barrett: 105 months old

This heartbreaker is gearing up for his Valentine's Day class party.  How are we almost halfway through February already??  Even though it's been a bit chilly here lately, Barrett has summarily declared that he hates pants.  You know those funny memes showing college boys wearing shorts in the freezing cold snow?  Yep, I predict that will be Barrett.  While Barrett still loves his "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" books, he's now smitten with the "I Survived" series.  I've taken to it as well, since it allows us to discuss the history behind the stories.  We just finished "I Survived the Nazi Invasion, 1944."

And baseball has begun too!  Last Sunday, Barrett had his evaluation, where they have the kids catch, throw, and bat, so they can make sure the teams are evenly balanced with player talent.  Barrett went to bat left-handed, and the coach had him try right-handed, and he did better!  The coach called me over and said, "He says he's left-handed." Um, HE IS.  But turns out he may not bat left-handed!  

Batting left-handed first

Likes:  tennis (once he gets there), labeling his bookcase like the classroom bookcases, letting Ruby Dog snuggle with us while we read before bed

Dislikes:  tennis (before he gets there)

150 months old

I actually took Britton's photo on the correct date, but haven't been able to post because each night, the computer is missing.  And it's been in Britton's room, because she's currently in an Outschool production of "Wizard of Oz," which meets three times per week!  She's playing multiple parts, including Oz, and is really enjoying the class.  And with class selection for next year coming up soon, I thought she might be interested in taking theater as one of her electives, but nope, she's selected being a library aide and art!  While she's been in band for two years now, Britton doesn't want to keep playing the clarinet in band.  I do wish she'd keep playing, but I think the demands of concert band, competitions, and sectionals are outweighing her enjoyment of playing. 

Softball starts up again this weekend!  Britton enjoyed fall softball so much that she decided to play this spring as well.  The season has started off with a bit of a delay, because we've been hit with some freezing weather.  If it's under 32 degrees, Texas shuts down!  So, first practice this weekend, and we'll finally get to see who's on her team.

 Likes:  softball, English class's reading challenge

Dislikes: dissecting a frog in Science class

barrett: 104 months old

                                         

Barrett got a haircut!  He came home asking for one, and when I asked him why, he said he was tired of long hair.  And, apparently, tired of classmates asking him why he had "girl hair."  Insert heavy sigh and eye roll here.  So, I told him it's his hair, he can decide to cut it, but it has to be because he wants to and not because his classmates think his hair is too long.  And, being in Texas and it always being hot, he was ready to cut it shorter.  So he did, and it looks great!  

Barrett's favorite Christmas gift was his electric scooter!  He's been having fun whizzing up and down the street.  Barrett is still doing tennis lessons, and soon will be starting baseball!  It's his first year playing, and I hope he enjoys learning the game.  Though the hubs and I are not sure how we can pull off both kids playing ball this spring - between practices and games, we may never leave the fields!  Barrett is also starting an art/drawing class that meets after school once a week.  

Likes:  "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" and "Dog Man" books, creating his restaurant in Roblox

Dislikes:  when I want to drive to school in the cold weather - he'd rather walk!

149 months old

We've had a fantastic two weeks of winter break - sleeping in, doing a whole lot of nothing, and of course, celebrating Christmas and getting awesome Christmas goodies!  Britton's favorite present from Santa was concert tickets to Marina - her first concert!

With the new covid variant flaring up, we stayed pretty close to home, but did get in an early showing of the new Spiderman movie, and a round at TopGolf!  Absolutely nobody is looking forward to getting up early tomorrow and getting back to school/work, but Britton is ready to see her friends.  January is bringing band sectionals (she has to do a solo for "Minuet in G") and spring softball tryouts are at the end of the month.  Britton is doing softball and Barrett is doing baseball, so I imagine we're going to be ridiculously busy the next couple of months!

Likes:  getting books from the library that she's already read, heating the pool so we can swim on Christmas

Dislikes:  3 months until Spring Break!

barrett: 103 months old

I'm ridiculously late in posting for Barrett!  Every year, December hits, and I think I'm ahead of the game because Christmas cards are mailed and presents are wrapped, and I can take it easy.  But nope, December came in like a runaway train, and we've been slammed with activities and fun events.  

Barrett started tennis last month, and is enjoying his weekly lessons very much.  He is starting baseball in the spring, and Britton took him to the park today to teach him batting.  It was so sweet, and completely her idea!  He's still into the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, and every week brings a new one home from the school library to read.  And his newest project is creating a cruise ship model out of the many cardboard boxes that show up regularly on our doorstep, aptly named "The Cardboard Majesty."

Checking out Christmas lights with his friend Walker

Likes:  ham and cheese paninis, bike riding - we had a goal to ride all the way to the soccer fields (about 3 miles each way) and did it today!

Dislikes:  doing math homework

148 months old

We are three weeks away from Christmas, in that weird in-between time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when we've had a taste of vacation and just need more!  But no, Britton is gearing up for her Winter Band Concert this week, and finals starting the week after.  We've planned to do a whole lot of nothing over winter break, except for a few volunteering gigs for NCL.  We're also planning spring sports, and Britton has decided to do another season of softball!  She's also going to do weekly swim conditioning with a coach in preparation for swim team season.  So this spring is shaping up to be a busy one!

Likes:  playing on Babbel app to learn new languages (she's currently on French and reports that Russian is hard); "The Babysitter's Club" graphic novels - new ones at the book fair!

Dislikes:  Getting up early on the weekends - we had to get up earlier than usual for the elementary school's "Breakfast with Santa"

barrett: 102 months old

Can you believe that next week Barrett gets his braces taken off??  He's had them way less time than Britton, and she's none too happy that he's getting his off first.  I'm so used to seeing him in braces that I will miss that metal-filled mouth.  Barrett has really gotten into reading chapter books lately, and started out with the "Dogman" series.  While his teacher questions the utility of graphic novels, we think a kid reading, whether it be a graphic novel or regular book or the back of a cereal box, is always a good thing.  He's now really into the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, though because of library availability, he's reading them completely out of order.  I appreciate that they aren't written where you have to read them in sequential order!

Barrett has really enjoyed watching Britton's softball games, so I think he's ready to sign up for baseball in the spring!  Our neighborhood is also putting together tennis lessons, and I signed Barrett up!  He loved tennis camp last summer, so I hope he enjoys expanding on his skills throughout the winter. 

Face painting at the zoo!

Likes:  the beautiful colder weather we had last weekend, going to the zoo, running at the park

Dislikes:  lasagna