We started the year with a few days up at the cabin. Hazel brought her bestie Delaney as a joint celebration for their 16th birthdays (both were in December). Todd took Gemma and Jack skiing and the dynamic duo spent most of their time snowmobiling. I did my usual - long walks in the neighborhood, shoveling the deck, yoga, reading, prepping food for the crew. We played games and chilled and had a good time. We did a little sledding, but it hadn't snowed in a while and the snow was pretty crusty, so it wasn't as much fun as usual and was a little dangerous, which kept us from spending as much time sledding as we normally would have. Todd puled me and the younger kiddos behind his snowmobile a little bit, which was a highlight for me.
I snagged a picture of Todd's bishop's office so I could show Chrissy and Gordon the pictures we picked out. I love, love, love the one of Jesus with the sheep. Not shown in this picture is one of Jesus with the woman at the well - it's on the other wall. Todd and I wanted to make sure to include pictures of women and of children in his office. I'm happy with how it turned out.
Jack turned 14. I am so sad this is the only picture I have! He had a great day. He had a volleyball clinic in the morning and had friends over for a party in the evening. He has gathered up a good crew of friends that we're happy with. He organizes a get-together every couple of weeks, which makes me proud. That used to be so hard for him. I love seeing his growth. He is funny and hard-working, sensitive and curious.
Katie and I signed up together for a trial membership at Joya, a yoga/pilates/barre/cycle gym. We've been taking classes together almost daily. Lots of weight lifting, HIT, and restorative yoga classes mostly.
Gemma wanted a separate celebration with Clara. She was afraid if she had Clara over with her school friends she'd have a hard time hosting everyone and making sure they all were comfortable. I took her and Clara to a fun park in Dublin with a unique playground and kept Clara for dinner and ice cream sundaes.
I set a goal before Christmas to spend 100 days with no snacks and no sweets. I've been trying hard to up my protein, fiber, and fat so my meals are satiating. Although it was difficult on holidays (including three family birthdays!) I love how much this goal has helped me feel like food has less power over me. I am absolutely strengthening my mind control over my cravings. When I hit 20 days, I rewarded myself with a nice pedicure. I'm planning a few more milestone rewards along the way.
Gemma was so excited to go inside the temple for the first time. We took our whole family to do baptisms and confirmations with her. She has been yearning for the opportunity to serve in the temple for a long time now. It was satisfying for her to be able to enter.
Jack was given the assignment to bring the bread for our sacrament. I made a mental note to ask him if he wanted to make homemade bread, and then realized this could be an empowering opportunity for my girls to contribute to our worship services. Gemma was home as this thought crossed my mind, so I asked her if she would be interested in making the bread for the sacrament. She lit up! I supervised in case she had questions and to ensure the job was done correctly, but I kept my hands off and let Gemma do all the work. The next day in church, I watched her pay more attention than usual to the sacrament trays as they were passed around the chapel. It was absolutely worthwhile. We will be doing it again.
Hazel had a camp planning day and afterward, she and a few of the other girls toilet papered Lucas George's front yard. It was a coming of age moment! Lucas and his dad, Ryan, got her back by saran wrapping her car overnight. Thanksfully, the prank wars haven't escalated and everyone is having fun.
Gemma got her wish for her birthday - a new bike! She was outgrowing hers as it was simultaneously wearing out. She kept having to reconnect the chain and other obnoxious things. She is delighted to have a well-oiled machine that can more easily keep pace with Jack on their commute to school.
She requested a cake that looked like an open book. I bought a book-shaped pan to help, but it took a lot of batter to fill - it was a lot of cake! Gemma assisted in the decorating and was pleased with how it turned out
Jack's orchestra class had their winter concert. He is the pianist for the group. He was frustrated by the keyboard because it was hard to get the volume just right to work with the group. In their classroom, he is on a real piano, which is much more fun to play. There was another concert the next week with Hazel's chamber orchestra and the 8th grade orchestra students. We couldn't hear him play at all!
Over the MLK weekend, Hazel invited her church friends up to the cabin. Sadly, Mike, Noah, and Kate all couldn't make it, but she had Lucas, Carter, Jared, and Katherine. Todd took them up on his own, while I stayed back with Gemma and Jack, who were worried they would be made to feel unwelcome. Todd and I both agree that if we could do it again, we would have laid down the law; it's the family cabin, so the whole family is always welcome, or we don't go up.
Ginger has been having territory battles with another animal, we're guessing a fox. He came home with a chunk of his cheek bitten off. We were all quite concerned. We tried to keep him indoors as much as possible to keep his wound clean while it healed, but he would get restless and of course he would need to go to the bathroom sometime, so we'd let him out for a little while. He was wounded again on the same side of his face twice more over the course of a week. He seems to be doing better now, but it was a big worry for all of us, and he has definitely evolved into an indoor/outdoor cat this month. He sleeps with Gemma almost every night. and spends a good portion of most days indoors as well. I don't love it, but I do want him to heal, so ...
For Christmas, Hazel gifted me a monthly one-on-one date. We went hiking to Del Valle this month while the temperatures are ideal and the hills are green. I used to hike a ton in the winter and just haven't as much the last few years. I broke my ankle, then there was a winter where it never stopped raining, so it was hard to find a day to do it where the trails weren't too muddy and slick. Anyway, it was delightful to be back out and about, doing something I love with someone I love.
I've been training at the library to become an adult literacy tutor. I loved teaching my kids and my kindergarten students to read and was on the hunt for something I could do along those lines for just a few hours a week. We'll give this a try and see if I like it. It will be different working with adults.
We signed up the family to volunteer at the elementary school science night. There was a LOT of griping about it, which makes me think we ought to look for more service opportunities to take the kids to so they learn how satisfying it is to help out in the community.
Gemma and Jack had a school dance. They both seemed to have fun at it.
Last January, Bishop Lloyd announced to the youth in our ward that if they read the entire Book of Mormon over the course of the year, the ward would take them to Six Flags amusement park. It was a successful incentive: we gathered a harndul of adults to be chaperones and drivers and brought 21 kids for a day of roller coastering. Todd asked everyone to send him a proof of life picture mid-day, and otherwise, we wandered around, attaching ourselves to one group or another and trying to keep up. It was a fun day!
We had ward conference, which Todd prepared a very nice talk for. He spoke about the parable of the talents and how we don't all start on even footing, but that God rewards us for our efforts. In the parable, the servant whow as given two talents and turned them into four received the exact same reward as the servant who was given five talents and turned them into ten.
We had the Dix family over for games and lasagna that night. Daniel and Jack coincidentally were dressed as twins. We had a fun time hanging out with them, as usual.
