February 2014 - Proof of life (Grandma Pics)

Here's what we did in January and February:

Izzie turned double digits! We celebrated at the skating rink and Izzie made her friends balloon hats.

Sunday afternoon Jenga championships. She's gonna be a surgeon someday, I think.

Emilie discovered squirrels.

And applesauce.

And got a new high chair!

Matt and I spent too much time at Target, although discovering this skirt that exactly matched his favorite fleece was a high point!

Audrey and Matt discovered ancient writing technologies - chalkboards and tally marks. Audrey is a patient teacher and Matt's an eager learner. It works.

Izzie made a snow crocodile. Can you see it?

Audrey completed our family's first ever science fair project! In case you were wondering, fruit flies are far more attracted to beer than they are to any type of vinegar or fruit. We learned the alcohol content in beer is the same they look for in nature on rotting fruit for laying their eggs. The alcohol protects their young from parasitic wasps. We also learned fruit flies get drunk on fumes and pass out.

We took more pictures of Emilie smiling. Her favorite time of day is right before bed, strangely enough.

Knee creases. I love them. :-)

Izzie's fourth grade all-district strings concert. They were awesome!

We celebrated Valentine's Day with cereal for breakfast, since the kids had to make up a day of school due to snow. They would have otherwise been off for teacher development. We've had a lot of snow days this year!

Audrey let me do heart ponytails for the occasion. Super cute, right?

Her class party was a lot quieter than Izzie's, but Audrey rocked picking up cheerios with pipe cleaners.

This is how Emilie felt about the class parties.

After school we started our family Valentine extravaganza, featuring special crowns made by Matt! He came up with this idea on his own and carefully cut out and taped every crown.

First we watched a youtube video on hand tossing pizzas. Erick got pretty good at it!

Izzie chose stretching hers instead, but she was making a heart shape. She's an artist.

My own masterpiece. It was just as delicious as it looks, but I bet you can't guess the ingredients. Sausage, ham, chicken, tomatoes, pineapple, peppers, banana peppers and blueberry goat cheese. I know, right? But it was amazing.

Next we had dessert. We made human sundaes!

Dad and Erick were on a team, Izzie and Matt were a team, and me and Audrey were a team. Teams got to eat the sundae they created. Erick was a chocolate mess and Matt eventually fell to an errant blueberry in the eye, but all in all it was awesome fun and they were good sports. :-) We finished up the night watching "The Love Bug." So nostalgic.

Audrey and Justin attended a Girl Scout Daddy Daughter dance - the theme was hoedown and somehow I ended up with the craft projects. We made mustaches, wanted posters ad sheriff badges. I think they had fun, but that's one I'm glad is over!

Erick became a Skateport Plaza regular and a limbo king. 

Justin and Erick camped out not one, not two, but THREE months in a row in sub freezing temperatures! Justin works with the deacons, and Erick's along for the ride. The first picture is the Klondike Derby and the second was a January campout. Erick's wearing a green hoodie in both pictures. I swear he owns a coat.

 And that's all for now, folks!