Merry New Martin Luther Valentine's President's Day!

OMG! We have been super busy around here since Christmas. I'll start with the Christmas break...

Aidan got braces the Monday before Christmas. He wasn't very happy, but it had to be done and I figured he would have 2 weeks to get used to them. He picked red and green bands and got used to them very quickly. He actually likes them now that he has blue and teal colored bands (he changed colors in Feb).

Christmas Eve was spent in Ingram with Will's folks, and Christmas Day was at our house with my mom. It was certainly a Robot Christmas this year! Aidan got a robot arm, robot bug, robot duck, and a robot drawing arm. He has enjoyed putting them together and playing with them.

The weekend after Christmas, the kids and I drove up to Sherman to visit one of my close friends, Christina, and her 2 kids, Reid and Elizabeth. On the drive up, we stopped to visit with Jenny's folks in Van Alstyne, TX, which is about 20 minutes from Christina's house. It was a short stay, only a few hours, but Jenny lives about 2 miles from us in San Antonio! So then we were on our way north. We stayed at Christina's about 4 days. While we were there, it snowed, and they were all so excited, but of course, being Texans, they were totally unprepared for playing in it! Jeans and tennies aren't exactly warm and waterproof!

From Sherman we drove down to Dallas for a sibling reunion of sorts. We stayed overnight at my Uncle John's, which I always love (it just feels like home!). We got to see all the sibs and a few cousins, neices, and nephews for a few hours over pizza.

Once we got home, we enjoyed the last few days of sleeping in before school started again. Over the holidays we received the kids' report cards. They both made honor roll and we are so proud of them!! Aidan worked especially hard last semester and it paid off, and Amy just loves school (whew).

In Feb. both kids were enrolled in gymnastics once a week. We have been trying to get Aidan to join for about 4 years, and now that he's in he loves it! In fact, on this last Friday, his coach helped him do back handsprings! The look on his face after the first one was priceless and I wish I had had my camera! He is also doing a hip mount onto the parallel bars using the second bar to push off. Amy is doing handsprings, flips, and round-offs and will be trying out for team this spring.

Our latest project was painting the master bathroom. That was fun (not), but at least it looks clean now that the grimy, builder grade paint has been covered. We also got some pretty new chairs from our front room off Craig's List. Finally we have 2 chairs that match!

I have taken a second job. I love working at the clinic with kids, but the drive is just such a long commute to and from the school, so I signed on with a home health company for a few hours a week. So far I like it- I can limit my service area and my hours to suit my needs and I am enjoying working with adults for a change. Now I work 2 days at the clinic and 2 days home health. It's all good.

Hopefully the next update will be before they enter middle school!