Winter Fun

In February the kids finished up basketball.  Sydney just practiced on Friday nights with a small group of girls.  She liked it but definitely did not love it.  Austin loves basketball but his behavior with Brian coaching is bad.  There was a lot of crying and struggling but finally during the end it was a little better.  Austin would practice Friday and Saturdays.  Brian coached both of them.  Basketball is their sport.

Austin also played futsal this winter on Sundays.  He enjoyed that.  Austin is good at soccer but with flag football being in the fall he doesn't play soccer as much anymore.

Sydney continues to have piano lessons once a week.  She loves the lessons but she hasn't been practicing as much at home.

We have been skiing almost every weekend.  Austin absolutely loves it.  He has went down every hill at Boston Mills and Brandywine.  He is not afraid of anything.  Sydney loves skiing too but is a bit more cautious.  I took a lesson and I can now manage the bunny hill.  It's a fun winter activity.

In February, I put up hearts on their doors with messages for them.  Sydney remembered it from last year and requested I do it again.  Austin actually wanted circles on his door and not hearts.  Each day they got a positive message.

Sydney's earring has gotten infected. We have been dealing with it for several weeks and trying to manage at home.   It's been a nightmare.  I even took her to the doctors when nothing seemed to work.  They gave her an antibiotic cream.  We took her earring out for several days.  However then the back closed up.  But Brian did manage to get the earring back in after it healed a bit.  It's finally doing good again.  Let's hope it stays that way.

School work comes easy for Sydney.  She loves school and likes being challenged.  She's now in enrichment Math and Reading.  It is good because it keeps her busy.  Austin is now is speech class in school to work with his 'r" and "th" sound.  Austin is in enrichment Math.  He is challenged in reading and English.  Each morning at school, he does an English sheet.  They are challenging for him.  He redoes the ones he misses on the weekends.

Brian has been working on the bathroom downstairs.  It's a lot of work and he's having the kids help him.  It will be nice when it's completed but I am not enjoying the mess. 

On Super Bowl Sunday, the lights started flickering.  Brian realized it was just our house.  We had to call the electric company to come out.  They shut off our 240 line so it was nice that we still had electricity.  But I didn't have a dryer.  It was difficult to find a electrician to fix it.  Finally after 10 days we had our 240 line fixed.

Austin's 8th Birthday

Austin wanted a video game party this year.  We looked at a local arcade and realized it wasn't for us.  I considered Chuck E Cheese however it's always so busy. Then a friend gave us a recommendation of a video game truck coming to our house.  We knew that was perfect.  Austin was very excited about it.

However a major snow storm came the weekend of his birthday party.  We got over a foot of snow.  And the truck had to cancel the morning of his party.  We were bummed however we were determined to have still have his party.  Brian and I were a little stressed for a bit but we put it together for him. Thank goodness for this addition to the house.  His friends brought over some gaming systems and Brian set them all up.  We had 2 gaming systems upstairs and two systems downstairs.  The kids really had a great time!  Also Austin loves the drink Switch.  We found some a GFS so that is what the kids had to drink.  It was awesome for them.  We covered chocolate bars with paper as a video game controller and that was the party favors.  It was a great party.  Everyone had fun!

On Monday it was Martin Luther King Jr day so the kids did not have school.  Friends invited us over to swim inside which was a lot of fun for them.  The next day was Austin's birthday.  Well because of the cold and snow, it was a snow day.  He got his birthday off school.  We went to Chick Fil A for lunch and friends came over to sled.  Then that night, Brian took them skiing.  Austin loves skiing!  And he's getting really good at it.   That evening we went to Wendy's for his birthday dinner. Then he came home and opened presents.

He got a lot of beyblades, games, Switch games, and Mario Odyssey comforter.  It had a great birthday.  And I even got a picture of Austin carrying him.  I know my time being able to pick him up is numbered.  He's gotten so big.  It's crazy that he's now 8!

Start of New Year

Austin and Sydney are both playing basketball this winter.  Their practice is the same day and time. It works out.  Unfortunately there are not many girls doing it so it makes it difficult for Sydney.   Many times she has to play with the first grade boys and she's not a fan of that.  I have come to the realization that this is likely her last year playing basketball for her school for a while.

Austin loves basketball however he tends to be more mouthy with Brian since he's a coach.  We are really working with him about that.  Some of the boys are rough and they think it's still football and not basketball.  It should be interesting next year when they start games.

Austin also plays indoor futsal on Sundays.  He enjoys that.  He only has one friend on the team.  However he enjoys it and is good at soccer.  We are not sure what will happen with football so maybe soccer will be in his future.

