January

This space has been quite neglected this month as I just haven't had the bandwidth to keep up with it. But since it's the main chronicle of our family life, I want to do a broad overview so we don't look back someday and wonder, "What the heck happened to January 2018?" Here are the highlights (not including regular activities and things that were already going on before this month):

• Jan. 1--Polar Bear Dip, South Padre Island

• Jan. 2-3--San Antonio with Mimi and Grandpa

• Jan. 4--I received a life-changing tiara in the mail

• Jan. 5--I started running again; Jeff found out he passed his personal narrative essays, which is the 2nd test he had to pass in his quest to become a Foreign Service Officer (Diplomat)
• Jan. 7--Weston joined a ping-pong club
• Jan. 8--Max started his Ninja Warrior class; Clay started his martial arts class

• Jan. 9--Max and Clay built a cotton gin during History class

• Jan. 10--I started my regular Meals on Wheels route; I took my first writing day out of the house; Clay started swim lessons; I started back to yoga

• Jan. 12--Max turned 10, and we celebrated at the Lego Discovery Center and Olive Garden

• Jan. 13-15--Weston went on a surprise campout with the Boy Scouts, and they got to spend the night on board a battleship
• Jan. 14--Ruth's last IEA horse show of the season

• Jan. 15--Ruth officially became a Civil Air Patrol cadet
• Jan. 18--Ruth started track
• Jan. 19-21--Max got to spend the weekend with Nana and Papa and got to attend a monster truck show

• Jan. 20--Weston attended the Boy Scout Merit Badge College where he got to work on badge requirements with other members of his troop
• Jan. 21--I got to dance with Weston at his last Cotillion class

• Jan. 22--Clay and I got to build castles and shields with the rest of his Cub Scout den
• Jan. 27--Clay got to participate in the Cub Scouts' Pinewood Derby; Ruth completed her first CAP PT test

• Jan. 28--Brunch at Blue Mesa Grill; Hiking at Ft. Worth Nature Center and Refuge

Time to pay the piper

On Monday, the kids went to VBS, had fast food for lunch, played at the pool, went to Martial Arts class, had dessert, watched TV and read in their beds until past the usual bed time. On Tuesday, they went to VBS, had a picnic lunch, played at the pool, ate homemade soft tacos (a house favorite) for dinner, had dessert and watched TV. On Wednesday, they went to VBS, got new Fourth of July t-shirts, had lunch at the bowling alley, bowled with all their neighborhood friends, watched an in-van movie, (one of them) got a haircut, had slushes at Sonic, went to Martial Arts class, and had dessert. Today, they cried and screamed and melted down in a variety of dramatic ways. (After going to VBS, having lunch out with Dad and running a quick errand). So, in the end, it wasn't the heat that made us miserable, it was the fun. Today, we paid the piper. Tomorrow will be better, and we'll be back to our regularly scheduled summer fun.

Belt Test

The Flying Monkey

Getting some help from the lovely assistants

A clean break

So proud of the new "lello" belt

Packing a powerful punch

A break on the first try

Looking good in yellow

Rockin' Ruth

Beware the deadly side kick 

The hard-earned orange belt

A week with The Watts

Sunday~

• My sister and her family were here in the morning.
• In the afternoon, we went over to Jeff's parents' to visit with them and with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Clay is introduced to corn-on-the-cob

Monday~

• Last day of preschool for Max.
• Martial arts for oldest three kids.
• Last Cub Scout meeting for Weston.

Tuesday~

• Jeff's half-birthday.
• Max's first day of pre-K at home (at his insistence).
• Round Rock Express game.

Take me out to the ballgame

Wednesday~

• Ruth piano lesson.
• Martial arts.
• Teeny, tiny birthday party for Clay with just our immediate family.

A new set of wheels

Thursday~

• Early morning road trip to Belton/Temple.
• Hanging out with Nana and Papa.
• Date night.

Friday~

• Early morning road trip to Dallas/Ft. Worth, without the boys.
• Received early Mother's Day gift: a new camera.
• Shopping with Ruth in an actual mall.
• Lunch at Souper Salad, at Ruth's request.
• Hanging out in the lobby of a hotel we weren't staying in. 
• Dinner at Medieval Times.

Ruth receives a flower from the Yellow Knight

Saturday~

• State PSIA contest at TCU, where Ruth competed in Poetry Interpretation and Ready Writing. (She didn't advance to the finals in Poetry, but she came away with the 2nd place medal for Writing).
• Road trip back to Belton.
• Dinner with my parents, and cupcakes with the birthday boy.
• Road trip back home.

Taking the 2nd place medal for Writing

The birthday boy sharing a cupcake with Nana

Sunday~

• Slept in until 8:30, proving that miracles do still happen.
• Ruth's piano recital.
• Early Mother's Day party with my mom at Fresh and Fruiti.
• Cook-a-thon to restock the fridge for the upcoming week.
• Belated Cinco de Mayo party at home with homemade Mexican food.

Playing "Give Me Oil In My Lamp" for the crowd

Becoming a Yellow Belt