Winter 2021-2022

As we have had a few warmer days around here it seems that spring is coming and we are in the last quarter of school.  I cannot believe that the school year is so close to being done.

For Thanksgiving we actually got to get together with family!  It had been too long since we had been able to get together with Aaron and Tiffany so having them here for the holiday, as well as Grandma Cheryl, sure was fun.  We ate, played games, and just hung around together for the day.

Thanksgiving party in 1st grade:

Making cookies:

We were asked to do the Advent reading at church one Sunday.  Corban got really excited at the idea of doing the reading part, but before we went up there he got really nervous and was saying that he couldn't do it (Gabriel kept offering to jump in and do it).  Corban pushed himself and did it and when we sat back down he kept saying "I did it! I did it!".  Gabriel got to light the candle so getting to handle the fire was pretty exciting to him too.

We went to the Christmas parade in Blacksburg one weekend and the one in Christiansburg another weekend.  The Blacksburg weekend had a "S'mores and hot chocolate" event at the church of a classmate beforehand so the boys enjoyed playing with and watching the parade with some kids from school.

Third grade Christmas party:

First grade and a pinata

We took the boys ice skating for the first time at the hockey rink in Roanoke.  We weren't sure what they would think of it but they loved it and did a lot better then I would have at their age.  They were really brave and ok with falling.  I thought that we'd stay for a bit and then they would get tired of it but we stayed the whole time it was open.  They kept asking to go again but unfortunately it's only open on select days and we couldn't make another one work this year.

Corban saw this sweater and Wal-Mart and asked me to get it for him.  Gabriel said "Mom, look at that cat.  You know that you have to buy that for him."

We also got to go to "Caturday" at the library.  You sign up for times to read to shelter cats (you can also adopt them while you are there).  Corban took his job of reading to the cat very seriously.

Lights and snowflakes to decorate their room

Gabriel was very brave and played the last hymn at the Christmas Eve service with the pianist at church.  He did such a great job even though he was nervous

We stayed home for Christmas and just had a quiet day at home.  Taylor preached the day after and then we headed down to Georgia to see family.  On the actual day we opened presents, played, ate Waffle House, and had the Cary family over to watch Nativity Story.  I nice simple day together.

Our trip to Georgia did not go as expected.  We arrived on Sunday evening and the boys enjoyed playing with Drew and all sleeping in the same room.  On Monday morning Drew woke up sick and tested positive for Covid.  That essentially cancelled the rest of our trip.  We were thinking about staying with a visiting Grandma Cheryl for a couple days if people felt well later in the week, but on the morning that we woke up to head to her house Gabriel was sick to his stomach and Corban had a fever.   We stopped for a little bit to drop off presents at her house and then headed home.  We took the boys to the doctor the next day and they both had Covid as well.  They were only sick for about 24 hours and their symptoms were mild, but it still was sad to not be able to see the rest of our family and friends.

It was a long drive home with the boys not feeling great.  At least Corban had his new Harry Potter wand to hold while he watched movies.

On the topic of sickness, we've had plenty.  After covid they both had colds.  Corban had two separate stomach bugs a week apart and Gabriel and Taylor caught one of them.  Currently Corban is at school today with two other kids in his class.  The other five at out with what is probably the flu.  All of his teachers children are currently home with it as well.  People didn't get sick much for a couple years, we took off our masks, and here come the germs.  That being said though, it is so nice that we started having home group actually in our house again, as well as taking off masks at church and school.  I think our immune systems are just really confused right now.

Late "Birthday" presents from Taylor's Aunt Sally.  Harry Potter books and Legos!

Corban had his first piano recital.  He was nervous but so brave and he did a great job.  When it was over he was insistent that we take a picture with his teacher, who he adores (and she has cats that sometimes are in the room for his lessons, so that's a win too)

New PJs from Gammer (the PJ giving master)

The boys both played basketball for the first time this year, and I don't know how I didn't take more pictures.  They did miss some due to sickness and travel, but they both had fun and learned so much.  The coaches were so encouraging.

Third grade Valentines Party

Science Museum in Roanoke (we had to eat Jimmy Johns for lunch since they went there with me.  If they had gone with Taylor they would have wanted the Roanoke Weiner Stand)

Went to see "The Birdhouse Factory" which is a Cirque type show for kids.  So fun.

The school tried twice to do their Christmas program and it didn't happen.  The first time was right before Christmas and Corban's class was out with Covid so they delayed it until January.  In January there were so many kids/classes out with Covid that they cancelled again.  They finally decided to record it and send it out to everyone.  So we had some Christmas songs in February instead.

For the 100th day of school the first graders were told to dress up like "101 Dalmations".  Corban took the costume very seriously.  He had a lot of great ideas that were too difficult to implement, but he worked hard and was happy with the result.  One thing that we didn't think of until we had done his face was that his mask would mess that up a bit, for which he wasn't happy, but overall I think he was pleased with what he created.

We had multiple snow days in January (between that and all the sickness it felt like we were staying home more then going anywhere).  We had a couple that were really good for playing and building and pieces of the snow fort they made were still out in the yard for a couple weeks afterwards.  It has been a cold winter.

Corban insistent on snorkeling in the bathtub

Making "potion" out of expired spices.  Some of them gave off quite the odd odor.

Daddy made English Muffins, so that called for tea with them (which they weren't crazy about, but were willing to try)

One of stomach bugs.  When Gabriel had it I knew he felt horrible when at 11am he said, "can we turn off the TV?  I want to take a bath and then go to sleep"

Reading with Grandma Cheryl during a recent visit

Just being silly at Barnes and Noble, one of his favorite places to wander

The boys both think that "family style" dining is great fun, so one Saturday before Taylor and I were out in the kitchen they made a family style breakfast with multiple kinds of cereal.

Planting seeds inside.  His teacher is brave

Youth group hike to the Cascades

We thought we were done with the cold and then it snowed again on Saturday, but today the sun is out, the birds are singing, and they only needed sweatshirts for school.  The boys are starting baseball this week too.  Come on spring!