Um, Hey!

Hey Guys!

Check this out, I'm FINALLY POSTING after a 6+ month hiatus!  I could try to fill you in on all the things we've been doing, but that thought just totally overwhelms me, so instead here's a quick flash-back...

The Girl Scouts marched in the Veteran's Parade.  It was on Sunday, so we came to help set up, deliver the banner we'd made & then had to run off to church.  But look how fun!  Go Reno!  

I tell you what, Girl Scouts is awesome.  Every time I think, "We've really got to cut some stuff out, Girl Scouts has to go," then something like this pops up.  Or we go to the Veteran's Hospital and deliver hand made notes and ornaments that say, "We love you!  Feel better soon!" in sweet little 7 year old handwriting.  Or one of the moms tells me, "M just loves you.  She said you have the nicest voice and she just loves coming to Girl Scouts."  Obviously M has never heard me yell at my children.  

 They're making it really hard to quit.

In the beginning of December, Ella had her Junior Lego League competition.  The theme was "Senior Helpers", so they had to think of lego inventions that could improve a senior citizen's life.  The other teams came up with some great ideas, but Ella's team was my favorite.  Possibly because she's my kid.  But whatever.  The other teams had a super awesome wheelchair that could go up stairs, and an "Unlonely Park" to help facilitate socialization.  Ella's team had a "Memory Machine" to help fight the symptoms of dementia.  A little watch-like computer they could wear on their wrist.  It played music from the senior's youth (music is supposed to help dementia patient's memory and moods), reminded them when to take their medication, had a tv sensor and turned the tv off if they'd had it on for too long, had a gps with walking maps to help them get exercise and find their way home again, and made a shopping list with recipes to help them remember to make healthy meals.  Of course the prototype was, you know, legos, so it didn't ACTUALLY do all that.  But it sure looked cool.  They hooked the watch-thing up to gears in a mocked-up-lego head.  Super fun.  And their club advisor was EXCELLENT.  She really helped them understand the challenges of being a senior.  They had a Senior Advisor, but she unfortunately broke her shoulder at her Red Hat Luncheon and wasn't able to attend.  We were so sad for her!

Ella's team in front of their display

Admiring their medals

Then it was Christmas.  Yeah, I didn't get any pictures of that.  By the time it rolled around I was SO EXHAUSTED, I was just ready to get through it.  Way to celebrate the reason for the season, right?  Good thing we didn't have to leave our house or else I might have died.

Luckily Auntie Adrianne is better at documenting the cuteness than I am.  OMG BABY VERONICA, COULD YOU BE ANY CUTER?

Our dear friends came to town to visit their family.  We were lucky enough to squeeze in some playdates.  And a massage and lunch and shopping for the moms.  THANK YOU DAN!!!

Of this picture, Gretchen says:   CUUUUUUUUTE!  She's walking in the snow!  Her head is so close!  HannahBananah (repeated very inensely about 20 more times) HANNAHBUH-NANNA!  Mommy, how old is Hannah, 7?  Oh my gosh, she's not a Grandma!  7 years olds are kids.   (giggle) (pokes Hannah) (giggle) (continues for next 5 minutes).

Our poor dog.

Sigh.

Ella has been working on her Science Fair project.  It's on how music affects the development of ladybugs.  And yes, she came up with it mostly on her own.  It's a fun project except for the fact that we've had the radio on 24/7 for the past 2.5 weeks and it's slowly driving me mad.  On the plus side, I'm now TOTALLY CAUGHT UP on all the super fun pop music that's out there (note sarcasm.  Seriously, how is WE ARE NEVER EVER EVER GETTING BACK TOGETHER on the radio?  Seriously.  Also, HOW COME IT KEEPS GETTING STUCK IN MY HEAD AND NOW I SING IT WHEN IT COMES ON!!!  $#@*&# Taylor Swift!  OF COURSE he listens to indy records much cooler than yours!!!  Also, your friends don't want to talk on the freakin phone to you about it.  Seriously.)

 Awesome tunes aside, the experiment is actually turning out.  The ones in front of the radio are about 4 days developmentally ahead of the "control" ladybug larvae.  I'm worried it might be a temp difference or light difference.  We have to do the experiment twice to prove the results.  That means we get to have the radio on for ANOTHER MONTH!  Woo hoo!  Feel free to quiz me on all the crappy music I'll have memorized.

Hey!  You guys are invited to Gretchen's 5th Birthday!  Except not since it already happened.  You're invited in spirit.

Number of arguments we had while Gretchen  Art-Directed this photo:  3,094.
She wanted to be wearing a "strapless dress".  Um, no.
She wanted an anime face.  Um, no.
She wanted a different crown.  Fine.
She wanted a sunset with stars in the background.  Fine.
She wanted wings.  Fine.
90 minutes and 30 grey hairs later, DONE.

Thank you Targer for her amazing Party Outfit.  Seriously, how could I NOT buy this gettup?
She waits patiently in front of the unfortunately named "Ticket BLASTER".

Getting blasted by tickets.  She was SUPER in to this.

WE LOVE PARTIES!!!!!

 Instead of gifts, we asked for a $5 donation.  Half of our collection she donated to the Humane Society, half to her American Doll clothes fund.

Gretchen is super-duper in to cats.  Aren't these pics just the sweetest things EVER?  It totally makes up for all the grey hair...

All right, I'd better get dressed now.  And possibly eat some lunch.  Late church is good for blogging, but not good for getting me out of the house.
xoxo