ice skating

I took Seth ice skating for the first time in December.  Hockey skates!

 Once I stepped on the ice, I began to think it might have been a very bad idea, but we got the hang of it quickly (all the advertisements for the orthopedics clinic and dental implants didn't help...)

 In the penalty box!

While we were skating, Seth asked me if I would always skate with him.  As long as you want me to, kiddo!

while daddy's away...

...we will play!  Or at least as much as we could around school.  Nathan had to go to San Francisco for FIVE SLEEPS.  We did great until day five.  Then we were ready for him to come home.  On Sunday, we took Hannah bowling for the first time, and did a major Michael's shopping spree to get all the crafting supplies we were going to need for the holidays.

 Amelia likes to sleep on Nathan's side of the bed when he is gone.  Or you know, the whole bed...

 Seth has a new favorite restaurant.  It's called Pie Five, and it's basically a pizza version of Subway.  Clean plate club, and he ate a brownie for dessert!

 

Thanksgiving 2013

We had a houseful for Thanksgiving again this year.  James is now officially big enough to sit at the kid table:

There was a new race in town, the Turkey Dash 4 miler.  The six of us ran it.  It was FREEZING cold!

 Matchy-matchy!

 On Thanksgiving night, Amelia talked all the cousins (minus James) into going to see Frozen.

 Walking through uptown Friday evening...

 Friday night, we all went to the Bobcats game.  It was free hat night!

let there be light!

The lamps we had in our old house just weren't giving us enough light in our family room.  These are old brass lamps Nathan's mom gave us...spray painted and topped with shades from Target.  Huge improvement from what we had before, and the old lamps sold right away at the consignment shop!

what??? November snow???

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes.  11-12-13. 

farm field trip

Amelia's first field trip was to a local farm.  We took a hayride...



...toured an old railroad car...

...conquered a corn maze...

...slid down a silo... 

...fed some farm animals...

...ate a picnic lunch, picked out a pumpkin, and played on a playground.  It was a very busy day!

milking it

I happened to be volunteering at the book fair when Seth's class was in the library shopping.  As he was leaving, he handed me this list.

Don't you know, I bought him every single book on that list?  Smart kid.

Inner Peaks

(When I get to February/March, you will understand why this fell by the wayside again...)

Our school had a spirit day at an indoor rock climbing place.  The kids had a blast!