Gymnastics

Just a few more pictures of my little gymnast. She loves gymnastics at Fliptastic and does such a great job. It’s so fun to watch her doing something she really enjoys.

Ava ready for class

Practicing hand stands

On the beam

Ready to dismount

On the bars-her favorite!

Snow Day

We decided to take the kids up to the snow to go sledding on MLK Day. We have been having really foggy weather lately so I hoped that we wouldn’t freeze up there. But once we got up the hill far enough, the fog disappeared and we got to enjoy some sunny, warm weather! We had planned to do some sledding, but we soon found that the kids much preferred making snowballs with our snowball maker and having snowball fights. We probably spent most of our time doing just that! I think we only ended up doing 3 or 4 sled runs each. It was still a really fun day spent in the snow! Can’t wait to go up again!


Drew making a snowball

Abandoned sleds in the background

Finally Ava agrees to sled with me

Drew takes a run by himself

Ava and Daddy go down the hill

Action shot!

 

Drew and Daddy

  

Woah! That was a steep one!

 

Dan lobs a snowball at me

Drew defends his mom and throws a counter attack!



Eating snow (ew)



Me and Dan

 

Drew's mini snowman

Glasses

Last week Drew came home with a note from school. They had done vision tests and they said his vision was 20/100 in both eyes! I found that hard to believe, but it spurred me to take both kids to have their vision tested. At Ava’s 4-year check up they said she should have her eyes checked too, but I never did it, mostly because I didn’t know where to take her. So I made appointments for them at Costco and took them in. To my complete surprise, it turns out that Drew needs glasses. He is far-sighted. I feel so bad that I had no idea! The doctor said that if we don’t get him glasses, he’ll start having headaches—something he has been complaining about lately. It should help him with his schoolwork as well. He often has trouble getting started on his work—maybe it’s because it’s hard for him to see! Ava’s vision is not great either, but she is near-sighted. Just another example of how my children are total opposites! She doesn’t need glasses yet, but we will have her checked again next year. I think Drew looks pretty handsome in his new glasses…

2024

I can’t believe it. I registered my baby for kindergarten. My last baby. I seriously can’t believe how fast the time has gone by. It was just yesterday that we brought this precious bundle home from the hospital. How could she possibly be starting kindergarten?! She is excited to start school though and I know she will love kindergarten! She is such a precocious learner! She is already reading and doing simple math. She is an amazing artist and just loves soaking up new facts. She often tells me little factoids at dinner time-like “did you know that some bats eat mango and some eat insects?” or “snakes eat rats without even chewing and then they take a rest.” I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself next year, when I am the mother of two school age children.

As I looked over the paperwork at the registration office I noticed that they have Ava listed as the Class of 2024. I remarked to the woman helping me, “Wow 2024! That’s hard to believe.” And she said “2024 will be here before you know it.”

 I suppose it will…

Basketball

Basketball season is upon us again! Drew is playing Upwards Basketball again this year and really enjoying it! We’ve had a few games so far and our team is doing great, learning how to play the game and having fun! Go Cheetahs!


The pre-game faceoff



Drew takes the ball down the court

A fast break!

Cheetahs ready to high-five the other team

A couple of my attempts at a basketball portrait

New Year's Eve in Denver

It finally snowed the day before New Year's Eve and we were all so excited! While the boys were out bowling, Ava went outside to play in the snow with Aunt Jennifer and Grandma Kathy. Mommy was too cold to go outside (it was only 3 degrees!) so she stayed inside and drank hot chocolate instead. Ava helped to shovel snow to make a snowman and made beautiful snow angels. I ran outside just to snap a few pictures, and then we all came inside to warm up before our NYE dinner at Three Margaritas.



Ava's such a good helper!



Snow Angel!



Aunt Jennifer's snow angel

Aunt Jennifer and Grandma Kathy with their snow ball gown

Isn't she lovely?

Once again, I was amazed at how well behaved all the kids were and how well they all got along. They all got to sit together at the restaurant, which allowed the adults to have some adult conversation as well. We all enjoyed a delicious meal and endeavored to live up to the name of the restaurant. Even if that meant taking some margarita to go! Once we got home we had a dance party with the kids until about 9. Unfortunately that seemed to take all of our energy because once they were in bed, we were all kind of tired. We tried to rally and popped some champagne and played some games. But we were unsuccessful. By 11:30 we gave up and went to bed!

Happy New Year!

Dan and Uncle Scott



The kids table



Me and Laura with our margarita to go



Aunt Jennifer and Grandma Kathy celebrating 2011

Dance Party!

Everyone dancing

The men take a break for some poker

Rob and Laura, our gracious hosts

We're starting to lose steam...

We tried to stay awake by playing Hedbanz

Laura and I getting sleepy

We went to bed before midnight, and it was -3 degrees outside!