Thankful! Here Comes 2017!

This year we are thankful for so many things. Nate began a new job where he gets to work from home. The company is called BaseVenture. It was scary leaving Mayo Clinic but it has been a good switch for everyone. I continue to get lots of hours at work with the school district.  Mostly I have been working at Elyana's elementary school, Gibbs.  Elyana continues to take rock climbing classes into the winter months.  Mikayla is in a youth archery league and is taking violin lessons.  We are all trying to accept and adjust to the changes coming in 2017 though. We will have a middle schooler and a high schooler.  We did not get chosen through the lottery system for the choice middle school that we can see Elyana thriving at.  She will go to John Adams Middle School which is where her big sister is. Mikayla will move on to John Marshall High School.  She just had to preregister for her next year's classes. She hopes to take Latin, English, PE, Honor's Biology, Algebra, television production, an information technology type class, Art, and a few other ones I'm probably forgetting.

Christmas and New Years!

We hooked up my mom's Wii and had fun bowling with her!

Which one of these is real...

The only time she was behaving by the tree.

Faith soon got herself stuck in the tree moments after this photo. Cords were tangled around her neck.

We made Christmas shaped pizzas. Decorating the gingerbread man was awkward. 

The tree had to be moved to Nate's office where the terrifying vacuum stood guard.

Christmas Eve Service

Christmas Eve we did chocolate fondue. Yum! A new tradition we will continue for sure!

Sleeping and waiting for Santa!

Mermaid blanket

My dad bought Mikayla a violin for Christmas!

My mom got Faith some toys too! She destroyed this one in minutes.

I bought myself a cabinet for the kids bathroom.

Best gift ever. I found this note in my stocking.

Elyana got magic tracks for Christmas. Faith likes it too!

Nate's mug I got him for Christmas. It is black and turns into this space cat when you put a warm beverage into it.

Puzzle from Grandma

New Year's Eve

Dad and Sara visited us for New Year's Eve. We had fun!

Saying Good-bye to Sophia

I painted this for mom for Christmas

 

These beautiful girls are growing up so fast!

End of the Year Classroom and AHG Celebrations

The 5th grade each made a small elf of themselves and placed them on this huge winter display. This is only part of the display. What a fun idea!

Elyana and her two best friends at recess. I love that I can take photos during school like this because I work there and have recess duty with her!

Not sure how we all survive such cold days here in Minnesota! 

Mikayla had a choir concert where she got to join the high school choirs. It was neat to check out the high school and see what their choirs are like.

Our choir student!

Elyana had a really fun party with American Heritage Girls. They had a contest to see which group could blow up balloons and stuff them into pantyhose. Then, they had to become Rudolf. Really funny!

White elephant gift exchange!

The girls swinging in our backyard!

Elyana building a snowman in our backyard.

Hanging out with Family!

I treated my mom to a dine in theater performance of the Carpenter's music. We both had a good time! Nate and I are going back there for our anniversary.

One day when we visited Babe and Joanne, she shared the story of how she began to play the accordian. We each got to try! How fun!