January wrap-up

January was a great start to the year. The kids are playing basketball and beginning the second half of their school year. Chris is working from home while his office is going through a business renovation. I started training for a new temporary job through an organization I volunteer with to cover for a person going out on maternity leave. It was mostly cold but we did have a couple quite warm days mixed in.

Rosie rocking her new cloak at church. Our church has motion sensors on the door since Covid, so she stalked up, held up her palm, and the doors opened before her. It was hilarious.

Participating in children's ministry on Sundays...

Ben really struggled with his flu shot this year. He hid in the corner under jackets in the doctor's office refusing to get his shot. Rosie also struggled, but not quite as much.

Ben building stuff with Lincoln Logs...

We "ducked" our church secretly on New Year's Day. We did this on a day off in October, too. So far only 2 staff members know it was us...

Jane went to a DIY birthday party with a friend and made a fun Taylor Swift craft.

The kids have been playing some street hockey.

Ben made me a crown and some leg things so I could be a queen and was very proud of his efforts!

All the girls started getting into curlers...

Rosie got to bring home Birdie - a crochet cardinal the Kindergarteners get to pass around. She brought him to basketball games and loved having him.

We took a hike with friends.

Jane made a Chinese headdress for a class project.

The difference between Ben's (right) and Rosie's (left) coloring. Ben loves art and colors.

Auntie Ashleigh came to visit! We tried to do a fire but it was so cold and had rained so much that the wood wouldn't stay lit for long.

Eleanor started cotillion.

Family football time...

Eleanor won 1st and Jane won 2nd place for the 3-5th grade Reflections contest they entered last month. Rosie won 1st and Ben won 2nd for the K-2nd grade contest!

We hiked/walked with cousins on a day off from school.

Rosie (and Ben) learned a lot about squirrels this month and build squirrel dreys that came home to take up space in our house.

Ben and Rosie love building things.

Our slackline cut into our tree! We had to readjust it. But we had a couple warm days and the kids spent a lot of time outside.

We went to Busch Gardens for Mardi Gras.

It was a good month, but sadly we didn't get any snow. There were a couple of potential storms that hit other places in Virginia but completely missed us, which was quite a bummer. We're still holding out hope for February...