Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Junior Parkour Gymnastics



Lincoln and Evan attended a local gymnastics club, Aurora Kids, during the fall semester. They were in the 4-6 year old junior parkour gymnastics class. Parkour is a fancy word for running obstacle courses. (Running obstacle courses is a sport made popular by the reality TV show American Ninja Warrior.) 

Every Wednesday I took them to their parkour class where they ran, jump, rolled, swung, climbed, balanced and had a great time. At the end of the semester the class had a parents' night to show off the kids' skills. It was fun to see them do the different obstacle course activities. Lincoln was one of the older kids and very adept at the given activities. The teachers said he should move on to a more advanced class. Evan was one of the shorter and younger kids, so while he was good at the activities, they were more challenging for him. (The bane of younger brothers is their older brother always being ahead of them in skills they learn at the same time--but not at the same age.)





Lincoln and Evan really enjoyed the class, but when asked if they wanted to take it again in the spring semester, they said they were okay with doing something else. Lincoln wants to go back to karate and Evan said the class was too exhausting. (It wasn't too exhausting and the boys would have enjoyed a second semester of parkour, but going back to karate is also a good choice.)

Kara and I took the boys out for ice cream after their showcase.


P.S. When Bentley and Jake were the age of Lincoln and Evan they, too, took a gymnastics class at Aurora Kids. It was a boys only gymnastics class, but that class was no longer offered, instead kid parkour classes are offered. 

Sunday, December 03, 2017

Everyday Life: November

Foosball

School Time

Evan wrote this equation after watching the older kids do algebra problems.
(I still haven't solved it!)

Two boys, two cars....crashing, not racing them.

Lego Robot?

Viva, Lincoln, and Evan had Thanksgiving dinner for their stuffed animals. 
I didn't have my camera the first time I saw it when all the seats were full.

Around and around L goes!

Around and around E goes!
(I hate these chairs because they let wiggly boys twirl while they wiggle.)

School Time...Bentley and Viva must be doing music practice? Or reading on the couches?
(Look closely and you can see Great-Grandma in the kitchen!)

I made flute cases for the Native America wooden flutes that Opa purchased the kids. 
Viva wanted to sew her own case.

In November Lincoln trekked down our long driveway every school morning to collect Great-Grandma's newspaper.

Bentley practicing cello.

Evan wiggling off a chair.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

The Fact File: All About Evan

Food wise:

Favorite Dorito flavor: Ranch
Favorite M&M flavor: Mint
Favorite dessert: Red Velvet Cake
Favorite cookie: Snickerdoodles
Favorite icecream: Strawberry
Favorite meal: Meatballs
Favorite fruit: Strawberries
Favorite vegetable: He hasn't met one he likes
Favorite soda: Orange
Favorite drink: Milk
Favorite candy bar: Kinder Chocolate
Favorite muffin: Chocolate

Other favorites:

Favorite movie: Lego Ninjago
Favorite book: Harry Potter (I am noticing a trend....)
Favorite church song: Baby in a Manger
Favorite cello song you can play: All of them
Favorite game: Checkers
Favorite subject: Math
Favorite day of the week: Saturday
Morning bird or night owl?! Morning Bird

Top 3 fave colors: Red, blue, & yellow

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

The Fact File: All About Bentley

Food wise:

Favorite Dorito flavor: Nacho
Favorite M&M flavor: Mint
Favorite dessert: 7 Layer Bars
Favorite cookie: Gayle's Chocolate Cookies
Favorite icecream: None!
Favorite meal: Great Alaska Pizza Co Breadsticks with shell noodles and raclette steak
Favorite fruit: Asian Pears
Favorite vegetable: Peppers
Favorite soda: None!
Favorite drink: Milk (his body is probably 10% milk, his sister thinks?!)
Favorite candy bar: Reeses
Favorite muffin: Chocolate chunk

Other favorites:

Favorite movie: Lego Batman
Favorite book: Adventurers Wanted Series
Favorite church song: Choose the Right
Favorite cello song you can play: Gigue 
Favorite game: Chess & 7 Wonders
Favorite subject: Music & Music History
Favorite day of the week: Monday (Super Strings!)
Favorite karate weapon: Tonfa, the one that has hurt me the least
Morning bird or night owl? Both!

Top 3 fave colors: Turquoise, deep yellow, & bright red

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Super Strings Concert

Last week was the winter concert for Bentley's Super Strings group.  They did a really lovely assortment of fall and Christmas music, and we all enjoyed the concert!




It was a smaller group this semester, but still a great time according to Bentley.  His favorite songs were Star Wars, Blue Rhythmnico, and Holly Jolly Christmas!  We're lucky to have such a great concert group to participate in!

Saturday, November 25, 2017

The Fact File: All About Genevieve

Food wise:

Favorite Dorito flavor: Nacho
Favorite M&M flavor: Peanut butter
Favorite dessert: Red Velvet Cake
Favorite cookie: Peanut Butter w/Hershey Kisses
Favorite icecream: Oreo
Favorite meal: Spaghetti or Beef Stew
Favorite fruit: Strawberries & raspberries
Favorite vegetable: Peppers
Favorite soda: Root beer
Favorite drink: Water
Favorite candy bar: Kit Kats
Favorite muffin: I don't like them!

