Valentine's Day, Trombone Lessons, and Random Pics

Every year around Valentine's Day, Derek's work holds a father/daughter dance. This is the second year that Jenna and Derek have attended. They both love it. Here are the few pictures I snapped before they left:

What a cute couple

Derek and Jenna

Jenna and Derek

Jared's preschool class has two class "friends" that the children take turns taking home for a sleepover over the weekend. Jared had the opportunity to bring one home the other day. He brought home "Manny the Monkey." Manny is supposed to observe Jared using manners. We recorded two instance of Jared using good manners in Manny's notebook, and we recorded some of the fun things Jared and Manny did together. Jared even made a special bed for Manny to sleep in. It was very sweet.

Jared with Manny the Monkey, his frog and his monkey

Since Kevin and Jenna are now taking piano lessons, I thought it would be good to have a family talent night for Family Home Evening. Kevin and I played the piano (separately). Kevin played Ode to Joy, which he had memorized. Jenna tried to do a hand stand, and sang a song. Jared did a somersault and pretended to argue (really funny). Derek played his trombone. It has been a long time since Derek has played his trombone for the kids. I'm not even sure Jared was alive last time he had it out. Anyway, they were fascinated by it, so he let each of them try it. I was impressed that they were each able to get some sound out of it.

Kevin playing trombone

Jenna playing trombone

Jared on the trombone

Alyssa enjoying the "talent show"

When I was growing up my mom would always get us a little treat for Valentine's Day. We would wake up on Valentine's Day to find the small treat at our "spot" on the table. I have continued that same tradition with my children. However, two years ago we got the children a balloon with a treat attached to the bottom of it. We didn't do that last year, but they have not forgotten. They talk about Valentine's Day including balloons, so we decided to get them each a balloon to go with their small treat this year. They were so excited. They also gave us Valentine's, which was very sweet. Other than those small tokens, we didn't do anything to celebrate the day. The kids did all have parties at school though.

Valentine's Day morning

Alyssa's Valentine treat (oh well, next year it will be better)

And of course, no post would be complete without a couple of pictures of Alyssa. :)

Amanda and Alyssa

Alyssa sitting in the laundry basket

Karate

Kevin has been taking Karate for about 11 months now. He really enjoys it, and, thanks to practicing, is getting pretty good at it. Getting him to practice every day is still a battle, but so far it is worth it. We signed up for a year, so next month we will sit down and decide if it is worth it to keep going or not.

At the end of each month Kevin has the opportunity to test for a higher level. He has to have attended so many classes to test. When he tests for a belt he has to have forms filled out by us (his parents) and his teacher saying that he is behaving, and trying hard at school. It usually takes three months (at this point) to move from one belt to another, because they have to get two stripes in-between. This time will lengthen as he moves farther up in belts.

Some of these pictures are pretty old, but I thought it was better to put them all in one post, than to split them up in the other posts.

In September Kevin got the second stripe for his orange belt. He should have gotten it in August, but had to miss too many days because of being in Virginia for the adoption.


In October Kevin got his blue belt


In November Kevin's studio had a tournament. Here he is doing Sumo.



Jared and Alyssa at the tournament


Kevin got a first place medal in Sumo (around his neck), and a 2nd place ribbon in Cata (form)


Alyssa sporting Kevin's medal


In November Kevin got the first stripe on his blue belt


Thanks to Kevin's hard work and practicing, he was able to skip a stripe (very rare in his studio), and get his green belt a month early. He got his green belt in December.



In January Kevin got the first strip on his green belt


Well done Kevin. We are proud of you and your hard work. Keep it up!

Zoo

My children were tracked out the last two weeks of January, and part of the first week in February. During the second week of track-out, my parents and sister were in town. It was so nice to have them around. It made track out a lot more fun, and made it go by a lot faster. One of the days they were here, the weather was amazing (about 70F). We decided to take advantage of it, and go to the NC Zoo. Derek took the day off of work, and joined us. We had a great time. We needed a little more time to be able to see everything. I guess that we will have to go again. :)

Kevin - King of the Zoo


Janie and Grandpa checking out the alligators


Alyssa "enjoying" the zoo.


Alyssa


Janie


Kevin, Jared, and Jenna checking out the animals


The whole gang, except me


Janie, Jared, Kevin, Jenna, and Levi checking out the otters


Kevin and Jared biking. I'm not sure what the point of the biking was


Kevin, Grandpa, Jenna, Grandma, Jared, and Levi posing with the bison. Janie refused to get in the picture. :) We learned that there were no buffalo in US, only bison. Kind of a bummer. "Home, Home on the Range, where the dear and the [bison] play..." just doesn't have the same ring to it.


Jenna, Kevin, Jared, and Levi with the bison


Jared and Kevin checking out the zoo maps


Janie, Jared, Levi (in the stroller), Jenna, and Kevin checking out the baboons


Kevin in a life sized replica of an ostrich egg. As a female it makes me a little queasy to see the size of that thing.


Jared in an ostrich egg


Kevin and Jared both easily fit in one ostrich egg. In fact Kevin and I both fit into one of the eggs just fine.


Kevin and Jared with the Rhino


Derek and Alyssa


Alyssa

January 2012

My sister, Rachel turned the big 3-0 in January, so we celebrated one night when she was in town. You're still as beautiful as ever Rachel (maybe more so).


I watched Levi and Janie overnight again in January. Jared had a good time playing with his cousins. Here they are, all trying to ride on the fire truck at the same time.


I finally found a piano teacher for Kevin and Jenna. They started taking lessons at the beginning of January. Here is Jenna practicing. (If you ask Jenna what she thinks of piano lessons she will tell you that she likes piano, but she doesn't want to do it anymore because she hates practicing).


Jenna went to a "girly" birthday party at her friend's house. They did make-up and nails. She had to close her eyes so we could get a shot of her eye shadow. :)


Jenna reading to Jared in another one of their forts.


Jared decided he wanted to help me cook one night. Here he is with Derek's apron on.


This is what Jared does to entertain himself while Kevin and Jenna are at school


Santa brought Alyssa this fun play thing for Christmas. She has loves it.


Derek and Alyssa


Alyssa after a bath (still her favorite thing ever)


This poor girl rarely gets to nap in her own bed. With three older siblings we seem to constantly be on the move.


Kevin got to participate in his first ever pinewood derby in January. He was pretty excited. Here is his "car" (actually a bullet train) called "The Silver Bullet." He designed and painted the car himself. We are not the type of parents to do it for him just so we can win. He was very proud of his car, and took third place in his division.


Another view of The Silver Bullet


Kevin (on the right) watching his car go speeding down the track. :)


Derek and Alyssa enjoying the pinewood derby


Jared and Jenna holding the checkered flags at the pinewood derby


Every car received an award, of course. Here is Kevin receiving his certificate.


This is the "trophy" that each participant got along with their certificate at the pinewood derby. I thought they were genius, so I had to get a picture. The main part of the car was made with a singles pack of cookies (oreos in this case, but there were other types too). The wheels were peppermint patties (the off-brand), and the spoiler is a laffy taffy.


My parents came to visit for a week in January. I think that Grandpa and Alyssa bonded during that time.



This time Derek has a good excuse for being asleep while caring for Alyssa. This was pretty late at night. Alyssa was having a hard time sleeping because she had a little cold. Derek sat with her on the couch so that she could be more comfortable. Being that it was late, and he was just sitting there, he fell asleep too.


Poor, sick, sleeping baby. Luckily she was doing much better by the next day.