Kate has recently started ice skating lessons and tennis lessons and she loves them. We are lucky to have a Parks and Rec system that is very affordable with lots of classes for the kids to try out. She works on her skating with her roller blades. She is quite steady and is very determined!
This is the picture that Kate painted at school for Valentine's Day. It is so sweet. She is a really good big sister and is so good with her brother.
Ben on his scooter that Santa brought.
The kids at the sea turtle rescue in Florida.
Kate in her authentic flamenco costume from Auntie Liz and Uncle George.
This is a sample of Kate's homework. Her assignment was to draw a picture and write a few sentences about the class field trip to the farm. She did this all without any adult assistance. She worked very hard on this assignment. I love how her writing is emerging and how it is all phonetic. She is really reading and gets excited each time she brings home a new book from school.
This is Ben's first picture. He tells me it is a self-portrait. As you can see, he has also written some letters. There is a B, an E, and an O. We thought he did an amazing job!!
A picture of Kate burning off some energy in the cold, cold northwest. It was hard for them to be inside most of the day as we typically spend a majority of out time outside.
Both of the little monkeys!
Ben outside. The day after this picture was taken we had to take him to the ER. He managed to find the only wood chip at the McDonalds playspace and get it lodged in his heel. It was so deep we had to get it professionally removed.
No Christmas is complete without a personal visit from Santa (two of my mom's friends who do the X-mas party circuit each year and donate their earnings to charity). The kids went crazy and at first didn't know what to do but warmed up to Santa pretty quickly.
The cousins (minus Garrett) in their new jammies. Ben and Kate love their cousins. Ben was happy to play construction and read books with them. Kate admires the boys and loves to just be in their presence. Both boys are very sweet with Kate and Ben.
Here is a picture of our trip to the pumpkin patch. The kids love going to the pumpkin patch. It is most random little carnival with imported pumpkins right off Pacific Coast Highway and they think it is fabulous. They ride the kiddie rides and get a pumpkin. It is not a bad way to spend the afternoon.
Here are Princess Leia and her little monkey right before trick-or-treating. We went to a neighbor's house for dinner and then went through the neighborhood. We love our neighborhood on Halloween. Our neighbor's decorate their houses and one turns his fishing boat into a pirate ship. We have a great time. Ben was a great trick-or-treater this year. He kept up with all the big kids and when I asked if he wanted to go home he said "No, I keep going."
Ben loves his trucks and has recently started imaginative play with them. They are often "broken" and need tow trucks or they are somehow involved in construction. The boy is very passionate about his trucks.
