Ice Fishin'

Daddy took the kids fishing on Dadurday.  I think the high was 58, so it was a good day to get outside and enjoy the weather.  

Hoops

She made her first basket on the last game of the season!

What we've been up to

A phone dump of sorts...  But here's what we've been doing!

Reading at the library...

Watching Netflix during Punky's ice skating lesson...

Playing Minecraft and watching DanTDM and Gaming Beaver...

Building a snowman...

The final result of the birthday party pottery...

Trying to complete 1st grade homework...  (The teacher emailed the next day to apologize for the incredibly hard assignment.  She didn't read the work sheet all the way through.  Even Derek needed a calculator and Google to solve the answers!)

Finally getting library cards...

Mastering skills and achieving so much...  and making mama cry because she was so proud.

Punky is 7!

Our sweet baby girl is 7 years old.  Impossible.  

I don't have the words to express how much Punky means to me and to our family.  But here's a little questionnaire to remember who Punky was at 7 years old.  

Favorite Color- pink

Favorite Book- Geronimo Stilton

Favorite Subject in School- reading

Favorite Food- roasted chicken

Favorite Thing to Do- play outside

Favorite Toy- all of them

Favorite Restaurant- dave and busters

Favorite TV Show- all

Favorite Movie- norm of the north

Favorite Game- life

Favorite Computer Game- minecraft

Activities I am in- ice skating, basketball and choir

Best Friend- sophie, evie, avyn

(I wish she wouldn't have asked me to help her.  Before I came into the room, it read "gerimo stilton" "rosted chikin" and "sophe" but she insisted on spelling correctly.  Also, Norm of the North was the last movie she saw and it was terrible.  And she says she likes all toys but hardly ever plays with them, so who knows.)

We had a family party on Saturday.  Since Punky isn't a fan of cake, we stuck the candles in her Special K bar.  

On Sunday, she invited some friends to go to a pottery painting place for her birthday party.  All her friends (and even her brother) were so well behaved and so kind.  What a great group of kids!  They all had a ton of fun painting and it was so neat to hear their conversations between each other.  It's crazy how as a parent you love each stage your kid is in.  Here are some photos of the big party.  I'm off to bed- it was an exhausting weekend!

Punky painted an ice cream cone box.

Buddy painted a turtle box.  

All the kids hard at work.

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They needed to do three coats- Buddy's turned out to be very brown.

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She also painted a tile that will go on the store wall.

Buddy enjoyed talking about Minecraft and Pokemon with the boys.

At 7 years old, they all look and smile when you line them up for a photo!  Crazy!

Old habits die hard

Ok, I guess I just can't stay away...  But we actually did a few things the last half of Christmas break, so I want to document it.  Since this blog is for future Punky and Buddy and because I have a terrible memory.

We played Life with Punky.  I've got to stop letting her win.

Buddy got threw up at 3am one night.  He felt fine in the morning.  So who knows where that came from?

We went to a Timberwolves game on Saturday night which typically wouldn't be my idea of a fun night, but it was actually pretty fun!  Punky's friend's dad works for the Timberwolves so they hooked us up with awesome seats.  When we got to our seats, Punky asked Derek if they were going to raise the hoops.  Derek had to remind her that the players were just that tall so the hoops looked low!  The girls got to sit together and play, talk and dance.  Buddy got to howl like a wolf as much as he wanted.  The moms got to talk too.  But the Timberwolves played well the first quarter so that was fun to watch.  They kinda stunk the rest of the game and ended up losing.  The kids loved the crowd and the atmosphere of being at the game, so it was exciting.  Punky is starting basketball lessons next week- so it was also a good introduction to playing a real game. They even made it on the jumbrotron!

I need to get better at picking up my big camera and not relying on the iPhone.  But convenience wins.  Maybe I should store my camera downstairs instead of our bedroom...

Week 52

Week 52...  one year of weekly posts!  It was a lot.  I'm going to shoot for monthly or bi-monthly posts for 2016.  Sorry to all three of you who read this. 

Christmas was really good this year.  We stuck to many of our same traditions and I LOVE that.  Christmas Eve morning we spend together as our family of four.  We opened our presents and saw what Santa brought.  Derek made bacon and caramel rolls from scratch.  Punky actually tried the caramel rolls this year- maybe when the kids are teenagers they will enjoy them like we do. 

I bought matching Christmas PJs for the kids this year.  We are never not having matching Christmas PJs ever again.

We headed to Maynard that afternoon for church and dinner at Great-Grandma Margene's.  She serves lutefisk and Swedish meatballs.  The kids didn't try that.  They load up on bread and the relish tray.  While the ladies are cleaning up and doing dishes, Grandpa Scott takes everyone to school across the street and the boys (young and old) and kids play basketball and other gym activities.  This year was smaller as most of Derek's cousins are now married and have kids, so the gift giving didn't last until midnight like I remember it did when the kids were littler.  We were back to Grandma's in bed by 10. 

Matching church clothes too!

We spent Christmas Day at Grandma Trudi and Grandpa Scott's.  We ate turnovers for breakfast and spaghetti for lunch.  Once all the cousins got to town, we opened presents.  The kids were spoiled but a good amount.  They were really happy with their gifts and didn't get to the "I can't open another present" stage or the "I wanted more!" stage. 

Cousins!

One Week Old

Babies' First Christmas

The forecast was calling for 10 inches of snow and 40 mile an hour wind, so we left that night instead of the next morning like we had planned.  Six years ago, there was a terrible blizzard that prevented us from getting to my parent's house for Christmas and I did not handle it well.  Yes, I was pregnant (and didn't know it at the time) but I think I would've been super sad without the crazy hormones.  The three hour car ride took us closer to five, but we made it. 

We spent the weekend with Grandpa Max and Grandma Debbie.  Auntie Shannon, Nate and Leah were there for the majority of our time too.  We missed Abby this year.  She is growing up and has to work a real job and all that business.  (She gave the kids amazing gifts- Buddy got a remote control dinosaur like he had been asking for!  And Punky got makeup and nail stuff and a stuffed animal.  She was really generous and we sure missed her). We all learned that a five year old boy and a beagle aren't a good mix- it got a little crazy at times.  But it was a nice weekend filled with good food, games, movies and relaxing.  Apparently, too relaxing because I came home with no pictures taken!  (except this one of Leah doing Punky's makeup)

We were able to get outside and play in the snow which felt really good considering how many Christmas cookies I ate. 

We got back home at a decent time today.  The house is a disaster and I don't know where we are going to put everything yet.  That's part of the fun though.  :)

 

Week 51

A quick post tonight so I can keep up with Christmas preparations...

We visited our new nephew/cousin today!  Baby G is 3 days old!  

I didn't get a picture of just Punky holding the baby- glad we get to spend Christmas Day with him soon!