Winter Time Adventures

Phew . . . I am woefully behind on blog posts!  This one will be filled with pictures from the last several weeks.

Everybody got new school shirts.  I don't know why Caylie is looking up like that.

Justin was using a rented trombone for school band, but now he has his own.  He is doing great, and has his first concert coming up in a couple of months.

Caylie got a new outfit at the Gymboree Outlet. 
 My pretty girl!

Tessa and I still hang out on Mondays and Fridays. 

 She is starting to say words and can follow directions - when she wants to!  She runs and climbs, and is into everything.  It's very cute.  

 Tessa in the dress that Grandma Altman got for Brittany, back in 1990.  

 Our 6-month post-placement report for Samuel was due in January, and we needed a family picture.  This is as good as it gets, haha.
Jim, Sam, Keelan, Justin, Caylie and me.

The boys got haircuts a few weeks ago.  

Samuel was very happy with his.

 Justin, not so much, though the rest of us liked it.  

But hair grows back.

Samuel had a school field trip to Young AmeriTowne.  He spent the day being a banker.  Jim got to go, too, and said it was a good day and Samuel did a good job.  (If only he hadn't forgotten his lunch at school!)

Tessa and Caylie driving around the house.

Silly hat.

Selfie by Caylie.

Keelan bought himself a guitar and is teaching himself the chords.

Caylie loves school.  Gao Laoshi is one of her teachers.  

 (Oh, and Caylie speaks Chinese ALL the time now! 

 I think she gets frustrated sometimes that she knows more than mama.  Ha!)

One Saturday we had a special yummy lunch at Maggiano's.  We hadn't been there in several years.

Samuel and Jim

Caylie and me.

Justin and his chicken.

Keelan and his friend Ian.

It's Chinese New Year, and we're celebrating in several ways.  (That will be a separate post!) But meanwhile, Samuel is learning about yet another American holiday - Valentine's Day!  He and Caylie were very busy getting their Valentine cards ready for school. 

And our Denver Broncos won the Super Bowl!!  That was a very exciting day!  Here's Sam in his Demaryius Thomas jersey, and Caylie in her Tim Tebow jersey.  

And Tessa in her Peyton Manning #18!  Go Broncos!!

Snow Fun

Justin, Samuel and Caylie all got new sleds for Christmas.  So when the snow started on Christmas afternoon, we were all very excited!  They went sledding every day for the next six days and lots of fun was had.  (And energy used up!)

Taylor got germophobe Justin that mask he's wearing as a joke.  But Justin decided it was good for a face warmer, haha.

There is a great sledding hill just around the corner and down the street, at the neighborhood elementary school.

Caylie was a little tentative her first time out this year, but soon got over that.  Now she goes zooming down the hill, often being thrown off at the bottom, but she always gets right up and goes again!

Somebody else had made this hill, but we got lots of use out of it.

Justin trying the tummy approach.

There they go.

Keelan showing Samuel some sled tricks.

Justin pulled Caylie back up the first couple of times, but now she does it herself.

Jack loves the snow.  When there's a fresh snow, he'll run and run circles around the yard.  And roll in it.  And lay in it.  And eat it.  He must be part Husky.

He also likes playing tetherball with Sam and Keelan.

Got it!

Christmas #2

On Christmas Eve, Brittany and I spent the day making cookies.  We went for our usual Christmas Eve dinner at IHOP and then to our church's Christmas Eve service.  There are several other churches that use our building during the week, so we get together with all of them and have a multi-cultural service, with English, Spanish, and Korean.  (I really wish one of the groups was Chinese!)  It is always an awesome experience. 

Christmas Day!  I had talked to Samuel a lot about what would happen on this day, so that he would be prepared.  He is often upset about perceived injustices and unfairness, so I tried to make it clear that everyone would get different presents, and that his would not be the same as anyone else's.  He ended up having a good day, so it seems he was sufficiently prepared.  :)  

The first gift went to Jack.  :D

I got pictures of everyone opening presents.  What they are holding was just what they were opening at the time, not necessarily their favorite thing!

Brittany, Brad and Tessa came a couple of hours later.

Tessa got a new car from Nana and Papa.

Justin is learning to play chess.

Fun was had in this big box until I came along with the camera!

Jack is worn out from all the excitement.

Christmas was a great day.  We had a fun time with out family, a yummy dinner, and it snowed!  I was glad about that, since the three youngest kids got new sleds.  Pictures of snow fun coming in the next post!