SNOW!

That's right!  Snow had been predicted, but we hadn't actually expected it, so on Tuesday when it started snowing a little, my first thought was that it wouldn't even stick, but we got a good solid inch and the kids used as much of it as they could building small snowmen and having snow fights and sledding down our driveway.  This was David's first snow that he has been able to play in.  It never actually snowed while we were in Texas, so this is the first time he's really gotten to play in the snow - and he played hard!  He had so much fun!  Most of his siblings only stayed outside for part of the time - Eileen and Anna got done with school a bit early at the beginning of the snowstorm and they played for a bit, then James got done and Anna and James played for a bit, then Dan got home and he played with us, then Evie and Aaron finished school and they came out to play - but David was out there through it all - which meant I was out there for most of it too.  It turns out that our driveway is steep enough that with an old tupperwear lid, we could sled down the driveway (kinda) and David loved that too!  (Dan was the only one crazy enough to do it standing up, the rest were sitting)  It was an awesome afternoon!!  Funny how when snow is more rare, you appreciate it more! 

 Wednesday, we had youth activities.  Evelyn's class did a modest fashion show - the girls were awesome and had a lot of fun with it - Evelyn was so cute posing! 

Dan has gone nearly a whole year with out cutting his hair - and he says it probably won't last much longer :)  

Friday evening, Dan and I went on a Date to IKEA.  The plan was to look at some organization ideas for the closet in the craft room.  Instead we came home with some plants a dresser and a comforter cover....  But now I have some better ideas about what I want... I think.  After we stopped at a little hole-in-the-wall Mexican food place - it was awesome!!  The food was soo yummy - even if we did have to eat it in our car....  

Saturday afternoon I met up with Sandi for a little Sister Date.  Her kids had an art class in a fun little shopping district of Lake Oswego, so while they had their class, she and I walked around and enjoyed the beautiful area and some yummy food and cute shops!  It was really fun to spend some time with her just chatting and hanging out.  

Sunday was wonderful.  We were able to attend church in person today - numbers were small since they are dividing things up and doing hybrid right now, but it was still wonderful to be back there.  Eileen gave a talk today and did a wonderful job even though talking gives her a ton of anxiety.  Her grandparents were also able to listen in via zoom since it was a zoom meeting also.  After church, Evelyn and I worked on her greenhouse some and James and Dad did a project.  James has been feeling left out since the primary kids aren't doing activities like the youth, so for his goal for this month, he wants to learn about some of the things from cub scouts, so he and Dan worked together and used tools to make this fun little candy dispenser.  They had a fun time together and it came out great!!  

Another Awesome Birthday Boy

 Some of the kids used their gift cards from Great Grandpa Francone this week - David got a couple duplo sets and a cute stuffed animal (which Evelyn liked so much that she got one just like it.) David has been loving his duplo sets - he got a Toy Story train set and a police motorcycle set and he has played with them almost non-stop since they arrived.  He keeps carrying them around the house and asking me to take his picture with them - and if I don't have my phone near me to take a picture, then we do it with a toy phone taking fake pictures.  

Dan and the kids had Monday off school for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  We mostly took it easy and enjoyed a day of playing together.  It felt like Saturday all day though....  

Tuesday was back to the usual school.  

Wednesday was school instead of a work day like usual since they had Monday off.  Then in the evening was youth activities.  

Saturday was James' birthday.  He was so excited about it!  He wanted Anna to make a minecraft cake for him - and she did an excellent job!  He loved his fun birthday - he wanted pizza and chips and root beer floats for his birthday dinner.  He asked for a giant stuffed bear for his birthday, so that is what we got him along with a Roblox gift card and some TicTacs.  Grandma and Grandpa Jones got him some clothes - just the type of pants he loves - he hates jeans and they got him athletic pants which he loves.  Eileen gave him a couple stuffed animals that she had made for him.  She is such a good big sister!

Sunday was wonderful and a bit busier than usual.  Evelyn and I had a class presidency meeting before church, then church with wonderful speakers.  Our ward was having it's first week of hybrid church.  Then we had the youth Come Follow Me lessons, and a Stake Youth Conference in the evening. 

Our afternoon was spent crafting and playing games.  

Need a little sun!

 We have had a fun week!  School as usual, youth activities and family time.  David loves to help cook in any way we will let him - he especially loves to crack eggs.  :)  

Wednesday, we went to the park with Sandi and Taz and Kai.  We had a fun time playing on the parks.  Evie and James brought the roller blades and Taz and Kai had fun with those too.  Evie and Kai were so cute skating together!  

David just loves Aunt Sandi and he loves swinging and playing around.  

After going home from the park, Sandi texted about Kai having left her coat there, so I took Anna and we drove back over to check for it, but having rained for the last 2 days, it was REALLY muddy, and on her way back to the car after grabbing the coat and some gloves that Evie left, she slipped in the mud and landed on her butt in the mud.   Thankfully she wasn't hurt and since she is such a good sport, she just laughed it off.  But I still had to get a picture of the mud!  I made her sit on my sweater so she wouldn't muddy up Dan's car too bad - but she still ended up having to take some wipes to the door!  

