First Days of In-person School

Evelyn and Bridget started in person school on January 25th.  Here they are in the garage.  We could walk 15 minutes to school and once it warms up we will, but for now the mornings are awfully chilly.  In the afternoons Alice and I walk to school and walk the girls home.  It’s been wonderful!

Alice started preschool on Feb 2nd.  She attends a nondenominational church preschool twice a week.  I love this picket fence with hooks!
The preschool posts pictures on the app for the parents.  So fun!


Lydia and Isaac finally got to start school in person on Feb 8th.  I failed to get decent first day pictures.  These had to suffice.  Lydia does in person seminary at the church TWTh and online on MW (which is why I drove her to school).

Isaac is long overdue for a haircut, but I love his big wavy hair!

Me too me too!

I had a birthday too!  Saturday birthdays are the best!  Mike made pancakes and suddenly even in the midst of all the boxes it felt like home.  Pancakes are magical.

Mike and I visited an antique/furniture store and bought this cool piece to supplement our need of kitchen drawers. Happy birthday to me!

I got to attend a Relief Society activity and make some friends!  I got home and Mike had dinner of hoppin John all ready.  What a great day!

Here are the kids helping me out with 39 fingers while I’m showing off my cool presents.  I was so spoiled this year.  The kids picked out a cool lime green phone case, my sisters got me a silk pillowcase, Mike got me Crocs and a lab coat!

Yes, a lab coat!  I have always wanted one!  I’m such a nerd.

One of my Westerville friends started exploring woodworking and sent me a home made cheeseboard! It’s so pretty!  
Evelyn made me a glorious chocolate cherry Bundt cake with chocolate ganache.  This is the 3rd year I have requested it of her.  She does a great job.

Happy birthday indeed!  I am so blessed!

2 House Birthday!

Alice was a lucky girl to spend her birthday in 2 houses.  Which is just as well, because now in her 5 birthdays she’s spent them in 5 houses.  We left the Airbnb and headed to church.

Our church building.

It was actually an amazing birthday because we were invited to lunch at a family’s house and had cake and ice cream for dessert there.  2 cake and ice creams?  Best birthday ever! 

Back home to keep unpacking and get ready for our birthday evening.  Alice got a backpack to carry her doll, plus some fun doll outfits too.

Alice also wanted a mermaid cake, which didn’t really happen.  Instead it just had ocean waves on it.  And pink pearls.  So it was more like a cake a mermaid would have, not necessarily a mermaid themed cake.  And it was totally canned frosting.  Boo.  But we did have mermaid ice cream!  Phew!  Thank you, Kroger.

I love this picture.  Her second breath to get that last candle.

Alice is just the cutest thing.  And so sweet and helpful.  We love her so much!  

New House

On closing day we grabbed the kids and Chick-fil-a takeout and took them to meet the new house.  An empty house is such a playground!
Our stuff arrived.  Ugh, I hate unpacking.

Luckily, we had the Airbnb a few extra days so we could escape the sea of cardboard.  But it was fun to have our table back!
While Mike and I tried to make sense of the house, the kids had fun in our little unfinished basement space.  It’s not big, but is great for storage plus the brown couch.  We plan to finish it to be a teen hang out spot, but for now it is a jungle gym.

Hello Clarksville, Tennessee

We made it to Clarksville.  Our first stop was the Waffle House.  Seriously, their hash brown, sausage, egg bowl was a bit of heaven.

Our house wasn’t ready yet.  Mike’s company gave us 3 weeks in an Airbnb, which was truly great.  The girls crafting with Oma’s contributions.  

It’s been cold here (it ain’t Texas), but we had one gorgeous 60 degree day!  Thank you!  We explored the big park in town, Liberty Park..

Saw the lights by the river.


Another day we drove down to Nashville and saw the temple. (And hit Costco while in the big city.)

We visited Dunbar Cave State park (which is 10 minutes from our house!).  It was too cold to spend long, but we saw the mouth of the cave that had been used for town dances in the 30’s.  They even had a band stand (Evelyn leading the Johnson band)

And a concession building.
We’re looking forward to some warmer weather to really enjoy the state park.

School started, but was online at first. Luckily we got laptops from the school and this is how our days looked.

One day it snowed pretty hard at Mike’s work and he brought snow home on the car!  The kids were elated!

Christmas

December was madness, as any move is.  The house was getting packed up which gave us a couple days to spend with our beloved Calls before we bid Houston farewell. We are sure going to miss these people! 
Lucky for us, we got to spend Christmas in Dallas with the Robins and my parents who came from Ohio!  It was truly a delightful Christmas!  Presents at the Airbnb with Oma and Opa then off to the Robins for breakfast and the rest of a wonderful day.  The kids’ presents to each other.  Isaac made Bridget a key chain for her back pack.

Lydia made Alice a kitty t-shirt.

Evelyn made Isaac a super cool BYU pennant.

Bridget made Evelyn a recipe card box.

And Alice made Lydia a jar of sugar scrub.
Cousins!


We loved being with our family!!!  

We had such a great few days in Dallas.  My favorites were probably skipping rocks on a hike

And visiting the Dallas arboretum.


What a great last visit with the Robins.  I can’t even begin to express how wonderful it was having them so close for 2 years.  Goodbye, Texas.  Sniff.