Skating Lessons

Ryan was registered for intermediate skating lessons, but due to lack of participants, he was bumped down to beginners.  Since he was much more advanced than the first year beginners (like Carter, barely able to stand on skates), they split the class and the instructor's daughter took half of the class and the instructor switched back and forth between the groups.  We brought Carter along to try to get him on skates, and he ended up participating in the class.  It is pretty slow going with him, but I am proud of him for trying.  He is so much more cautious than Ryan, I wasn't sure he would do it.  He's not too excited about it, but he is slowly getting the hang of it!

Ryan and his class:

Skating towards me:

Carter taking it all in:

Boys listening to the instructor tell them what they would be doing next:

Carter falling - he figured out right away how to get up on his own!

Ryan playing pom pom pull away with the advanced class:




















Videos:  Ryan skating and Carter skating

Happy Birthday to Evan!

On Friday, we celebrated Evan's birthday party.  We started with his cards and gift here and then headed to Brunswick Zone for dinner, bowling, and games.  It was a great night and it is getting easier all the time as they get older to take the boys out for nights like this!

Our family:

Dad and his boys - they ALL wanted to sit on his lap for the picture!

After dinner, we brought out the cake and sang Happy Birthday:

Carter had a huge bite!

 

He always makes me smile - little stinker!

Ryan's crazy bowling form!

Carter started out with the ramp on the first frame, but bowled the rest of the game without it!

Getting his ball:

Kyle:

Ryan:

Me:

Final score - birthday boy took home the prize!

A few videos from my phone:

Ryan bowling, only Ryan could pull this one off!

Carter bowling, and another of Carter

Kyle showing us his form

Evan

Me

Jewelry

It was a quieter weekend for jewelry, which worked well for our busy schedule.  This was a rush order for a lady that I've done many orders for previously.  She lives nearby, so it makes it very convenient for order pick ups!

Breakfast of Champions

Whenever a cereal box shows a picture of fruit on the bowl of cereal on the box cover, the boys have to eat theirs the same way.  This is the way Carter eats his frosted flakes.  On the box, it showed it with strawberries, he had have those, but also chose to add raspberries! :)

Jewelry

This weekend I had a birthday gift to make for Carter's preschool friend, several orders, and I wanted to try out a new style (square pendants) for myself.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the squares - I love trying new things!!!! :)

The above two necklaces were orders for a first communion coming up in February {Ironically, this order came from a lady that grew up and currently lives less than 3 miles from my parents'  house - we don't know each other, but have mutual friends - what a small world!}  To commemorate their first communions, I stamped a cross and the date very lightly on the back of the discs:

Pinewood Derby

Ryan had his very first Pinewood Derby for Cub Scouts.  Never having participated in one before, we really didn't know what to expect or really, how to build his car.  Let's just say we learned a lot this year and have plenty of room for improvement.  It was a pretty sophisticated track with speeds calculated down to the 10,000th of a second.  Ryan had a good time at his first derby.  There is a video at the end of this post - it is of Ryan's final heat in the derby - make sure to check it out!

Carter, on the other hand, was clearly excited to win 3 of the 48 raffle prizes.  He and I spent a lot of time sizing up the prizes and deciding just which ones to put out tickets in.  I really wish I could have had video (or even pictures) of him going up to get his prizes - it was priceless - he was so excited!!!

Ryan with his car at check-in: 

After it was weighed, they store it overnight for safe keeping:

They have to make sure it fits in this little box.  If it doesn't, it can't race:

Ryan checking out the progress of the track set-up:

The finish line:

The track took up nearly the entire gymnasium:

Boys playing video games while the parents worked on checking in the other scouts:

The starting line:

Ryan's going to race next:

Ryan's car is second from the right (in the green lane):

Ryan placed 6th overall in his den:

Ryan getting his certificate, ribbon, and driver's license:

Den 7 with their awards:

Ryan's awards and roadster:

VIDEO:  Ryan's last heat of the Pinewood Derby

Book Club

We celebrated our 4th Anniversary of our book club in November but I forgot my camera (not like me at all).  And, as Evan pointed out, I was on the next block, it wasn't like I couldn't come home and get it, but anyway, here is our {belated} 4th Anniversary picture of our neighborhood book club.  When I started this book club, I hadn't read a book other than a parenting book since Ryan was born.  Since I've joined, we've read a book a month.  My long bus rides allow me to read on the way to and from work and I can typically finish my Book Club book and my monthly magazine subscriptions, all on my bus rides!  Score!  We've had much of the same group for all 4 years, but a couple have moved away and we have a couple of new ones as well.  It's a great group and definitely as much about the socializing as it is the book discussion! :)

Homework

I had 3 homework assignments for Carter on Friday.  He had to work on storytelling for his speech class, "Frank and Murray" strokes for swimming, and writing his first and last name for preschool (he's been writing his first name all year in school, but since their return after Christmas break, they added the last names).  I was in the laundry room throwing in a load of clothes yesterday and when I came out, he had already finished practicing his name.  Carter's penmanship was almost illegible starting the school year, so he's made a lot of progress (on all 3 ends actually - speech, swimming, and schoolwork).  Great job, buddy - I am so proud of you!!!! :)

Boxcar Races

Ryan's Cub Scout Pack 412 had their annual boxcar race this week.  This is his first time participating in it.  It was a bit of a mad house, but the kids loved it.  The week before, we hosted the den meeting at our house and they selected the box they wanted to use and each helped to decorate it.  They were so excited for their races!

At each Pack Meeting, the dens have to give an update on what they did that month.  Ryan immediately grabbed the mic to give our update.  We really need to work on his shyness...

Den 7 with their Den Leader, Cub Master, and Eagle Scout:

Ryan was ecstatic to receive 6 belt loops this month:

1. Baseball
2. Bicycling
3. Ice Skating
4. Soccer
5. Roller Skating
6. Swimming

Den 7 lining up behind their boxcar:

It's a thing of beauty, isn't it?

Ryan getting in the boxcar to race:

After their first lap, they had to sit down, take off their socks, and turn their socks inside out and then complete the second lap.  Poor Andrea - she had the job of helping each scout with their sweaty socks and shoes!  She told me afterward she needed to wash her hands! 

Starting his second lap - he was on a mission! 

Den Leader Andrea's time to race! :)