Rainy Morning
Rainy Morning

Pre-Christmas fun

Here are some of the things we did leading up to Christmas 2023 (these might be out of order).

I finished my hospital clinicals and "graduated" from the certificate course.
The end of shift creases from my mask >:-D
Sam had lots of craft and maker projects
Snow snow snow!
Ben and Amanda came to the movies with me to watch the "live" (delayed) broadcast of Seventeen's concert in Japan.
Aju Nice!
The next day we went to see Six! It was so fun!
"I'm the queen of the castle!"
Ben GM'd a session of Sam's RPG with friends.
I finished Dad's sweater vest
So handsome! I'm always so pleased when the vest actually fits.
I tried a new (to me) recipe. German Nussecken cookies
Delicious! I'm still waiting to hear from my German penpal if she thinks I did them properly.
I got sick for the first time in almost two years. Just a cold, but it lingered for the holiday season. I tried to make the best of it.

Rainy Morning

Ben is playing his new Yakuza series video game and Freddy receives scratches during cut scenes. Looks like a cozy way to spend a Saturday morning.

Sam's Spelling Bee

Sam came in 4th place at his school's Spelling Bee today! They provided a livestream link to the show, and as long as they leave it up you can watch him at the link below. His words are at:

24:40 subway
37:10 bronze
46:45 howdy
53:45 pantry
1:02:56 stroll
1:06:17 drawl
1:09:40 vision
1:13:10 furniture
1:15:36 composition (miss)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4ueW9pq3pA

We are so proud of Sam! He didn't prep much, just wanted to play "for fun." He said afterward "Now I know how fast my heart can beat!" For real. I can't stand the stress of Spelling Bees. I'm glad he is satisfied with his performance. Way to go!

Braces Off!

Jack finished his course of orthodontics and had his braces removed today! Woohoo! What a handsome fella!

Twas the Night Before Winter Break

Sam's fifth grade orchestra and band performed for parents and their whole school today. The audience were definitely hyped for winter break starting tomorrow afternoon!

Sam took his warm-up seriously while the classes filed in.

Then they performed a short program, with narration by the principal. Please enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_7ylGnelWk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1m6ynJAqiE

Thanksgiving 2023

We had a quiet, restful Thanksgiving at home this year. The boys helped me cook more than ever! It was so nice to have their help in the kitchen and getting ready. We didn't do anything unusual.

We watched the parade and the dog show. I had a fun new puzzle. We ate a traditional dinner with turkey and cranberries. We had pumpkin pie and played a new dice game.

I proposed a new tradition - a Mario Kart Grand Prix! The kids were super excited to compete. I'm pleased that Ben won the tournament, but he has some real competition coming his way!

The day after Thanksgiving we had a beautiful snow. I went to Boulder for a charity dance jam (90 minutes, multiple teachers, all proceeds and time donated). The kids once again were a big help in getting Christmas decorations up indoors. Ben and I did some Christmas shopping on Saturday.

The holiday was wonderfully peaceful and fun. I only wish we could have teleported to visit more family, and that the break was longer. It was VERY hard to get out of my cozy bed this morning. Luckily the next holiday break is only a few weeks away!

Halloween 2023

We enjoyed a GORGEOUS fall this year, until a big snow storm two days before Halloween :-D Oh well, you can't kill the Halloween spirit in these kids!

Our first snow of the season, so I made our traditional celebrator liege waffles. It was fun to look in the garden to see animal paths during the night.
Pumpkins! I got only a single, small jack-o-lantern variety pumpkin to grow this year. My sugar pie pumpkins did better. So the kids carved store bought pumpkins. It's so nice they are old enough to do their own carving. We watched Over the Garden Wall while we worked.
I had fun wearing my costume a couple dance classes. They haven't posted the group photos on social media yet. I'll share them if they look nice.
Jack's Revolutionary era costume came out quite dashing! We took him to a friend's party and I was tickled to see them walking together in breeches.

Sam is a Cat Wizard. All those applique were annoying to sew, but he was happy with the result. Jack 3D printed the crystal at the top of Sam'Sam is a Cat Wizard. All those applique were annoying to sew, but he was happy with the result.

Jack 3D printed the crystal at the top of Sam's staff at school. He is excited to be the TA for his STEM teacher next trimester and hopes to do more printing projects.
Dressed for school and work Halloween morning!
I went to the school parade - it'I went to the school parade - it's always super cute! Then I helped with his class party. I mostly monitored the mystery box station.
Ben took the kids around the neighborhood for trick-or-treating. They got so much candy! I stayed home to pass out treats and play the new Mario video game.
The kids gobbled their candy and we finished the Over the Garden Wall episodes.
It was another Happy Halloween!

Jack's October Concert

Tonight we all attended Jack's first concert of his 8th grade year. They held it in the gym because the younger grade orchestras are so big, the auditorium couldn't accommodate them.

Jack enjoyed being the only cello in the 8th grade group (aside from one girl who mainly plays viola, but joined him for one song as a beginner).

I think he sounds really great! He loves that vibrato and really goes for it. I hope the video sounds good - in person we could clearly hear his instrument on the parts when it was only cello+bass.

I forgot the name of one song. I'll try to update it when he tells me later.

https://youtu.be/kiPJTyDlbKU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcp7bChvnRk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1kVK55kJWE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o74fudZOo8