Winter sports wrap-up

Gavin and Tyler have wrapped up their indoor sports seasons.  Gavin just finished up his winter basketball league, and Tyler wrapped up his rec center soccer class.  We've had a few days of nice sunny weather, so the boys got outside for some fun with these "sumo boppers" that Grandma and Grandpa Reder sent for Gavin's birthday.  They are pretty funny!

Happy St. Pat's!

Once again, we headed downtown to march in the annual St. Paddy's Day parade with Cassie's Irish dance school.  This year, the boys all stayed home to recover from some lingering colds, and Cassie and I joined up with another friend and her mom and made a fun day of it.  It's typically sunny but brisk; this year was no exception!  But it's always a fun, festive crowd and we enjoy the scene.  We are proud of your hard work and commitment, Cassie!

Gavin turns 9!

Happiest of birthdays to our dear Gavin!  Gavin turned 9 this week and we've had lots of fun celebrating.  On his birthday, he awoke to some birthday balloons and donuts (best we can offer on a Wednesday school morning!).  Over the weekend, we hosted a little birthday party with some of his closest buddies.  We took the crew to Sky High, an indoor trampoline park.  They had a fantastic time and got all their energy out!  Cassie and Tyler were along for the ride and they had a blast, too!  We came back to our house afterwards for dinner and birthday cookies.  We also had a fun visit from family when Grammy and Grandpa Brown and the Tieman family came over to celebrate!  All the cousins and extended family enjoyed being together and we had some dinner and an ice cream cake for birthday dessert.  Gavin, you are so very loved!

Early March 2018

Last week, my lifelong friend Lori and I took a weekend trip to celebrate our 40ths!  Our only wish was to relax and catch up in some warm sunshine - so we headed down to Pompano Beach!  It was such a great couple of days.  We got to wake up to beautiful sunshine each day and read books, sip coffee and just chat!  We went out for a few delicious dinners, too, and just enjoyed not having to stick to any schedule.  We decided it was so wonderful and easy (thanks to our husbands kindly holding down the forts at home!) that we might just do it again sometime!

Tyler and his junior kindergarten classmates took a trip over to the church with their junior high buddies to sing a church song in front of the rest of the school!  It was so cute to see their smiling, shy faces up on the altar.

Also this past week, Cassie's class created a "living wax museum."  As part of their history studies, they were required to select a person in history and research that person's life and contributions.  Then they were to dress up in character and pose as a wax figure, while parents and other school students could come around, tap the button next to them, and they would repeat their memorized lines to describe their person, as if in a museum.  It was creative and fun!  Cassie chose Eliza Hamilton, since she enjoyed the Hamilton play so much and has enjoyed getting to know that part of history.  All the 5th graders did a great job!