January-March 2014 Update

I've been lazy about updating the blog this year, so here is a three month catch up.   Luckily I don't have too much to report on since we tend hibernate from January to March every year anyway.

Abby did a wonderful job performing on the piano for Homelink music night.

Maddy is obsessed with Studio C's Lobster Bisque skit, and decided to dress up one day by borrowing Nathan's church vest and making herself a bow tie and glasses out of paper.

Abby had four of the art pieces she created at Homelink put on display at the Public Library.

Maddy insisted we have a Valentine's tea (hot chocolate) party complete with princess and knight costumes.

The kids' prayers were finally answered and we had a day with enough snow to play in.  Here they are all bundled up to go outside.

Building a fort with the neighbor boys.

The girls really wanted to build an "Olaf" snowman like in the movie Frozen.

Maddy wanted a picture with Olaf too.

With Valentine's day coming up, Maddy had romance on her mind.  Here she is going on a "Romantic Dream Boat Date" (from Lobster Bisque) with her brother (someday she'll understand that this won't work).  By the way, she is holding Hi-bisque-cus flowers that she made out of paper.

Here is Nathan dressed up as a Ninja.

Nathan was impressed with his cousin Christian's fort (that he saw over Google Hangout), so he decided he had to build one even bigger.  Here it is.

Maddy and Abby decided they wanted to help defend the fort too.

I signed all the kids up for gymnastics and they absolutely love it.  Maddy really wanted to do dance instead until I told her she could wear a purple leotard.  On the first day of gymnastics she got all dressed and then flipped her pony tail and informed me, "Gymnastics is all about fashion!"

The kids had a fun time running the yearly Leprechaun dash.  Maddy and Abby both ran the whole way.

Nathan was proud of himself finishing the whole mile, although he had to stop and walk a few times, he didn't give up.

The kids all started Spring soccer.   Here's Abby getting ready to kick the ball.

Nathan all ready to play!

Maddy has fun with all the girls her age.

For St. Patrick's we had some friends over for a party with green food.  For FHE we had a chocolate gold coin treasure hunt.

So yummy!

ABBY
Abby has been busy with homeschool, piano, gymnastics, and now soccer.  She has progressed quickly in gymnastics and is now at the Silver level after only a few months (she started out in Bronze).  She loves to read and study history.  Abby is obsessed with the music from Frozen and she is learning to play "Let it Go" on the piano. She loves her classes at Homelink, and is excited to now be taking a class where she learns all about horses.  Abby is looking forward to turning eight soon, and we have been teaching her the discussions for FHE.  She has also started reading the Book of Mormon each day with me as part of her homeschool in preparation for her baptism in May.

MADDY
Maddy is excelling in school.   Her teacher had her tested for Hi-Cap because she is already so advanced in every subject.  Maddy continues to enjoy doing artwork and crafts, and is excited to have a new friend named Kaia who loves art just as much as she does.  She enjoyed making and decorating her leprechaun trap for school.  Maddy is always happy and loves being silly and making us laugh.  She loves dressing up and "being fancy."  She works hard to achieve her goals.  She is doing extra chores at home to earn extra money for the toys she wants.  Maddy has also been working hard trying to read all 28 of the first Magic Tree House books so that we'll take her to a Paint Me Pottery place in the mall that she wants to go to.   Maddy also reads extra books on Reading Eggspress so that she can earn eggs to buy virtual clothes, furniture, and kitty cats.

NATHAN
Nathan loves preschool and enjoys learning and playing with friends.  He is getting to be a good reader.  He enjoys doing Reading Eggs, and he is almost half way through his 100 Easy Lessons book.  He loves to play with boys and do boy things.  He loves knights, Legos, forts, dressing up as a construction worker, and playing with his trains.  Nathan really wants a Nerf gun, so he is working hard to keep his pull up dry at night so he can get one.  He also enjoys driving his plasma car to the park when the weather is good.

MARY
Between homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, and shopping it seems like I don't have time for much else.  Homeschooling is much more fun now that Abby is old enough for me to introduce some of my favorite childhood books to her.  We just read A Little Princess and Ella Enchanted, and we are now reading The Island of the Blue Dolphins together.   I'm also keeping my mind sharp as I drill her on multiplication tables which I have forgotten.   After the kids go to bed Jared and I enjoy working out together at night as we watch shows on Netflix.  When I get the chance I love to read, and I enjoy my monthly book group meetings.  We are now part of a babysitting co-op so Jared and I now get to enjoy a night out a few nights a month without having to pay for a babysitter.  The kids like hanging out with other kids too (they refer to it as "kid night"), so it's a win win for everyone.

JARED
Jared continues to enjoy his work at Kadlec.   He just wishes he could somehow move this perfect job to Boise.  He stays busy at church working with the Teacher's quorum and doing home teaching.  When he's home, he is always fixing things and spending time with the kids.  Abby loves having Jared do math with her because he is very patient and good at explaining things clearly. The girls love having their dad read them Narnia every night and they just finished reading The Last Battle.  He is excited to introduce them to Harry Potter next.   Jared is a wonderful dad and a great husband.