School Pictures

Since we are admittedly terrible about sharing the kids' school pictures with our relatives, I at least wanted to give everyone a peek at them. Our expectations for these pictures are very low: #1 eyes open, and #2 smile with teeth.
Below is my second grade school picture to scare all of you who think we look alike. Maybe I shouldn't have smiled with teeth.

Skating

To celebrate the first day of Christmas vacation and the unusually warm weather we took in some skating downtown. If any of you go I want to warn you that the guy handing out skates is a grinch. If you have your own skates avoid him.

Emiline and Reid were happy with their skills. It's all fun and games until you fall down. Reid didn't seem to mind his falls, but after Emiline fell once she was ready to go. She thought it looked like she had "an accident." I told her if that is what was happening then we were in trouble because half the skaters down there had pants that had gotten wet. Maybe we really should avoid those puddles on the rink.

The kids want me to add that Emiline went really fast at the end, and it was Reid's first time on real skates. He wants you to know he went fast too.

Christmas Violin Recital

Emiline had her Christmas violin recital last Thursday. She played Allegro perfectly while her piano accompanist lacked in the skills department. Next time we will have to practice more. We'll just say that some chords didn't come out as they were intended to.


She finished off with a duet of Jingle Bells with again, another lousy accompanist. If anyone has a request for a personal recital we are taking calls at our leisure.

The Holiday Pressure

This week I caved on two things. Number one is a shelf elf. The kids kept looking around hoping an elf would magically appear on the bookcase. Sometimes they were looking a little too intently. It is my suspicion that this is a direct correlation to how much they were tormented at school that day because everyone else has a shelf elf. I didn't seem too optimistic.

Then on the way up the steps after karate the kids saw a package with their name on it from S.C. in North Pole Village. I guess when the head elf sends one of his little guys to your house for December you have to let him stay so I caved.


Now Zipper, which is the name the kids gave him, has come to live with us for a few weeks. The funny thing is they will sit and talk to him. Some of the things are whispered like a secret, but if he has taking his daily perch in a place out of reach they decide to yell at him. I have a feeling he will be finding some lower shelves to sit on.

The second thing I caved on was outdoor Christmas lights. I hadn't put them up because it's been extremely cold every day. The kids wanted them desperately and Emiline cried because our house wasn't in the spirit of Christmas. Even thought it was warm out today I still cut corners. Notice I stayed away from the high places.

Thursdays

Lately, Thursdays are crazy days. Reid has karate right after school and then we come home for a very early dinner. Emiline has ballet, then moves on to basketball and finally gets home right before bed. I don't think days like this are going to end anytime in my near future. I'm glad I've taken up needlepoint for the little bits of time I have between driving.

Suited up and ready to go.

Reid testing for his first fundamental yellow stripe in karate. He broke a block of wood for the first time. Now he thinks he has "hands of steel."

Emiline at the barre and attempting splits during ballet. According to her this is her good leg.