Polar Vortex

On New Year's Eve, the kids and I set up a glow bowling lane!

 Finishing out Christmas break by playing games

 And making messes in the basement with lots of friends.

 I am so thankful that we redid our entryway!  The extra space for coats and boots and hats and mittens and backpacks and shoes and friends' gear too!

 Happy 6th birthday to Henry!!

 Candles are a fun way to celebrate.

 We also went to Red Robin for supper where Henry could order off the menu :)

 He loves to wear his Fryday shirt on Friday.  Henry: Get it? Because fries? 🍟

 He celebrated at school too!

 We made magnets for Leila's Market Day at school.

 Papa, Leila, and I played games at the Conference Grounds (arriving at 6AM!!) while waiting to sign up for our campsites for the summer.

 Henry picked out his present from Grandma Dort at Tip Toes downtown.

 Henry at basketball practice.

 Stella at basketball practice.

 Henry's impression of Grandpa!

 Leila and Stella organized their sock drawer and wanted me to take a picture of it.

 This is Stella's puppy dog face - she is practicing it to try to convince me to do whatever she wants.

 Stella made a poster at school about Scaredy the Squirrel.

 Last Saturday we went skating at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds with Misti and Ella.

 Stella did not like how slippery the floor was - it was a lot harder than skating on the carpet in our basement.

 Henry and Ella were super cute skating together.

 And falling together.

 It was a busy Saturday - basketball, skating, then we went to Central Weslyan's kids party.

We had SIX snow days in a row!!  Apparently we are in the middle of a polar vortex.  The kids did a lot of crafts, we finished a puzzle, watched some TV, played Wii, and played outside in 10 minute increments since it was the coldest day in 130 years!

 Today we had Norah and Greta over - it was like old times!  We even did dino chicken nuggets like we used to!

 I forgot to take pictures, but we also had Julia and Stephen over for a couple of hours and Abby and Tyler too.

 In spite of the cold, they enjoyed some sledding and going down the slide!

I enjoyed watching from the comfort inside :)



Kid Quotes:

(At allergy shots)
Stella: I want braces! I think they would be fun.
Nurse: But then you can't eat certain foods, like corn on the cob.
Me: Yeah, you have to cut it off and then eat it.
Stella: But then do they put them back on?
Me: You cut the corn off the cob, not the braces off your teeth!

(Stella and Henry in the backseat)
Stella: We might be getting a class pet.
Me: Oh yeah?  What?
Stella: I don't remember.  They might have said but I don't know.
Henry: I bet I know what it isn't!
Me: What?
Henry: A lion!

(Prepping to go to papa's house for the second snow day in a row)
Henry: Mom, can you please take the furnace just in case?
Me: Furnace?
Stella: I think he means Thermos.
Henry: That's what I said, furnace.
Me (explain the difference between a furnace and a thermos)
Henry: I still can't hear the difference.

(Driving in weather so nasty that they cancelled school)
Henry: I think that I could drive.
Me: Oh really?
Henry: Yep.  I drove one of those tractors this summer.

Christmas Is in the Air

 Henry had a fever at school the day before so he had to stay home, but was full of energy and definitely not sick.

 Christmas program - Henry and Stella were angels

 Leila read part of Luke 2.  Her stance in this pic is so typical for her.

 Stella's third tooth fell out and the tooth fairy had Alice deliver her dollar.

 Leila's class Christmas party.

 Henry's class had a small concert for the parents - jingle bells was the favorite song.

 Jer's work Christmas party.

 Jenna and Keenan got engaged!  She sent Jer and I this picture and I showed it to the kids one at a time.  Both Leila and Henry asked if they were married, and Stella said, "Does Keenan have on nail polish?"

 Christmas with Jer's side.  Henry loved this football and couldn't wait to play with it.  There may be a new dent in grandpa's wall downstairs.  He even convinced Jer to throw it to him out in the street.

 Toasting the newly engaged couple.

 Stella kept trying to get into the picture :)

 Leila's chip tower.

I painted Leila and Stella's fingernails with Christmas designs that they wanted to show off.

 We had everyone but Shane and Hunter.

When we opened presents with just the 5 of us, I hid the pickle and apparently did a bad job because Stella found it immediately.

 You can see how that went over with Leila!

Christmas Eve with my family at Papa's house.  It was the 2 year anniversary since mom passed and it was good to spend it together.

 Leila got pink foam rollers for Christmas and she has me put them in her hair after every bath and even tries to take extra baths so that she can have her hair curled.

 This was from Christmas craft night at church - Leila's friend Dani came too.

 Stella is very excited about her new Jojo bow.

 We celebrated Henry's 6th birthday a bit early - he has been waiting YEARS to use this special "6" candle.

 Papa even got him a giant "6" card to match.

 We went hiking in sanctuary woods - it was very cold, but with the sun out it was beautiful.

 Henry's new baseball tee/pitching machine from papa - I am sure this will get a ton of use.

Kid Quotes:

(I am walking on the treadmill)
Henry: Mom, watch me run really fast!
(Henry runs from one end of the basement to the other and back)
Me: Wow!  You are getting so fast!
Henry: I can go faster, I know I can, I just can't get it out.
Me: What can't you get out?
Henry: My faster.  I just can't get it out.  But I know it's in there.  I think that I'm saving it for emergencies.