Second Week of January 2017

Christmas is over but we still have some Christmas stuff up.  It's a work in progress.  :)

Enjoying linking the beaters

Peter made some awesome crepes with the crepe maker pan that we got Brittany for Christmas.

All our crepe toppings

Working on some puzzles

Puzzle time for Maxwell too

Swim lessons with goggles!  She's legit.

Doing great in her lessons

So many faces from Emmalyn...  Smily

Silly

Cheesy

Upset

Shy

Happy Girl!

Getting my walk done (can't wait until it's not pitch dark at night)

Enjoying her baby toys from Christmas

Dress up time

Maxwell brings home a binder from school each day and if he misbehaves, the teacher will sign it with a note about what the behavior problem was.  He made it until January 11 without having it signed (pretty great!).  

I called the teacher afterward to talk to her about it because I've noticed that he's having a hard time staying focused like when he's at Kindermusik or waiting in lines.  My concern is that he is bored at school, not being challenged, and thus he's starting to act out.  His teacher pretty much dismissed my concerns and said that she hasn't noticed anything difference about Maxwell's behavior lately.  I've been asking her to challenge him more since the second week of school and nothing has really come of it.  It's frustrating.  At this point, my take on it is that she is either uncomfortable with how she can challenge him or she just doesn't have the skills to do that for a child in her class.  I can't wait for this school year to be over and hope for an awesome teacher next year.  :(  So much of what I have been told is that he is just only going to learn Kinder curriculum regardless of if he already has that knowledge.  So, we will just keep trying to challenge him at home and keep him growing.

Mismatched dress up day at school.

Emmalyn snuck up stairs to watch tv and eat cereal with Landen.

Funny faces with mom at dinner

Here are the boys

Utah trip continued - Aquarium and more visiting!

On Monday morning we hung out at Tammy's house and the kids played.  Then we went to lunch at Crown Burger.  It was AMAZING.  I love that place.  Then we spent time running around the valley picking up outdoor (coats, bibs, boots) gear for playing in the snow from a couple of my friends from high school who had generously offered to lend it to us while we were in town.  It was fun to see them if only for a few minutes.

We spent more time with Grandma Nelson, it is wonderful seeing her and never enough time.   She spoils the kids (just like she would spoil me and my siblings when we were over there). Maxwell knows to ask for chocolate milk when we are there.  (you know, the really good stuff made with the Hershey's syrup..)  We also got to see my cousin Brandy for a short bit. 

Emmalyn cuddling with Grandma

Grandma and Uncle Terry gave Maxwell and old cell phone and so he was having a fun taking a bunch of pictures.

Not sure what's up with sticking her tongue out but it's starting to happen more often

That night Peter and I stayed up late working on a puzzle at Tammy's.  I LOVE working on puzzles but can't really do it at home with the kids.  It's been really enjoyable working on them during this vacation.

It's snowing!!!  Normally I would be happy to avoid the snow but I really want the kids to get the full snow experience on this trip so the more snow, the better!

Cleaning off the rental car in the morning.

That morning we met up with my cousin Julie at the new aquarium in Sandy.  I was so glad we were able to find some time to get together even though it was a short visit.

Emmalyn with Julie's kids Nathan and Erica

Guess my kids were too interested in the display to smile for me. 

Riding a whale with Nathan

All of Julie's kids - Nathan, Erika, Robby, and Jacob

  

Emmalyn loved watching the penguins

This aquarium was great!  So many, varied things to play on/look at.

He went VERY slow but he eventually made it!

There's that tongue out again

And more tongue...is she trying to catch flies?

seriously...this tongue thing!

Love this adorable girl.  She was great and stayed really engaged and interested.

Two cute little kiddos

The whole group!  (Max was SUPER tired so he wouldn't look for the picture.)

We went for lunch at Arctic Circle (gotta have that yummy fry sauce when in Utah!).  The kids BOTH had fun playing on the play place.  Usually Max does not like going down the slides so I was proud of him for going down!

Emmalyn, of course, was all about going down the slide.

Jumping off the stairs.  He was all kinds of brave today.  :)

Capping it off with a kids cone.  (I got a cookie butter shake that I still drool over just thinking about it.)

Full-face enjoying that cone

After Arctic Circle we had to make a stop back at Grandma Nelson's to pick up a charger for the old phone she gave Maxwell so that he could keep it charged and take more pictures.  We also had another stop to pick up more snow stuff.  I really appreciate the snow stuff and the money we are saving but running around getting it has been a bit of a hassle.

Sweet girl was wiped out.  She fell asleep in the car cuddling with the cute little purple turtle we got her (a good pair with Max's favorite stuffed animal - his green turtle.)

We went back to Tammy's and dropped off the kids and then Peter and I hit up a bunch of thrift stores looking for some snow stuff for us.  (Luckily the D.I, Savers, and Goodwill were all super close.)  Finding snow stuff is hard in Texas so much better to look in Utah.  :)

Then, we went over to Shannon's parents house for dinner and to visit.  The kids had fun playing with her niece and nephew that were also there.

Dance party!

The kids are similar in age which makes it fun.

Maxwell just loves his Shannon.  :)  (and we are excited for her engagement to Colt!)

When we got back to Tammy's there was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground.  Keep bringing it, Mother Nature!

We finished another puzzle.  :)