December 2017

Scott played guitar at local venues three evenings in December.  We went to see him all three times.  :-)

Maverick was just getting steady on his feet.

The third time was also Scarlett's third birthday.  We had cake and sang happy birthday to her a few days before Christmas, which is also where we finally got a nice group photo.  Some were taken at Thanksgiving, but most of us had glowing white eyes.  I'll put those in a November post tomorrow, because it's getting late.

Anyway, we didn't get any pictures of Scarlett's cake, but we did spend a wonderful long weekend with her sleeping over at our house, and we ended the night with a quick stop at a locally famous Christmas display.

October 2017

Theresa turned 14.

In early October we also celebrated Mam Mam's 75th birthday.  We actually managed to sneak into the kitchen while she was receiving birthday wishes on the telephone, and put up the famous Birthday Sign.  Kirsten and Maverick were even able to join us.

Philip's favorite pastime when visiting Mam & Pap

Still can't make it through the day without a nap.  Thank my lucky stars!!

Sometimes the nap takes place at the wrong time due to poor planning.

Hamming in front of the green screen at the nearest escape room.

Noelle had the idea to make crocheted donuts for Regina's birthday.

Scott started his new job.

Jeanster met her match.

Brian's face on Theresa's head

Natalie's Halloween Candy Dispensing Machine invention

Taking care of Kansas after practice

And I had to include this shot, taken at vaulting practice in front of one of the glorious sunsets they enjoy so frequently.

Two more of those sunsets:

Visiting Granddad and Pat

The last time they got to see the baby, he was only a few weeks old.  Next week he’ll be 10 months old!

He was his usual pleasant, charming self during the visit!

Equestrian Vaulting

Regina is the stretchiest, most flexible little thing imaginable.  More than once I've thought that she should take gymnastics, but the closest school is 25 miles away, and it isn't cheap.  

Theresa has been working since July at a nearby stable, helping take care of the barn and horses.  She loves horses and seems to take to them very naturally.  She'd love to learn to ride, but the owner won't teach anyone to ride unless they've had at least a year of vaulting lessons. 

I've known for 10 years about the equestrian vaulting team there, but I neither had any kids who were interested nor did I have any interest in getting involved in another sport, especially one that involves travel to competitions.

So combining Regina's gymnastic inclinations with Theresa's desire to ride, I was led to seriously contemplate signing them up for the vaulting team. 

Regina had her first practice about a month ago. She vaulted on the practice barrel the first time, but was on a real horse by the second practice.

Theresa took a bit longer, maybe two weeks, to be convinced to give it a try.  Inclement weather (and the solar eclipse, which made the animals restless and unpredictable) kept them practicing in the barn for the next few practices, but Theresa had her first experience vaulting on horseback on Sunday the 10th.

Of course, she would be the one to fall off during her second move. But she got back on, finished the practice, and went back a few days later for the next one.

Sometimes I think it's growing on her; other times I think she's really not into it and she'll drop out.  Regina, on the other hand, says she's going to stay on this team until the owner says she's too old and kicks her out.

Her Job Definitely Has Perks

He's home!!!

Scott & Scarlett

She'll be five at the end of the year.

Clare on her 16th

I can't believe she's sixteen already!  We kicked off the day with a visit to the DMV, followed by her maiden voyage behind the wheel.




Later we celebrated at her grandparents' house with a homemade Red Velvet Cake, thanks to Alton Brown.

  

A Clean Room is a Beautiful Thing

It never fails.  They let their stuff lie around until the floor is impassable, and the cleaning job is overwhelming.  Then I have to step in and direct them until it's put back together.

However, there's nothing like a newly clean room to inspire them.  They played quietly in there for over an hour once the carpet was visible again!

Philip

Philip loves to be outside, weather notwithstanding.  However, he can't be trusted to go outside by himself, and more often than not there are no willing volunteers to chaperone him.

This afternoon he asked for his raincoat so he could go out in the rain.  We couldn't find the raincoat, but he was content with his jean jacket.  I was in the kitchen, finishing a meal, but every so often I'd step out of the front door and call his name, Marco-Polo style.

The last time I just peeked in the yard instead of calling  him.  There he was, flat on his belly on a slab of flagstone, directly under the rain spout.  I watched as he reached down into a puddle and fished around until he had a rock.  Then he put the rock in the bucket of his dump truck, backed it down the slab, and dumped the rock on a pile with the others.  Then he drdove back up to the top and started over.

As soon as he noticed me, he started hamming for the camera, then announced, "I'm done," and headed off to his next adventure.

 

He has also been very interested in the crayon maker the kids received a few years ago from their grandparents.  Twice a day he asks if he can make new crayons.  Here he is eagerly watching them melt.

May Pictures

 
 Philip and I painting. His idea of painting is to cover an entire sheet with red and then ask for another sheet. Repeat ad nauseam.

  
Regina and her new school book.  She was so proud when she completed the last one. 

Opening day at Knoebels! 

  

 

Theresa and Scarlett in front, Natalie and Philip second, Scott and Regina third.
That is not a smile on Philip's face!

 

Godfather and godson getting some quality time together.

We spent a weekend at the Kalahari indoor water resort, but we were too busy to take any pictures except this one.


  

The scene of the crime – the place in the lobby of the Kalahari where the twins lost track of Philip for 10 heart-stopping minutes.

The kids went to sit on the couches in front of a massive fireplace in  front of those windows while I got our hotel wristbands.  I specifically asked them not to take their eyes off him.   Nevertheless they got distracted, and Philip wandered away from them unnoticed.  He ended up sitting on that little step, where a member of housekeeping happened upon him and asked where his parents were.  He said he didn't know, and he wasn't yet wearing his wristband for ID, so they took him behind the front desk, where I went a few minutes later after I realized they'd lost him.  

Setting out flags for deceased veterans for Memorial Day.

 

A special visitor at the Memorial Day festival.