February 2022

 February came with more snow.  This made Emily very happy!  They had a snow day at school and although the school usually assigns work even on snow days, one of the assignments was to go outside and play in the snow.

Emily entered a pie making contest through 4-H.  She made a pumpkin pie and a peach pie.  She was not allowed to have help, and the crust and whipped cream had to be made from scratch as well as the filling.  The pies turned out delicious, and she won first place for her peach pie in her division!  They auctioned it off for $140!!

February always brings one of the most special days of the year for our family: Brendan's birthday.  He turned 14, which in Arkansas is old enough to apply for a learner's driving permit!  He enjoyed a day at the climbing gym and, you guessed it, a DQ ice cream cake.  Happy birthday, amazing boy!!

January 2022

January around our family always seems to be fairly quiet.  We got enough snow for Emily to build a little snowman.  Brendan's betta did not seem to be doing well; we learned that betta fish, while they CAN survive at room temperature, are most healthy and happy at much warmer temperatures.  So, we got 3-gallon tanks for both fish.  Rowan and Fire both seem happier.

Emily got ice skating lessons for just a few weeks.  She enjoyed it and learned a few new things in the short time with her teacher Abby.

December 2021

On December 9, we enjoyed Emily's holiday themed choir concert.  Oreo and Twix got in the holiday spirit!  This December we enjoyed at ice skating show at the Jones Center and lots of ice skating.  We also celebrated Christmas and Brendan built his gingerbread house on Christmas Day - talk about last minute!  The kids each got a betta fish for Christmas.  The red one is Brendan's fish - named Rowan (which means Little Red One), and the blue fish is Emily's - his name is Sapphire, or Fire for short.

November 2021

Another Girl Scout activity was going to Turpentine Creek.  I had to take a picture of the kids in this big chair, because I have one of them in it when they were really little.

Here's a random picture of two cute boys: Brendan and Oreo.

As we have for the past 5 or so years, we enjoyed the opening of the ice-skating rink and lighting of the square with the Wittenbergs.  It is an annual tradition!

October 2021

Emily's Girl Scout troop had an activity at an archery range.  Emily and Brendan got to try their hands at shooting an arrow.  Unfortunately, the weather got bad and they only got to shoot once before we had to abort the mission and make a run for the car through the rain.

Below:

1. Emily shows off her balancing skills at a nearby playground.
2. Getting x-rays taken at the dentist
3. Playing with her brother; he is up in the tree!

Riding a horse with a 4-H leader.  She got a little lesson on grooming and riding.

Halloween: Brendan needed a costume for the Spooktacular Halloween Soiree at Haas Hall.  He is not much of a costume person, but fortunately we found this idea online and I was able to whip up a quick shirt for him.  

Finally, we did our annual pumpkin carving, but this year we did them with friends!

This month, we found out that Uncle Lee is in the hospital with COVID pneumonia.  We wanted to send him things to show we are thinking about him and praying for him.  Because he loves to fish, Brendan made this drawing to send him.  Unfortunately, Lee did not make it and passed away this month.