Getting into the Silly January

In an effort to try and be more transparent about our daily lives (instead of just showing the big highlights) I present to you the random happenings of January....

One night Clark told us he didn't want to get up the next morning and when we went in to say good night he was fast asleep but had left us this funny note on his whiteboard with a bonus fill in the blank for Dana. We laughed a good long time and filled out his survey. 

The Church's had us over for a "leftover" party which was so fun. The guys watched the 49ers crush the hopes of the Cowboys. Charlotte crushed something else - mainly motherhood. She spotted the McCracken's new grandbaby, Crystal, and made a beeline for her. We had to figure out the holding bit but she was a natural and kept fighting Ben for baby holding rights all night long. 

Clark picked up a sweet Seahawks tattoo from the secret treasure box at school.

Swim lessons started on the 9th and both kiddos are killing it this year. Charlotte is learning to listen a lot better and Clark has already mastered a few of the strokes. He almost drowned on one but quickly corrected and did it perfect the next time around. As for me and Dana, we love sitting in the warm chlorine filled room watching snow fall outside....at least we love it until we have to walk two sopping wet screaming kiddos out to the car. 

Do I even need to explain this one? Char poops a lot. And sometimes Clark leaves her a National Geographic to help pass the time. 

Other random memories without photos:

1. Clark asked one day if he could have one of Dana's coconut yogurts and I said yes and now he's obsessed with eating "grown up" yogurts. Then Char tried one and now we have an entire fridge of coconut yogurts. 

2. One Saturday we were running errands and as we passed the Toyota dealership, Clark pipes up in a totally normal voice with "Toyota: Let's go places" so I think we can safely say their advertising is working. 

3. We played 4 square in the living room one evening. This is apparently Clark's new favorite recess game with Timmy, Leo and Joe. If you hit the ball with your foot the other players yell "Chicken Foot". 

4. Because our trip is coming up this week, Clark came home with a big ol packet of homework so Dana spent the last 2 Saturdays having fraction boot camp with Clark. It was a nice bonding moment and a proud one for me to see him really get excited as he figured out the patterns. Dana may have missed his calling as a math teacher. Still time I guess:)

5. We renamed the dots so now Clark has "Echo", I have "Alexa" and Char has "Ziggy.". They also learned how to make announcements. 

6. After watching Clark on the piano for the last 6 months, Miss Char insisted she be allowed to play piano too. The Hoffman Academy was gonna be a stretch for someone who can't read yet (although she is verrrrry close) so we signed her up with Annalee Hopper, a new teacher. Wasn't sure what to expect since she's way younger than most of Annalee's students but she is so attentive and determined. She's already figuring out fingering in her book and refuses to let me show her how to practice. 

7. Clark's coming up with some seriously funny jokes lately. My favorites: "Mom spell I CUP" (yes I totally fell for this oldie) and "What's between Oregon? Or Again.".

8. No idea why it started but for a whole week they would come home from school and then tromp back out in the cold to play on the remaining snow piled in the front yard. Usually they would stay out until Dana came home in the dark. 

9. Charlotte insisted Mt. Rainier is called Mt. Raindeer and I refuse to talk her out of that one. 

10. And finally....Charlotte now says "Pillow" like "Plilow" and it is my favorite thing she has ever said. 

We leave tomorrow for our amazing Florida cruise/ disney adventure. Who knows how many more funny memories we will make with these silly kiddos.