We call Sydney a cuddle bear because she loves to cuddle.  She loves being a close to us a possible.  She is the sweetest thing.  She loves her stuffed animals and all her squishes too.

I am working on planning a 5K race for the kids school.  It has been way more than I thought.  Luckily has have another lady sharing the chair position with me and we have a good committee but it's like a part time job.

Brian had to travel to North Carolina for a week.  The kids did well while he was gone.  They didn't like having to be at school so long on the days I worked but they did it okay.  We went out to dinner once while Brian was gone.  Austin and Sydney liked that.

School has kept the kids very busy.  Austin still struggles with reading.  The school recommended him trying speech at school to see if that helps.  We are open to anything that would help.  However he did back into enrichment math.  He was very happy about that.  Sydney is in enrichment math and reading.  Things seem to come a little easier for her.  She loves school and homework.

Sydney has started her piano lessons and enjoys that.  She likes to practice and is catching on very well.  Austin doesn't mind doing his homework at piano lessons. 

And Austin is almost 8 and I can still pick him up! 

Christmas and New Year's

On Christmas Eve, we went to Mass.  Our friends saved us seats so we even got to sit close for once.  The kids enjoyed Mass with their friends.  After Mass, we went to McDonald's for our annual Christmas Eve dinner.  It works for us.  The kids got a Happy Meal and got to play.  Brian and I chatted for a bit.

My mom came over and spent the night.  The kids cut up a lot of carrots for the reindeer.  They made cookies for Santa.  However as Austin told me at 1am, we forgot to leave out milk this year for Santa.  Santa still was very generous to them.

Austin was up from 4am laying in bed with me waiting for his clock to say 6am.  At 6am, he went to wake up Daddy.  Then he went and got Sydney.  Sydney said "wow that went fast".  They woke up Meemaw then open their presents.

Sydney got a piano, ice cream truck for her dolls, and a camper for her dolls.  Austin got Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart and Odyssey.  Austin also got bey-blades.  At after school care, Austin explained to me that everyone other boy has them except for him.  And he got a car race track that goes upside down.

We had breakfast that morning.  I had breakfast ready but thought it would be best to get our annual photo first.  I had the cinnamon rolls in the oven and I thought I pushed warm button. I later figured out I hit self clean.  So the oven, locked and I was unable to get the cinnamon rolls out until the oven cooled enough.  Austin and Sydney were so sad.  I felt terrible!  Brian was able to get some of the burnt off but they weren't the same.  However they did have lots of cinnamon rolls over break though.

Over break, Brian took the kids skiing while I worked.  They loved it.  We took them to a Monster's game which was fun.  Sydney did some gymnastics camps that she loved.   For New Year's, we went swimming with some friends.  Then they came over for play.  That evening, the kids watched some movies.  Austin stayed awake until midnight.  Sydney fell asleep 20 minutes before midnight.  Brian woke her up at midnight.  She was not impressed.

Christmas Activites

Austin and Sydney had their school Christmas concert.  It was so nice for them to have a Christmas concert.  Last year the kids were in the spring concert instead.  It wasn't the same.  The Christmas is special at this age.  Austin was not into as much as he was 2 years ago but nevertheless it was great to see them sign Christmas songs.

We went to Lock 3 for breakfast with Santa.  This was the first time we did it.  It was neat.  The breakfast was good.  Then the kids played in the children's museum for a while.  Then we took the kids ice skating.  Austin and Sydney love ice skating.  Sydney had forgotten how to skate fast but she did get better with some time.  The skates hurt a bit so I am hoping to buy them skates at a play again sports store.

We have been going to some Cavs games.  The kids have enjoyed them.  It's sad that they are the worst team in the league though.

At the fundraiser at the kid's school in the fall, we bought morning anchors on their school TV.  So Austin and Sydney had a day they each did the morning announcements with an 8th grader.  They did a good job.

The school also had a field trip to the movies to see The Grinch.  Brian and I both volunteered to be drivers.  The kids had a lot of fun.

We ended all of our Christmas activities this year with the kids favorite with Breakfast with Santa at Lake Farm park.   They enjoy the breakfast.  Their favorite is making the wooden toy at Santa's workshop.  This year, Austin made a Minion and Sydney made a reindeer.  They turned out nicely.  They really took their time this year with painting them.  Austin looked at Brian's phone to make sure he painted the Minion exactly right.

