Sunrise view after Friday morning swimming.
Thanks to some help from social media friends we hot glued the gingerbread houses, much more stable!
Grocery shopping, LOL. She's a goof.
School photos in.
Woke up Sunday December 10th to see this BIG bird in the tree, he caught my eye. So I watched him for probably an hour before he finally flew away. Had to have been a baby hawk.
Kids had their second snow ski lesson that Sunday, then we went to REI and went out to eat for an early birthday celebration to use a Bucca coupon of Kyle's. They sang him Happy Birthday.
Emma had lost a part of an earring, so we pulled the couches out to look for it. Discovering that SOMETHING had enjoyed a snickers under the couch and a TON of crumbs the kids had left by 'not eating in the living room'. We could see the mouse poop but there was hardly any poop so we were confused and thinking maybe it was just a chipmunk that came in since we hadn't had any sort of mouse problem as of yet. We set up a trap that evening and sure enough first thing in the morning we'd caught him. No other signs of mice (we reset the trap upstairs).
Wednesday, December 13th Thomas had his 1st grade African Drumming Performance. Brother Ghana had been working with the first graders for a couple months and today was their big performance.
Friday swimming, this is the hallway leaving the girls locker room.
Sunday was Kyle's actual birthday. We went to church and him and the kids went to the slopes early to make use of the final class pass. That night we went out to Amazing Thailand.
Monday run, 3 littles on Christmas break already. Isaac still in school this week.
Girls had a friend sleep over, we made fudge and cookies.
and santa earrings.
Played like 5 games and 3D printed a game piece... all before 2:30!
Kyle was in Wichita on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday I took the kids to Scheels to pick up an ice fishing pole for Kyle's Christmas present.
We also finally landed on a new orthodontist for Isaac. He had a couple consults and the plan was settled this week. He'll get his first set January 15th, which is the first photo and expander on top and bottom for 3 months.
These photos were from mid-december when he went in for measurements.
On December 19th I went into to go over the final plan and pay for this...$$$
Phase one is the expanders, but because he has some tongue thrusting which is causing structural damage he will have these little 'spikes' on the bottom to train his tongue to not press on the back of his bottom teeth, this will be in ALL the phases for the next 3 years. Phase one is to be 3-4 months.
Phase 2 is this bracket to help align his bite better, rubber bands on both sides. With that tongue trainer on the bottom. This is for another 3-4 months.
Then come the braces. He'll start with the top set for 8 weeks maybe before getting the lower ones.
Then after the braces for 24 months or so it's retainers at nighttime for lifetime.
Another view of the tongue trainers, ouch.
Friday December 22nd we went out to eat at Yard House, this big tree is set up at the West End... can't get a decent sibling photo but that's life. 2nd one is probably my favorite where it looks like Thomas is having a stroke ::eye roll::
There was a pop-up art exhibit a few doors down so we went in to check it out. Super cool 3D looking art.
Saturday we made a wood fire, we hadn't done this since last year. Was nice to smell and hear it. Kids helped to bring in more wood, it was rainy all weekend.
Sunday morning, Christmas Eve, I had a nice little surprise while I was working out on the bike in the basement. A sickly ill mouse came hobbling across the floor. When we discovered that one upstairs I reloaded the poison in the outside traps that I hadn't refilled since we'd moved in a year and a half earlier. Looks like it's doing its job cuz this mouse was on the verge of death. I was able to call for Kyle and he got gloves on and scooped it up in a bag to dispose of. I look for dead mice every time I enter the workout room now... nothing yet!
