YM Basketball

Brandon did not sign up for rec league basketball this year, but was looking forward to playing church ball. The leaders in charge of the youth bball program made some major changes this year and Brandon was not excited about them.

Instead of playing on ward teams, the young men were randomly assigned to teams and played pick-up ball against each other.

Pros:

They got to meet YM from other wards.

The leaders could help balance out the talent and height so that one team didn't completely dominate.

There were no contentious rivalries.

Cons:

You never practiced together as a team, so you couldn't design plays or work on strategy.

There was no ward camaraderie.

There were no fun ward rivalries. :)

Even though B was bummed that he didn't get to play on a ward team, he still went to play on two of the Saturdays. He had a fun time, but was also ready to leave as soon as the buzzer sounded.

A few action shots:

What February Looked Like

A sampling of our family Super Bowl party. 

Enjoyed a fabulous trip to the temple

with Sister Redwine and Sister Staley. 

Discovered a new family fun spot: Spare Time.

They have half price laser tag and arcade games on 

Wed nights. We have to be a little rebellious and party

on a school night, but it's totally worth it.

Guided reading is more fun with a friend. 

Report card donuts. Woot! 

Add to my list of home improvement skills:

installing a new shower head.

LOVE it. 

Also add to my list of skills:

Walking around the house while accidentally

taking selfies. I had 27 of these beauties.

Drew had a work trip in CA earlier this month.

What a view from his hotel. 

While Drew was in CA, I went to the Columbia, SC temple.

And attending a Coordinating Council meeting for the church in Charlotte.

Amazing weekend.

And grateful for wonderful friends for watching the kiddos. 

Her teeth just keep falling out.

 Can you see that one on the left?

It was totally flopping in the wind.

Brandon is catching me.

Fast. 

Loved window shopping with these cuties. 

My sweet Valentine's from Caroline's classmates.

After the first little boy gave me the Spider Man card,

two other kids wrote little love notes on the wrappers

from their snacks. Way to be resourceful AND thoughtful! 

Andrew's dopplegangers from church.

Lots of people mix these three up. 

The van was low on oil.

And the funnels at Target cost eight bucks.

So I bought a $2 package of party hats.

First graders aren't the only resourceful ones. 

My Valentine's present from Andrew.

Didn't he do a good job?

I love it! 

Yep. Lots and lots of snow.

  

This year, we learned that when life gives you snow,

MAKE SNOW CREAM.

You just add a can of sweetened condensed milk 

and a touch of vanilla to a bowl of snow.

It is DELICIOUS.

We happened to have some leftover root beer snow cone syrup.

Yum. yum. yum.

We finished the book of Alma! 

Hooray!

On one of our many, many snow days,

the kids decided to celebrate "Happy Day."

They baked a cake. 

Lit the candles. 

Made posters. 

And gave themselves homemade grills???

Happy Day! 

When the roads were fine, but school

was still canceled, we took some field trips.

My favorite trick for getting through

an art museum:

 scavenger hunt!

The girls love these and found almost everything.

Swing dancing date night. Love it! 

I don't think these pictures do it justice, but in the dance hall,

Andrew is HUGE.

Apparently more short men enjoy dancing.

Our other complete made-up holiday:

Dress-like-Daddy Day.

Look what Whitney is learning in ballet.

Isn't this gorgeous?

Super proud of her.