Bridges and Engineering

It was out turn to host Co-op this week and we did Bridges and Engineering. First we learned about why we need bridges, what makes a good bridge, the three types of bridges and what makes some bridges fail. Then we looked at some of the most famous bridges in the world on the internet. Then we built bridges or structures using a variety of textiles including Q-tips and rubber cement (they crate a flexible joint). We let the boys test them out to see how strong they were.

This is a great group of kids. I love how they all participated and enjoyed being together.

Sleep Baby Sleep

Joseph fell asleep on his Dad's feet and legs. He was "riding" his Dad's feet like a horsey and laid his head down and went to sleep.

This was the day of the cookie party. He had not gone down for a nap all day and finally gave up on the floor between Grandpa's legs.

Annual Valentines Cookie Party

This annual event has come to mean so much to our family. We look forward to it and get all tingly anxious with excitement in anticipation leading up to it. Noble helped hang the decorations this year. He may be a 1/2 shorter than me but he has good 3-4 inches on me in reach. Standing on a step stool he can easily reach the ceiling, I on the hand am an inch or so short.



Our number continue to grow - and I think some people may avoid coming now that it is so large, but the big numbers seem to work out just fine. This year we had 20 adults, including Grandparents and the Missionaries, and 48 kiddos. It was awesome! Here is a sampling of some of our favorite people. (Just know I couldn't put 68 pictures on here! You are all our favorites!)

Everyone seemed to have a really good time. We are blessed to live in South Texas where although the weather can be "if-y" in February, most likely we will have sunshine. The warm day allowed the kids to play outside as they finished with the cookies. As I stood by the windows talking to a Mom-friend I realized maybe we just need to have a mega-play-date. I don't recall seeing 40+ kids play so freely and without dispute for two hours straights before. It helps that we have a "fun" backyard. It might not be pretty to look at, but kids think it is awesome.

Another new occurrence was that the older, shall we say "cooler" kids, participated in cookie decorating long enough to get some sugar in their bodies and then separated themselves from the group by "playing" in the front yard. They kicked and threw balls and sat out on the fence of the drainage ditch watching traffic go by and I assume talking. Can I really be old enough to have a kid, and a kid with friends, that hang out like... teenagers?

And this is what it's all about. Imperfect yet perfectly decorated cookies. This party has always been hosted with the purpose for kids, all about kids. And watching this sweet little girl pile on the sprinkles made my heart sing.

Snow and Ice in San Antonio

The boys enjoyed a snow day. Even being homeschooled when they heard that all public schools were canceled they insisted they get a snow day too. They enjoyed the novelty of the snow but it was a little too cold for their Texas blood! They spent most of the day inside.

Noble Belt Graduation

Noble breaks his board first kick to earn his Purple Belt.
Noble had a big week first week as a 12 year old.
Turned 12, was ordained with the Aaronic Priesthood, attended the temple, tested and earned his purple belt, had his first 5th Sunday meeting, fist standard's night. I think he was warn out!

Liam Belt Graduation

Orange to Purple Belt
Broke his board using a stepping in side kick.

Hewy Belt Graduation

from Orange to Purple

Hewy took his broken board to Noble and Liam's graduation because there was not time after his graduation to have his board signed. What great role models this little boy has in his life.

Noble 12th birthday party

Noble had his birthday party at Champion Martial Arts and it was a total blast! He invited a bunch of friends and they learned a little karate and played dodge pad (like dodge ball).


The birthday tradition is to let the birthday boy wear a black belt for the day. But the black belt they have is too small for Noble so Mr. Lopez let Noble wear his second degree black belt. It meant a lot to Noble to be wearing not just a black belt, but Mr. Lopez's belt.

The instructors had made a throne out of practice pads for Noble to sit on. Only he could sit on it and while they had their cupcakes all his friends crowded around him.

Another birthday tradition at Champion Martial Arts (like the black belt) is to let the birthday boy cut the cake (or cupcake) with Mr. Lopez's sword. Mr. Lopez said it was a first that he let the birthday boy do it without help.

The treats.
Karate belt cupcakes
Noble's favorite (king size) candy bar Reese wrapped and decorated with a karate kick cut out.

Sweetie Pie Seph

Super Smile

After eating Sis. Roberts peanut butter cups in the car

Doesn't he look so grown up?

