School daze

Got to enjoy some time volunteering in the kids's school the past several weeks. Helped at Jack's Valentine's Day party, chaperoned Benjamin's school field trip to the Science Center, and visited
Gavin's classroom for his Star of the Week presentation. I love it when my schedule allows for flexible time to do these types of things. Helping at the Book Fair this week. Nothing like counting out $8 in nickels and dimes!

Jack the 4th grader

Jack had a short solo at his 4th grade music concert, and also entered a drawing of the Eiffel Tower into the school art fair. He is growing up fast!

Birthday FaceTime

Jack was home sick with a cold today, and it was several hours into the day when we realized that it was also the day his half birthday treats were to be delivered to his classroom. In the afternoon, his teacher and class called via FaceTime to sing him Happy Birthday. It was the sweetest thing, and brightened both of our days. I can't say enough good things about the school my kids are at. The teachers always go the extra mile to take care of their kids.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter & Universal Studios

This past week we fulfilled the boys' big Christmas present this year and took them to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando. I will never get tired of Florida in January. Luckily the weather fully cooperated so that we had two nice days in the park, and a gorgeous sunny day for the pool. Mike and I enjoyed this more than we anticipated; probably because it was low season for the theme park so crowds and lines were at an unusual low. The boys had a good time, too!

Hogsmeade

Gavin's first Butter Beer

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

Gringotts Bank

The Leaky Cauldron

Diagon Alley

Benji at the Three Broomsticks

Eating at the Three Broomsticks

Unexpected water play at Curious George land

Waiting for the Hogwarts Express

Seuss Train

I thoroughly enjoyed soaking them with water guns from above.

Cowfish Grill = sushi for Gav, Mike & Brandy and burgers for Benji & Jack

82 degrees in January

Gav in the hot tub

The Hideaway Grill at Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Our hotel had a bowling alley on-site, and we took advantage of that after a long day in the sun at the pool.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort, on-site at Universal, was very family friendly and had moves in their pool courtyards each night.

Christmas 2016

Seems to be going off with the usual gusto. Enjoying the thuderstormy day indoors. Boys are having Nerf gun fights, playing Wizard's chess, baking new recipes out of a newly acquired cook book, and tossing the baseball. Oh, and eating sweets. A lot.

Dijo in a box. Sponsored by Amazon.com

Lucy the Hospice kitty

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Fat Phine

Wizard's Chess

Treasure Hunting with clues

Big gift is the surprise of a January trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Watching some videos about the place online. 

Kombucha

I've been buying kombucha from the Coop. It's not cheap. A gallon is nearly $20. It's good, and I feel better about the boys drinking that with breakfast than plain juice. So I got a SCOBY from a friend and decided to try it on my own. It certainly doesn't look good, and I'm nervous about the learning curve. But I do like new adventures, so here goes nothing....

War with the Legos

When The Container Store opened up down the street a few weeks ago, I had but one thing in mind: finally finding a system for sorting and organizing our Legos. I keep thinking the boys would play with them more if they could see all the options, and find the pieces they would need for their sets. So we started the sorting. Jack was a trooper.

The final product was beautiful to behold.

Now it remains to be seen if 1) they play with Legos more often, and 2) the system ever looks like this again. 

Christmas is a comin

Someone didn't eat his dinner, so couldn't eat his cut-out cookie