the same songs and came together to perform together and with the middle school and high school choirs. It was fantastic! Jon was one of only 7 or 8 boys in the entire elementary choir. The high school choir actually had more boys than girls so at some point these boys figure out that singing is cool!
That is Mr. Rosales in the middle - he is a great music teacher!
Roller skating field trips in preschool area comical but fun!
I had fun taking a few faster trips around the rink. They did reasonably well!
And finally princess birthday parties- This was a Rapunzel/Tangled game where partners wrapped each other up in yellow hair (or crepe paper for you literal types).
We also kissed frogs like any good princess should.
And decorated cupcakes. I loved the use of the paint plates to put a variety of sprinkles on for each person.
We finished our January off with some playroom and home organizing and re-arranging.
This new chore chart system has been really helpful. Since starting to teach piano lessons this year I have had a harder time with keeping things picked up. For 2 hours each day all of the kids and usually one extra have free reign of the house and then as soon as I am done teaching it is time to finish dinner and eat and then activities or FHE or work or homework.... You get the idea. We decided to help me feel more in control and the kids to learn responsibility and organization, we would try chore charts. There are not many things on each: homework, practice instrument, pick up room, pick up backpack and shoes, empty lunchbox, and chore of the week. The chore of the week is the wheel you see on the board. There are 5 chores and they rotate amongst the children: office, living room, playroom, dishes, and parent's choice. They are to have these done before dinner. It has worked really well some weeks and not as well other weeks. But overall, I feel more in control and less frazzled at the end of the day.
January 2017 you were good to our family. We experienced new callings (Peter was released as the ward mission leader and made the Ward Welfare specialist), improving weather, plans and hopes for our home improvements, memories, fun, work, success, and some failures. It was good!
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