Spring Has Come!

Love was in the air this Valentine's Day for the school Parent/Kid dances. Dave took Emily to the father/daughter dance and the boys went with me the next night to the mother/son dance.  The kids love this night.  They never stop dancing!!

We did Sky Tavern again this year and the kids love the program.  They always complain about having to wait for everyone to catch up but love to ski.  Dave taught their class and I manned the ski lift.  I got to say hi every time they went up the hill which made my momma heart happy.  I'm thankful my kids still like having me around. 

So Emily did a big thing this year.  She was in the talent show again but this time she SANG.  One of her favorite YouTubers is Rosanna Pansino.  Rosanna bakes fun cakes and sweets, has a cute personality, and also made a music video with a song she wrote.  Emily is in love with the song and really wanted to sing it for the talent show.  A friend recorded the backup piano music of the song for her and she stood in front of hundreds of people and sang.  We are so proud of her and how brave she is!

Aaron had his 2nd grade music performance.  He doesn't enjoy being in front of lots of people very much so when he gets up there its a big deal for him.  He did a great job!

We had Easter brunch at our house again this year.  The kids love hunting for eggs in the backyard with both younger and older cousins.  They've gotten good at leaving the easier ones for the littles and we always hide a few super hard ones for the high schoolers.  It's fun to find eggs no matter how old you are right?  Maybe next time we'll have to put money in those older kids' eggs...;)

The very next day, Aaron turned a whopping 8 years old and celebrated at Defy trampoline park with a few of his good friends from school.  After jumping, we brought the kids back to our house and did pizza and cake there.  I can't believe how fast he is growing up!

 

Emily decided to give volleyball a try and she absolutely loves it. She joined the city league and learned basics along with some easy going game play.  One of her good friends was playing too and Emily loved not only the sport but getting to do it with her friend.

The boys started baseball in March and had great seasons.  Riley is pitching and he loves it. He did a really good job! Aaron plays first base along with
shortstop and catcher. He loves baseball.  

         

    

Aaron's team took the whole thing this year and placed first in the tournament and 2nd for the season.  He says it was "The happiest I've ever felt."  Best day ever.

   Riley ended his 5th grade year with a big school trip.  

He and Dave took off at about 4am on a big bus to Point Bonita, CA.  This is a tradition every year for 5th graders at their school and Riley couldn't be more excited about it.  They walked across the Golden Gate Bridge, went to pier 39, and stayed at a hostile in Point Bonita where they hiked all day long, learned about all kinds of things, and played some Gaga Ball.  It was quite the trip!

 

And just like that, the school year is over. 5th, 3rd, and 2nd grade complete! The kids are beyond excited for summer!

                           

Wrapping up 2018

As 2018 came to an end, the kids enjoyed their favorite sports, and also tried a new one.  Emily mastered a new move on the silks, one she had been working on for months and she was beyond happy when she completed it.  Here's the move.  It takes a bit of overcoming fear to let go and head towards the floor like that hoping you'll stay wrapped up and not eat mat!

All 3 kids also tried out Kung Fu.  They went for a few months and then decided they were over it. Ha! I think they enjoyed it until the class where they were pushed in exercises so hard they couldn't walk without a lot of pain for days after.  Then the fun was gone.

Halloween came with Hermione, a skeleton grim reaper, a unicorn, and Will from the book series The Rangers Apprentice. We went to the annual neighborhood halloween party and trick or treating where a group of about 30 kids wander the neighborhood trick or treating together.  It's a fun night.

We went Christmas tree hunting the weekend before Thanksgiving and everyone thought we were crazy.  The weather was great and when we got our incredible tree home, we put it in a bucket filled with water in the backyard.  Day after Thanksgiving we simply brought it in and decorated. I'm feeling pretty confident that we're geniuses.  ;) 

A big snow storm the night before kept us at home for Thanksgiving for the first time in our entire marriage and we couldn't head to Sacramento to spend the day with my family.  We celebrated at home though with our parents and it was a nice way to be reminded of all the things we are thankful for.

Emily had her 3rd grade music show just before Christmas and loved playing the Ukulele.

Just before Christmas we took a drive to North Star and spent a cold night ice skating, sitting by the fire, getting a face painted, and eating dinner at almost 10pm.  The kids still talk about how much they enjoyed it!

Christmas this year was the norm-Christmas Eve at my parent's house, Christmas morning at home, and Christmas Brunch at Carrie and Eric's house with the whole Olsen fam. Always a great time.

          

       

Happy New Year!!!