January Fun

We celebrated my [hu, hum] birthday on January 14th.  We went to the Rusty Moose Restaurant again for dinner, then had a delish ice cream cake and opened presents at home afterward.  Kyle is an amazing ice cream cake chef.

We have enjoyed several big snowfalls in the last two months.  (Today--March 3--school is cancelled due to about eight inches yesterday.)  The kids have had a great time playing in it, building a snowman, sledding, etc.  We love having "free reign" of the golf course behind our house.  There are some decent sledding hills and there is no worry about cars, etc.  I love that I feel comfortable enough letting them play out there without me being out there with them.  I just keep an eye on them from inside the warm house:).

Here are some cute shots of our little Andon Joseph.  He is loving puzzles lately: he did the puzzle shown 10 or more times a day for about three weeks.  Now he is fixated on a large floor puzzle of the United States.  Since he can't really do the whole thing by himself, once we help him put it together the first time, he takes it apart one piece at a time, and puts it back together a few feet away from where it was before.  It is awesome!

He is not a fan of getting his hair cut, though.  My boys' hair grows much too quickly.  This haircut was the middle of January, and I just gave them much needed cuts again this weekend!  (Less than two months later.)

Basketball

Spencer and Kylene are both just finishing up their first seasons of basketball.  It has been a great experience; both have really enjoyed it.  Here are their team pictures we got back yesterday.  More action shots I have taken over the season to come as soon as I can fix my memory card!

Spencer played in the 5/6 age bracket with Kinder and First Graders.  He was one of the older ones on his team.  His coaches were Coach Melissa and Coach Heather.

Kylene played in the 9/10 age bracket with third and fourth graders.  Her coach was Coach Richards.  She was one of the younger ones on her team, and the only one that had never played basketball before.  She had a very steep learning curve at the beginning and picked up on everything very quickly.  The first couple of practices were a little overwhelming, but she understands so much more now and loves going, especially to practices.  (The games can get a little intense.)  I'm so proud of her for hanging in there and coming so far!

Stand For the Family

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is one of the scariest UN Resolutions there is.   Here is a great article on what it is doing to undermine the power and influence of families.

http://www.ldsmag.com/article/1/14003


One of my biggest complaints about the public school system and the government is the assumption they 

make that THEY (not the parents or the family) know what is best for our children.  Inch by inch, they are
doing their best to take away any and all rights we have.  I pray that the United States will never stoop so low
as to support this pernicious UN Resolution.  

Please always remember that if you are a parent, YOU know what is best for your child.  You are his/her
greatest advocate and you must stand up for him/her.  I have learned through experience that a mother's 
intuition is both powerful and real.  Never doubt yourself when it comes time for you to fight for what your
child needs.  And never let a school, government, doctor, or anyone else tell you that you don't know what
you're talking about.  I am not much of a fighter by nature, but this type of thing makes me want to put on
my boxing gloves.  Seriously.

Here's another article that summarizes the UN CRC.  Scary stuff, indeed.