Another Girls' Day!

The Friday after parent/teacher conferences, there was no school and Brock was at a friend's house, so we had one of our infamous girls' days!  We began our adventure at Gateway Mall, where we found some "must haves" to add to the girls' wardrobe collection.

A few stores later, we were ready to head to Olive Garden for lunch (their favorite restaurant) and enjoyed unlimited soup and salad. Yummy! 

After lunch, we took a trip to "Grooming Puppies" to play with some playful puppies, and then we headed home.

Thanks for the fun and wonderful day, Girls!  I love these days that we can spend together!

Date Night

For our date night, we took a trip down memory lane. We had a secret map of locations that played a large part in the foundation of our relationship. It was so much fun to see all of these special places again.

Basketball, Basketball, Basketball! And some other things...

What a basketball season it has been!  Brock and Ella are wrapping up their seasons showing so much growth in areas of skill, sportsmanship, and teamwork.  We have spent the last couple of weekends at basketball tournaments, in which the kids played their hearts out.  In the Seward tournament, Brock and Ella's team placed 3rd, and in the Crete tournament, Brock's team placed 2nd.  It was so much fun to watch the kids play, and what was really neat was that while we were waiting between games, other kids that we knew were playing which made the day all-the-more enjoyable.

Yep, this pretty much sums up the season for us.

Sophie and Kynleigh made the most amazing rainbow swirl cake with marshmallow vanilla frosting!

On a side note, I GRADUATED!  My master's degree is finally complete, and I could not have done it without the help and support of my family and friends.  Many, many, many early hours were compromised so that my school didn't have to interfere with family time.  On the days that it did cut into our daily lives, I couldn't have asked for a more supportive hubby and kids to pick up the slack and be so understanding.  This was definitely a TEAM effort, and I feel so blessed!  Now, I can use those early morning hours to SLEEP!  Hooray!   

What do you do when you throw out your back while hauling branches?  You sun bathe like the dog.  Good idea, Harpie!  

Two trips to the chiropractor told me that my hips are completely out of alignment, which would explain my on-again-off-again back aches.  We have pinpointed it to when I had my bunionectomy and was boot-riden for four months.  At the time, my doctor did recommend that I get lifts for my good foot/shoe so that I could balance properly while wearing my boot to alleviate any hip pain/stress.  Do you think I listened?  Well, I am paying for it now.  Lesson learned.  I feel like there were a lot of lessons learned this year... (wah, wah, wah).

Icy Day Charades

The kids finally got their SNOW DAY!  Well, more like an ice day, but it's all the same.  Surprisingly, they have been getting along with minimal cabin fever for the most part.  Their activities have included making forts, cakes, donuts, bacon, playing their devices, and having Minecraft and Uncharted PS4 challenges.  I would have to say that the fort that they made today trumps all forts they have ever made.  This fort was one large unit separated into three "bedrooms."  Brock's was the smallest room because he gave little to no effort to build it, while the girls' rooms were very spacious and inviting.

Brock's Fort

Sophie's Fort

 She is the keeper of the gummy bears.

Ella's Fort

Brock kept chanting, "Give me gummy bears!  Give me gummy bears!".  The girls just ignored him.

Now, that's a tent city!

Ella's 10th and Sophie's 8th Birthday

Happy, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my giggly, goofy girls!  Time is flying by so fast.  Your dad and I are very proud of the kind-hearted and selfless young ladies that you are growing up to be.  Keep making the world a better place a day at a time.  <3

 All she really wanted for her birthday was for it to snow.  It did.  :)

Jewelry Box Cake

Light Up Monkey and Panda Rings

Emoji Crazy!

What a perfect birthday!

Basketball has begun!  Ella is #22.

 Birthday Party Shenanigans - Hot Cocoa Ornaments and Personalized Mugs

 Researching ideas for mug decorations:

Sophie's present from Kynleigh was a fish! 

Meet Twilight

Sophie couldn't stop hugging her for the fish!

 "I want to light them by myself!"

She thought it would be a good idea spray her spit to blow out her candles.  

It worked!

In the words of Sophie, "Eww...your friends have to eat that."

Our traditional holiday decorating party!

Sophie and Ella made the sandwiches.

They made the chocolate covered strawberries, as well.

Brock made a Christmas list.

I may have put lights in every location that I possibly could.