The boys have been having a fun time with Dan having "Dance Parties" this week.  Dan will turn on some music and James and David will dance to their hearts content!  Anna and I got in on it some too :)  

Saturday and Sunday were beautiful and sunny.  Dan took the kids out rollerblading at a skate park in the morning and met up with Jon and Sandi and the kids.  They had a blast together.... I think Dan wants a skate board again.... 

Sunday after church and meetings we went to a nature trail area nearby and had a wonderful time walking around and enjoying nature!  As beautiful as it is in Winter, I can't wait to see it in Spring and Summer!!  We found this sign on the trail and were a bit amused by it - also Eileen was a little disappointed at not being attacked by an owl...  

The girls and I are doing MCO again this seasons and are looking forward to it!  We got the music and the first rehearsal video and I'm already so excited!  David also wanted to come up and sing with us - he was so cute warming up with us - but Eileen wasn't too happy about his joining us.  :) 

13?????

We've had a fun week!  Dan found some cheap roller blades so he can go roller blading with Evelyn!  They fit me also, but I tried them for a bit and it's a bit too hill-y here for me!   

I finally finished my puzzle from New Years this week - it had 5 pieces missing and 27 pieces of other puzzles mixed it.... even though I had never done the puzzle.... sigh....  

David still loves to help in the kitchen all he can - and even better he now thinks that he knows how to do everything all by himself...  We made chicken rolls, and David loved pounding the chicken breasts.  

On Wednesday, David and I headed over to Sandi's to drop off some piano stuff - David passed out on the way over - he always does when I drive in the middle of the day with him - but then when he sleeps during the day, he doesn't want to go to sleep at night.  

David and James were playing in the bath tub last Saturday, and David slipped and fell against the bath spout and gave himself a black eye.  Poor boy!  By this point it didn't hurt, but it looked pretty epic.  

Saturday, we finally had a nice sunny day, so we took some of the kids to a skate park to use their roller blades.  It was really crowded - with lots of older kids on skateboards, so the kids didn't do much other than skate around timidly.  Dan skated with them some, I just tried to keep David from getting run over... Aaron tried skating some at first, but after bruising his tail bone, he was done.  

Amazingly, this boy is now officially 13.  I have 3 teenagers...  He's an amazing kid and lots of fun.  He's an amazing older brother.  He loves Minecraft, Minecraft and more Minecraft.  We may have overcooked his Angel Food Cake a bit - but he's too nice to complain even a little bit.  

This weekend, we lost a lot of hair in our house.  The boys all got shaved and Anna had Dad cut her hair really short too.  It's a good thing Eileen is making up for all of it. :)  

Evelyn got a miniature greenhouse room building kit for Christmas, so this evening, she and I went and worked on it together for a bit.  We got a bunch of the pieces put together, but there is still a long way to go.  We had fun though and I think it's going to be really fun to do this together!  

We had a wonderful Sabbath.  Anna was sustained as her Young Women's class president and Evelyn was sustained as her Young Women's class second councilor.  They are both eager to serve!  Evelyn is especially excited about her first calling!  

Eileen has been having fun using her Anime cookbook!  She made homemade pot stickers this week - they were SO yummy!!!  It's been fun seeing her get excited to try out new things and she's been making them with minimal help from Dan and I.  

2021 Has Arrived!

We had a fun week at home hanging out and playing around.  Dan had Thursday and Friday off of work which was really nice.  He got a ton of fix-it projects done around the house.  He fixed our drier (which was really loud and not drying very well) and we got the Christmas decorations down and he organized and cleaned up the garage some, and he set up my new sewing table for me, and he fixed the grill!  

We had spaghetti for dinner - which David loves, but struggles with some - he was trying to eat it with his knife and fork and I just thought it was hilarious.  

My dad has been sending the kids lots of letters and cards and Dan was reading David's card to him and reading him a joke my dad sent and asked him "why did the dinosaur cross the road" and David said "cuz it was eating the chicken"   

 

We had been enjoying playing our Twister Christmas present together.  Mom and dad usually do pretty good up until the point where David and James start climbing on us and trying to push us over...  

On Thursday, we let the younger two stay up a bit late for New Years.  We watched the Times Square ball drop at 9 and pulled a bunch of poppers and then put David and James to bed.  Then I worked on my puzzle (which by the way I'm a bit worried about being able to finish since as I was sorting the pieces, I found more than 20 pieces from other puzzles mixed into it....)  

Happy New Year everyone!  May 2021 bring peace and love and joy!  

Church today was wonderful - and then this evening, we gave the kids some coupon books that I made up and it seemed like the kids were excited about them, and I'm looking forward to them too!  :)