Bright eyes!

Down with the old and Up with the new

This is our old family picture. It was taken in Summer of 2007.
Obviously a little out of date because someone is missing and Noble is now as tall as I am. We took it down from our mantle recently because....





We have a new family picture. This is what is above our mantle now.

I don't have digital copies so all I can do is take a picture of the actual picture. I promise it is much more beautiful and stunning in real life. I can't believe how grown up everyone looks.

At this time. . .

It's true. I have been neglecting this blog. Not on purpose. I just have so many time suckers and so many things I would rather be doing. I do try and keep it updated. I just bulk update it. No posts for a time and then BAM 10 posts. One day this week I was thinking about how neglected the blog is and was thinking to myself I just don't think I have much to write or say right now. I noticed my camera sitting near by so I snapped a picture of Liam.


He was on the couch reading a book he is really excited about right now. I gave him two weeks to read it because I am pretty sure it is a couple grade levels above him and it is longer than any book I had asked him to read recently and he hasn't finished a book in months. He read this one in a weeks time. The Ranger Apprentice was a gift from Auntie Anna. He is now reading the second book for fun and has an assigned reading book.

I realized that although I feel like we do the same thing day in and day out, like lay on couches and read books, it's still our life and our story needs to be told. So I got up and went to find everyone and snap a picture of them at the time and tell what they were doing.

I found these two in the kitchen. Joseph was playing in a shoe box and an empty food storage (pancake mix) box. Both boxes were sitting near the recylcle bin in the kitchen.  Who knows what was going on in his head, but he was happy and out of my hair for awhile. Noble was going through his boy scout book seeing what he has done and what needs to be done. He is holding up a pack of fruit snacks that they found in the box from Costco. It is a double pack that didn't seal between the two packs. They think it is quite the novelty.

And then then I found Hewy laying on the couch. We have all been slightly under the weather since Thanksgiving. I know we have had several "bugs" not just one illness,  but I keep telling Alec that I feel like we have been sick since Thanksgiving. Hewy has/had the worst of it. He had strep but he just didn't snap back. He was super pale for a few weeks and just wanted to rest. I have to remember that he is re-growing new bone and that probably takes a toll on his sweet little body. He gave us a bit of a scare but I am happy to report that the color has returned to his cheeks and he is up and making noise again.

So that is our exciting life.  Homechool family at our norm. 

before and after

Before:




and After:


Almost looks like a completely different kid!

What color would you say his eyes are?
The best I have heard them described is "Tortoise Shell" some brown, a little green, with a blue ring around them.

I know you are waiting for something new...

However, my computer has been down.  It came down with a headache (or wait, was that me?) last week.  Therefore I took it in for a check up and it needed to stay with the laptop doctor overnight(s) for observation.  I know, I know, the genius laptop doctor thinks I am a nitwit for bringing it to him for "just a headache" but the truth is I don't speak computer.  I speak 1, 5, 10 and 12 year old.  I speak enough golf and college football to impress my husband and his friends.  I speak gourmet cooking. I speak yellow lab enough to keep her from begging at the table and not biting children (okay she does the last part herself).  I speak karate, cub scouts, boys scouts, piano, guitar, Mindstorm Robotics and playdates.  I speak diapers and laundry; dirty dishes and bedtime stories; sticky floors and snuggles.  I blog, facebook and surf.  I speak enough Word and Excel to do what I need to do.  But I don't know how to fix computer headaches. 

Now it's back.  Shiny, new and relaxed.  It's like it got a bath and massage while away.  All the kinks were worked out in the file defragmentation and all the cob webs brushed away during the hard drive clean up and it has more shine than I think it did when it was new.  Keys no longer kind of crunch because crumbs got under them or feel slightly tacky to the touch because well, fingers are sticky in our house.  I did notice however that my tab key still has something on it.  It is rough and only on the very medial edge.  Ha!  They missed that!  But I am kind of glad.  Because the first time I hit the tab key - was the first time I felt at home on my keyboard. 

Stay tuned.  I have a few posts in mind.  Including: Joseph before and after a haircut, What everyone was doing at "that moment" I picked up the camera, and Down with the old, Up with the new - our latest family picture. 

Christmas Morning 2010

more photo memories of Christmas morning 2010