2017 Catch Up

So....it's been FOREVER since I've put anything up on the blog and someone gently reminded me that I needed to pick up the slack. With any luck, by the end of 2017, I'll be caught up. Things won't be as detailed as if I had written closer to the event, but at least there will be some documentation.

Now, because there are some posts from February, I'll start with...

MARCH

March 4 - Graigry was selected as one of two from Little Flower that were at the CYO Science Fair. He didn't like having his picture taken, so I had to snap things as I was able. He made it to round two and then received an honorable mention for the 7th grade.

Graigry trying to escape
the photographic evidence.

Graigry with his honorable mention trophy

March 10 - I surprised Nate by showing up at his 5th grade cardboard regatta. His fifth grade class spent a week or so, divided into groups, designing and creating their ships and it was time to test them on water. They hauled their ships to the YMCA indoor pool and then, with one man on board, set "sail" two at a time across the pool, or at least got as far as they could.

Waiting their turn to
float and row or sink and swim

Nate and his 5th grade group's ship

Their ship didn't instantly sink, but it didn't make it all the way across the pool either. Part of that may have been the person captaining the boat, (which wasn't Nate) but oh well.

March 16 - I can't believe I have a 17 year old. Xela is a fabulous person and friend, and to quote a friend, I want to be like her when I grow up. She loves pudding so I got a few fun flavors (like Oreo, that we never get) and she made a trifle of sorts. It was a little of a combined effort to get the layers but it was lots of fun to make.

Layers of pudding (not the cheapo kind)
It was frozen by the time we ate it,
but still yummmy!

Time to eat...

...on the table, where else!

She "only" wanted a computer for her birthday and was willing to contribute to it. We got each set of grandparents to pitch in $50 and we were able to get one for her to use for school and beyond. Guess that means we've set a new "standard" for the 17th birthday - yay. Because opening one present is kind of anti-climactic, the other kids and I used multiple boxes, packing tape and rabbit shreds. There were also some twizzlers packing taped together hidden in the shreds (I think that was Nate's idea).

Unwrap and then unbury
the present

Dumping shreds on and
into Thor's cage

It's hard, exciting, challenging, rewarding, frustrating, inspiring and many other emotional -ings to watch your children grow up and prepare to head out into the crazy world we live in.

March 30 - We wanted to get out of the house and do something as a family, although I can't remember why we felt that way (although I think Eric and I wanted to see Xela smile, which she hadn't done a lot of lately). We needed something close, not time consuming and outdoors, so someone, again not remembering who (don't have my journal to reference at the moment) decided Ellenberger Park. We decided to wander by the creek, which ended up turning to in the creek, and we were all okay with that too.

Almost everyone had on
flip flops, boots or crocs.
Never know what has been
tossed into a city creek.

For example, Xela and Ro
found something hard, black
and round. With a few yanks
they revealed...

A bowling ball!
Really people?
You couldn't just donate it somewhere?

Eric kept a plastic bag we found
and we started picking up trash to carry out.
We found a mattress, so weighed down with water,
we had to cut a hole in a corner, let some water drain,
and then were able to haul it up where people could see it.

A little more meandering
downstream just because

Some crustacean carcass.
The artist pictured may have 
brought it home for some
future project.
(until it got too smelly & got pitched)

One month down, eight more to go!