January 2017

My kids, especially Gemma, have been obsessed with Cosmic Kids Yoga lately. It's so funny to hear them saying "namaste" and copying the moves as they follow along with the online videos. 

We added Gemma to the chore rotation and started giving her an allowance. She LOVES helping with the dishes.

Jack turned six on January 4th. We were still out of school that week, so we were able to make it a really fun day. We had a handful of Jack's buddies over in the morning for a science party. Check out the science beaker cake we made together:

The party was really fun, because it was just a small, cute group of kindergarteners, and we spent the whole time doing science experiments. We built catapults out of popsicle sticks, made our own slime, and watched brain balls absorb water and grow, and then bounce all over the sidewalk.

Jack's been having fun with his presents, especially the snap circuit set. He spent a lot of the break working on those, and I'm sad he hasn't had as much free time since school started back up to play with that more.

This smart little guy is finally getting old/mature enough to enjoy books at his reading level. It took a while for his abilities and his interests to meet up. It's fun to watch him reading early chapter books. He's been blowing through the first Boxcar Children book this week, and is happy to chat all about it.

Jack's favorite colors right now are orange, red, green, and purple. His favorite animal is still a tiger. He loved Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The Sound of Music, and also listed Hoodwinked and Tangled as favorite movies. His favorite books are the Mercy Watson series, but he's also been reading a lot of A to Z mysteries the last few weeks. He listed all his birthday party guests as his best friends: Alyse Woodland, Juno Leek, Stacie Haupt, and Jonah Wilmoth. 

Jack's been serious about doing the monkey bars lately, and has gotten really good at them. He loves cheese pizza, muffins, and chocolate. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up - the kind that works with "potions." His favorite places to go are Alaska and Mexico - we've had some sweet family vacations this year, and the kids all really loved it! 

He is a really good reader, and he loves to play the piano. He likes to snuggle, he is totally analytical, and he is sensitive. He keeps wishing for snow for Christmas, with wishbones and penny fountains, and probably with his birthday candles, too. 

We went down to Spencer Dix's baptism in Sunnyvale on January 7th. He and Nova and their families are now being referred to as the California cousins. I love friends that are like family. 

Gemma turned four on January 14th. We had her two besties, Clara and Gracie, over to play the day while the big kids were at school. We decorated cookies and had a dance party and played with slime. 

She got princess dolls, bird wings, and dancing ribbons for her presents from us. This little lady is so packed with personality, and it was really fun for me this year to find some unique gifts I knew she'd love. She'd played with the ribbons at dance class and disappeared into an imaginary world twirling around with them, and I wanted to see her do that again and again. And the bird wings came because she said to me multiple times over the last few months that she really wished she could be a bird.

Gemma requested for her cake, peppermint brownies with frosting. It was yum! She loved crushing the candy canes.

We went swimming at an indoor pool in Newark on her birthday. She keeps talking about it, so I think it was a hit. It had water slides and a lazy river and was pretty fun. 

I've taken to asking Gemma what her favorite color is almost every day, because she keeps changing her answer. On her birthday it was bright pink and bright orange and turquoise and white. She said her favorite animals were giraffe, tiger, cat, dog, and dolphin. This makes me giggle to read a couple weeks later. Funny girl. She loves dolls, and in the car she always asks to listen to the Frozen book on CD. She loves to have books read to her. One of the regulars lately is "Whales, the Gentle Giant." Again and again. She loves to listen to the Frozen soundtrack, and for FHE song she always wants to sing Book of Mormon Stories. Her best friends are Gracie Woodland and Clara Haupt. 

Outside, Gemma likes to jump on the trampoline and ride "the white bike," her two-wheeler, which she can ride nonstop for 10 minutes or more, but can't start independently yet. She likes to sleep with her favorite stuffed animal, Cute Cute Otto, an otter we got her in Alaska. She said when she grows up she wants to be Mulan. Her favorite foods are pizza, graham crackers, and rice. She said her favorite place to go is "Exico." She always asks if we can go back there again someday. 

Gemma is funny, so cute, and curious. Also, stubborn. 

I asked if she had one wish, what would it be: "I would wish for cookies." 

What makes her laugh? Tickles. 

What are you afraid of? Monsters and crocodiles

What do you love to learn about ? "Making cookies." 

What do you like to do with your family? Play "Troll Chase." Todd stomps around, pretending to be a troll, looking for kids to eat for dinner. He chases them around the house, catches them and lets them escape. It's their favorite thing to do when he comes home from work. 

I signed all the kids up for a tumbling class. Jack and Hazel are together, and Gemma's class is in the morning while the big kids are at school. They're all loving it. They get really sweaty and really happy, so we're going to stick with it for a while. 

Jack was given the student of the month award for responsibility. Mrs. Allen wrote in her letter to him how pleased she was that he always pushed himself to try his hardest and learn new things (even when the rest of the class was learning things he already knew). I'm pleased that he's giving a full effort at school and has such a happy, sweet attitude when he's there.

Hazel was invited to her friend Kaitlyn's birthday party. While she was there, Todd and I took Gemma and Jack to Elephant and Piggie Day at the library. It was cute! We love their books.

The kids' school has a Diversity Week each year and has some really fabulous assemblies. They had an African drummer come, and he also put on an evening performance for the families. It was cool.

I noticed Gemma's been making a lot of faces when I take her picture lately.

My Christmas present is taken care of: a gallery wall of frames down the hallway. It makes me happy.