January

I'm catching up on all the happenings of our family.  I just haven't been documenting my life like I used to.  I still enjoy writing and this is a little different than posting on social media. My girls are getting older and they aren't having all of the little milestones that they used to have and then whenever I DO take a photo, they are suspicious of where it is going to end up going.  These poor children who have had their lives posted in some social media format since birth...
January came and went.  Joey was busy coaching his We The People Team and the did a great job at their State Competition.  On New Years Day we went and saw Star Wars:The Last Jedi.  We all loved it.  After the movie, Sammie wanted to get her ears pierced.  She had been thinking about it for a while and since Olivia got hers pierced when she was 11 and after we went a saw a movie, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.  She looks darling in her new earrings.  They had a little trouble healing, but I think we ended up winning and she now has plastic posts in her ears with no more irritation.  Abby broke her foot on January 4th while spending the night at her friends house.  She jumped off the couch and landed wrong.  It took 3 weeks before we knew it was actually broken, but she had been on crutches that whole time.  The break couldn't be seen on an x-ray and she had to have an MRI.  It took a little longer to heal that we thought but she seems to be doing fine now.
Olivia has been enjoying being on the Mock Trial Team and it seems to be her "thing."  She loves the friends she has made and the chance she gets to research and do a little acting. 
I seemed to think organizing Olivia's art stuff was a major feat, because I took a photo of it.  It makes me want to sit and draw when I look at it.
We attended a spectacular "New Beginnings" evening. It was amazing with a Wizard of OZ theme.  So creative.  It is crazy to have 2 girls in the Young Women program. It is a wonderful place to be. I wish I had taken more pictures of the whole thing.

 

NYE Dance

When you have a teenager and something is really important to them, it's important to listen.  Olivia really wanted to make it home to go to the New Year's Eve Dance.  She and her friends had been talking about if for weeks.  We scrunched in all of that fun in one week, drove back home on Saturday to make it home in time for the dance that night.  I think she had a great time ringing in the New Year with her friends.

San Francisco with the JB's

Sammie has nicknamed her Grandma and Grandpa Biron the JB's because of their first names, Jackie and Jerry.  Now when we talk about them it is just, "The JB's."  We visited them in the Bay Area after all of the other fun we had. We loaded up the car, yet again, with all of our stuff and extra stuff because of Christmas.  You only live once, right?  We had a great day in San Francisco and went to the Science Center in Golden Gate Park.  Jerry had worked on the lighting plan s for the building and was eager for us to see his work.  The lighting and exhibits were spectacular.  Grandma joined us for the day and we stopped at some other spots as well.  It was a gorgeous day in the city.

We Sure Love These Cousins

We got lots of fun and crazy cousin time.  We looked at Christmas lights, visited the Train Museum, where Sammie got sick, and played at the park.  It's always a party when we're all together and the group just keeps getting bigger.

Christmas Day Pics

Evolution of a Family Photo

I thought this series of photos was so funny.  First one, then another, then another and then mom.
Christmas day was on a Sunday.  We opened presents and then went to church.  It was kind of fun to get all dressed up on Christmas day.

A Tahoe Christmas

My parents had their cabin for Christmas this year.  Becky and I jumped on that and we both went for Christmas.  It was magical to spend Christmas together.  I wish Becky and I lived closer to one another.  We had a great time and it was great to see Charlie and Harper.  I even ice skated, which I haven't done in ages.  It felt so good thanks to the fact that I have been doing yoga daily or else I would have collapsed.  I have ups and downs with how my body feels, but I was having some up days over Christmas and I was so happy about it.  There was just a little bit of snow.  Not quite enough to play in. Also, I'm not sure how all of my girls are such naturals at ice skating.  They have no problems out on the ice.  Abby was taking laps at rapid fire pace.  I don't think she knows how to do anything slow.