January 2019

Peeks at us at the end of January 2019, in no order at all---

• The kitchen project continues to move right along. The cabinets were installed last week and the counters arrive next week. There are still a few weeks until it will be a working kitchen since plumbers and electricians have to return to finish up, but the finish line is so close! We've completed our share of big home projects over the years, but this one will probably always remain in its own category. The scale of it all, the fact that we had to use a contractor, the long timeline.... it's been a unique experience for sure. I am so excited to see the finished product and to begin to use the space we've been dreaming about for a year.
• Grace has decided to give track a try this spring at the high school. Love that girl and her confidence.
• In other happy news for Grace, HER BRACES CAME OFF LAST WEEK! Woo hoo!
• In not quite as happy news for Luke, his braces come on next week. He's being a good sport about it though. The orthodontist assures us that his timeline is expected to be shorter and less complicated than Gracie's was.
• Kate and Drew are both playing basketball this winter. Drew is on two teams, one with friends from school and one with the boys he plays soccer with through the catholic school across the street. Kate is playing with friends from second grade. Ben and I are enjoying watching those two on the court. 
• Luke continues to enjoy fencing. It is not so common for me to get to observe him at fencing club, but every eight weeks or so, they invite parents to come for the last twenty minutes of the club just to watch. I went on Tuesday and really enjoyed seeing Luke enjoying this interesting sport. His coach came up to me at the end of class to let me know that Luke is really doing great and also to joke about how many inches the kid has grown in the past six months!
• Drew and friends just wrapped up at science fair project involving Mentos and soda and explosions. They loved it. 
• Last week we had a mock prom with our League of Adventurers group. Ben and I co-hosted with our friends Liz and Joel. I enjoyed the creativity involved in turning a local dance hall (125+ years old) into a throwback Enchantment Under The Sea theme. We had streamers and balloons and decorations everywhere-  all set up in the one hour between when we were let into the building and when we needed to be at Liz and Joel's house for dinner. 
• It is crazy cold in St. Louis tonight. I am typing to the sounds of our radiators making weird noises. The kids had no school today because of the low temps, but my preschool was still in session. Kate was the only one of the kids who wanted to come to work with me today.