House Update

 These photos are now about a week old, but the house is coming together.  We can see the end.  Its painted, counters are in, light fixtures are in, the closet built ins are done, door handles and cabinet handles are in and some furniture is ordered.  Whew!  Only a few more (feels like a hundred) things to decide on (towel knobs, TP holders, shades, and more furniture).

The Puzzle Guy

 Sometimes the things the kids do the most we forget to take pictures of.  B does multiple puzzles, multiple times a day.  Not 3 year old puzzles, but 2-400 piece puzzles.  This is the "Cereal" puzzle that has 400 pieces and we have done nearly 400 times.  

5th grade ski day

 There's never a dull week with three kiddos.  Monday was the science fair, Tuesday I was the helping parent in B's class, Wednesday B had swim lessons (and various other errands to run), Thursday was the 5th grade ski day (that I got to go on) and Friday was the arts festival and B's swim lessons.  And Brian was out of town all week.  All good stuff, but the ski day was one of the highlights.  The school takes all the kids in 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade to A Basin for a day of skiing with friends.  As you can see from the photos, LT had a great time.

Helping Day

 It was my helping day in B's class yesterday.   It was a construction worker/puzzle maker kind of day.

Haircuts and Green Hair

"Bomb Cyclone" Snow Days

 LT was out Monday and Tuesday from school due to the flu and then the kids all had Wednesday and Thursday off due to the "Bomb Cyclone" snow days.  As I mentioned in another blog, these are some of my favorite days to break out activities we never have time for.  I decided on a dinosaur theme worth of activities.  Above, we made a dinosaur playground.  Below, B had to excavate the dinos out of paper shreds (lava) with tongs.

 And rescue the dinos that had been taped up.

 Dino footprints and painting.

 Matching letters.

 Dino bath.

 And Thursday, when the weather was quite warm and there was plenty of snow, we piled an enormous amount of snow and then dug out a snow fort big enough for the kids to go in.

Choice Time

 I try to bring in a choice time activity at least once a year for each boy.  Before Valentines Day, I was signed up to bring in duct tape flowers.  However, B got sick and I had to post pone my choice day.  I had all the materials, so I brought it in a few weeks later.  Honestly, I thought LT and his buddies would do something else and it would be 5 kids I didn't know well at my table.  It ended up being a table of 7 4th and 5th grade boys, all making roses.  They decided to combine and make one big bouquet to sell at City Floral.  And of course, they had to show off a little before choice time.

Gramps

Unfortunately my 93 year old grandma passed away the day we got home from Austin.  I headed back out that weekend for her funeral, but the silver lining was getting to spend time with this guy, my 96 year old grandpa, as well as all my cousins.

Austin Marathon

 Brian and I went to Austin a few weeks ago with some friends so that I could run the Austin Marathon.  It ended up being a really fun event and a great weekend in Austin.

 Day Before.

 One of my college room mates moved to Austin the week before and so we had an afternoon to catch up.

 And the kids remembered the candy shop we found the last time we were in Austin.  Brian and I brought them back some goodies, and of course, candy cigarettes.

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