9 March 2014 - Yard work already?

Emily had a choir concert this week.  Her grade did five songs and they sounded great.

With warmer temperatures, we passed on skiing this weekend (hoohoo, a tear) and started working on our yard.  Because the bank had taken it from the previous owners, it was pretty out of control and overgrown.  We made a really good start on it, and should have some nice plants in place this spring.

We even took some time to take our Christmas tree over to Eric and Lara's house and get it planted.  We're excited to see it live a long and healthy life.  We haven't bought a plant-able Christmas tree every year, but I like to do it when we can.

2 March 2014 - Madeline's Birthday

So Madeline is a whole decade old!  On Friday night she had a sleep over with two friends from school.  Joanne had the girls decorate cupcakes.

Then on Sunday, we got together for a dinner at Aunt Kathy's house.  Eric and Lara came over.  The girls made a Pineapple cake for this one.

Turned out nice, don't you think?

Madeline loves it when the birthday attention falls on here.

And finally, after years of waiting, she has her own phone.  I won't post her phone number on the blog for the whole world to see.  If you want her number, give her a call and ask for it.  Just kidding. Joanne or I can text it to you if you would like it.

23 February 2014 - Winter Olympics Inspirations

OK, so you can call me cheesy, or the highly suggestible type or whatever, but every two years when the Olympics roll around, I'm hooked.  I'm a total sucker, and I'm particularly fond of the Winter games.  So you all know we've been going skiing a lot this winter, but I'm still including a couple of photos anyway.  Here Jessica took a wreck on a black diamond run.  It's hard to see, but one of her skis is propped up in the bushes.  She was OK.

We lost Madeline on one of our runs, and her emotions were a little close to the surface after we found her.  We let her ride the lift with mommy, and she rested her helmet on Joanne's shoulder for comfort.

In harmony with the Olympic theme, I found out that there is actually a Boise Curling club.  I've actually developed quite an interest in the "activity" (not sport), so I signed us up for an experience curling night.  Here's Joanne in full slide.

Emily took a toss here...SVEEEEEEEEEEEP!

Here's Madeline with a slide.  It's a lot harder than they make it look on TV.  Emily is a mad sweeper!

We decided not to try playing hockey and just went to watch instead.  Boise has an ECHL minor league team -- the Idaho Steelheads.  They play in the same league as the Utah Grizzlies, which I used to go watch all the time.  I found a game when the Grizzlies were in town and took the girls for a night out. At first I wasn't sure who I'd cheer for, but I wasn't there long before my old Grizzlies allegiances came back, so I was happy when Utah won in a shootout.

16 February 2014 - Valentine's Day and Music

This week Madeline had a recorder concert at school.  The kids did a good job with all their songs.

Madeline needed a Valentine's Day box for school.  The girls helped her make a Minecraft Steve.

Jessica and Emily had a final time trial of the swim season on Saturday morning.  Jessica has qualified for Regionals in backstroke and freestyle.  More to come at the end of the month.

Joanne got some ski gloves, a trip out for barbecue and a dozen roses for Valentine's Day.  Alas, no photos.  I score some new dress shirts.  Joanne also helped with Madeline's party at school on Friday.

9 February 2014 - Helmets

I've been working on personalizing the girls' ski helmets.  To get a decent view of them, I had to have them stand sideways.

We've gotten a good bit of snow in the past week, but it has warmed up in the last few days and gotten a bit slushy.

Still, the worst day skiing is better than....well, you know.

2 February 2014 - Madeline has...

OK, so my title says Madeline has something, but I'm going to make you read (or at least scroll) to the bottom to find out.  Saturday we took to the slopes again, for the first time without the girls in ski school, from which they graduated last week.

The high clouds in the photo above quickly dissipated, yielding to the gloriously sunny day seen below.  This was a welcome break from the inversion we've been enduring in the valley (which you can see forming a flat horizon below the mountain peaks).  I love the mountains and I thank God for them.

On Friday evening we went our for Mexican food (we still haven't tried all the options in Caldwell) then went to a C of I basketball game against Concordia University.  It was an intense game, with C of I pulling out the win in the final seconds of the game.

While in Canada last summer, we developed a taste for Beaver Tails, which are basically an oval shaped scone covered in sweet decadence.  I don't make these often, but we do enjoy them when I do.

And now for the climactic finish.  Madeline has...

...and she can see much better now.

26 January 2014 - The Magic Flute

Joanne has another ambitious quilt project underway.  This one is going to be for Emily's bed.

On Friday night we took the girls to see Mozart's opera The Magic Flute at the college.  The production quality was absolutely outstanding.

After the show the players met audience members in the theater foyer.  Madeline was particularly enamored with Papagena/Papageno so we snapped a quick pic.