Winter Fun

Okay, I'm just going to say this once -- IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!  Now that I've said that I can continue on with my post.  Last month was quite a busy month for our family.  Between adjusting to life with a newborn, church ministries, having family come and visit, and trying to accomplish a month's worth of school so we don't have to have school way into the summer -- made for a great combination.  I don't know if it's the addition of the newborn or my determination not to fall behind on school again, but this has been one of the most profitable months in our household (as far as getting things done, not financially).

Ezekiel enjoyed his skating ride

School went amazingly well, we started school on January 5 and so far have completed four weeks of school.  Kara is doing great in all of her subjects and in her piano and violin practicing, and Lydia has almost completed her reading lessons, and Andy is beginning his reading lessons.

By the end of the night Lydia was skating really well, and refusing all assistance

However, the main point of this post is more about the fun we've been able to enjoy as a family and not about the work we've accomplished.

Andy was doing pretty well skating by the end of the night.

This past month we introduced the kids to joy of rollerskating inside with real skates (not the toys skates you slip on over your shoes that never seem to work very well).  They had a blast and are already looking forward to going back this month for a friend's birthday party.  Enjoy the pictures.

Kara spent most of the night clinging to Sarah or me to help her skate.

 Since J.A. doesn't skate, and I knew there was no way I could teach three kids at the same time to skate, we took a friend's boy with us to teach Andy how to skate.  My plan was to teach Kara and Lydia, but when we arrived at the rink, one of the teenage girls came over and offered to teach help me teach the girls, so we took turns with Kara and Lydia.  I absolutely love our homeschool group, and the servant's heart that so many of our teenagers have learned.  Now to start teach my kids the joy of serving :)

Gabe slept almost the entire time we were there -- waking up just in time to eat before we began the drive home.