Brian has been working on the downstairs bathroom.  He's putting in a shower so he's had to dig up the floor for the drain.  It's been working so much on it.  It will be great when it's done but it's so much work.  And messy!  Plus I didn't have a washing machine for a week.  That is never fun but we made it.

It was a fun busy Christmas season!

Start of Christmas Activites

December is always one of our busiest months of the year.  We love doing all the fun Santa holiday stuff.  We started our going to Brian's work Christmas party for the kids.  The turn work into the North Pole.  It's a lot of fun.  They have a magic show, balloon guys, and of course Santa.  Santa even lets them get a present.

For several years, now we get a live Christmas tree.  We go as a family to pick out the tree. Austin and Sydney always cut it now.  They work together to cut it down.  This year it was warm day when we did it.  It's always a fun time getting our tree. 

We also went on a ride on the Polar Express.  It was not magical for Austin.  In fact, I think he was bored most of the time.  However Sydney loved it.  It was totally worth it for Sydney.  She enjoyed singing Christmas carols, she loved the North Pole, and hot chocolate and cookie. 

We went to one of our favorite activities downtown which is Mr. Kringle's Inventionasium.   It's so fun going though all the different stations.  Austin loved drawing smiley faces on all the pictures with water.  Sydney enjoyed making a candy cane out of form things that stick together with water.  They also made snow and some toys.  Santa there is the best.  He knew all about Austin and Sydney.  And spent at least 5 minutes with us.  They also got a stuffed dragon from Santa.  It was magical.

While downtown, they talked to the talking tree which is always a lot of fun.  We went to the Cavs game.  We even got an upgrade on our tickets that night.  It was cool to sit behind the Cavs bench.

We did something new this year and saw Tuba Christmas at EJ Thomas Hall.  People who play tuba family instruments go and decorate themselves and instruments to play Christmas Carols.  They play the song and then we sing it back.  It was neat.  The kids enjoyed that.  We went to a family Christmas party that night.

We have also went to the Q for Breakfast with Santa.  There the kids had donuts and juice.  They played basketball on the court.  They made some crafts and even saw Santa.  Another fun adventure.

Our school had a gingerbread house contest that the kids went to.  It was fun for them to decorate a house with their friends.  I like them doing the gingerbread houses somewhere other than my house.  They also had their Christmas concert at school.  Sydney loved singing.  Austin was not as excited as in year's past but it was still fun for him.

Brian also got an early Christmas present.  His Tesla Model 3 finally arrived and we picked it up.  The car is awesome!  I was never one to be that excited about it but it is really cool!

Thanksgiving

In November, Sydney had 4 birthday parties to attend.  She was very busy.  Austin was home a lot helping Brian setting up our Christmas lights.  Brian decided that they were going back up this year.  It has been 2 years since they were set up.  Last year with our house and death of my dad, we didn't set them up.  Sydney doesn't ever remember our Christmas lights.  However Austin does and he was very excited to have them back up again!  He worked hard with Brian to get them set up.

Brian is coaching basketball for Austin and Sydney.  It's on Friday nights so it works out.  Brian feels bad since he can't spend too much time with on group but all and all it's going fine.  Next year, Austin will be playing games for basketball.  That should be fun!

I had Thanksgiving here again this year.  My mom and grandpa came over.  Brian is working on our downstairs bathroom so he kept the kids busy helping with that.  I am getting better at cooking a turkey.  Dinner turned out nicely.  It was a lot of work but worth it. Austin loves Thanksgiving dinner.  Sydney did not want to eat turkey because it's an animal however after she tried it. She liked it as well.  She only ate turkey and rolls.  Austin ate all other foods.

My mom and grandpa did not stay long.  Austin wanted to go out and see the Black Friday experience so we took them to Best Buy and we stood in a line (they were just opening when we arrived) but only letting certain number of people in at a time.  It was very cold.  After about 15-20 minutes we got in.  We just walked around the store and the kids played the switch.  That is what Austin wants for Christmas.  Then we went home and watched a movie.

On Friday, Brian took the kids to the Science Center while I worked.  They loved that.  Then when they got home we worked on Christmas lights and then basketball.  After basketball we went out with friends for pizza.

On Saturday, we went downtown Cleveland for their Winterfest.  The weather was nice in the 40's.  We saw them turn on the lights and for Santa to arrive.  Then we went to the Cavs game.  The game was good and they actually won.  It's been a rough season without LeBron.  It was a nice evening.

On Sunday, Brian took out annual Christmas card picture.  Brian always comes up with great ideas for our Christmas card.  This year, the kids are on the roof and have a runway for Santa to land.  It's very cute!

We are getting ready for a busy Christmas season!