Other favorites:

Favorite movie: Iron Man
Favorite book: Percy Jackson
Favorite church song: Gethsemane
Favorite harp song you can play: Carol of the Bells
Favorite game: Mario Kart (she deliberately misinterpreted the board game question... *sigh*), then said Monopoly
Favorite subject: Music History
Favorite day of the week: Saturday
Favorite type of dance: All of them!
Favorite karate weapon: the sci(s)
Morning bird or night owl? Night Owl 


Top 3 fave colors: Black, grey, & silver

Thursday, November 16, 2017

The Fact File: All About Lincoln


Food wise:

Favorite Dorito flavor: Ranch
Favorite M&M flavor: Plain
Favorite dessert: Muffins
Favorite cookie: Chocolate Chip
Favorite icecream: Oreo (cookies & cream!)
Favorite meal: Hamburgers
Favorite fruit: Apples
Favorite vegetable: Carrots
Favorite candy: Gummy bears
Favorite muffin: Chocolate

(Do I seem a little obsessed with favorite sweets?  Hmmmm..... !)

Other favorites:

Favorite movie: Lego Ninjago
Favorite book: Harry Potter w/Daddy
Favorite church song: Choose the Right
Favorite cello song you can play: Lightly Row
Favorite game: Sequence
Favorite subject: Music
Favorite day of the week: "That's a hard one... !  Wait.  The day we have off!"
Morning bird or night owl? Morning bird
Top 3 fave colors: Green, blue, & purple

Monday, November 13, 2017

The Fact File: All About Jake

I was quizzing my Jake today about some of his favorite things, and here is what I learned!

Food wise:

Favorite Dorito flavor: Nacho
Favorite M&M flavor: Peanut
Favorite dessert: M&M Fudge
Favorite cookie: Gayle's Chocolate Cookies
Favorite icecream: Oreo
Favorite meal: Lasagna or Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps
Favorite fruit: Apples
Favorite vegetable: Broccoli (only raw, not cooked!)
Favorite soda: Sprite
Favorite drink: Naked Juice
Favorite candy bar: Snickers
Favorite muffin: Poppy seed

(Do I seem a little obsessed with favorite sweets?  Hmmmm..... !)

Other favorites:

Favorite movie: Rogue One
Favorite book: Harry Potter #7
Favorite church song: Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel
Favorite trumpet song you can play: Cygnus
Favorite game: Forbidden Island
Favorite subject: Music & math
Favorite day of the week: Tuesday (jazz band day!)
Favorite karate weapon: the sci(s)
Morning bird or night owl? Night Owl (he claims - but he seems like a morning bird to me!)
Top 3 fave colors: Orange, red, & yellow

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Newest Library Card Holders!

Matt took Lincoln & Evan over to the library this weekend to get their very own library cards.  They are both great little readers now, so it was time!  They were quite excited.  :)



Wednesday, November 08, 2017

Choir Group

Genevieve wanted to try out choir this fall!  It took me a little work to find a group that was for the right age and that met at the right time, but we did eventually find the perfect little group!  They just had their fall performance and sounded awesome.  Genevieve tells me she is done with choir for now, but she had fun trying it.  :)  I like that she likes trying new things!



After the performance!  Her brothers all came to see it.  They were (mostly) good sports.  :)


Monday, November 06, 2017

Everyday Life: More October

Jake started an online architecture course in September. 
This is one of his drawings for that course.
The course was a lot of work because he did two to three drawings every week.

Viva doing schoolwork.

Lincoln built a structure to showcase cars.

Bentley reading...for fun? For schoolwork?

Jake working...? Jake playing?

Evan lounging...possibly thinking great thoughts.

Bentley and Viva eating apple peels.

Matt reading to the kids.

Boys with Toys

Viva building a cat house. 
The cats were not appropriately appreciative.

Evan and Lincoln building models of atoms out of Playdough.
(This was not a particularly good object lesson.)

Saturday, November 04, 2017

Everyday Life: October

I swung the pendulum too far the other direction. There were many more shots of the younger two last month, so this month I didn't get enough! Sorry little cuties!

Viva made paper lanterns from her Doodle Crate kit. 
(Doodle Crate a super cool craft & science company that sends out monthly kits.) 

Jake in his neon green socks doing schoolwork on his iPad.

Viva reading scriptures.

Viva reading the comics.

Lincoln having fun on the bar. 
We talk about getting rid of the bar, but the kids still use it.

Viva and Chloe making something...not cookies...during their weekly play date.

The boys helping with fall clean-up.

Bentley helping me spread mulch (tree bark) on my perennial bed.

Evan and Great-grandma chilling.
(Technically his feet are not on the table.)

Viva helping Opa who is soldering the wires on my sewing machine foot pedal.

Bentley and Jake grilling steak on the raclette.

Evan and Lincoln playing with kinetic sand which is very messy.
(Theoretically less messy than normal sand, but in reality not much less so.)