Happy Birthday Ryder!

Our pup turned 2! The kids were so excited to celebrate Ryder's birthday. They made him signs and made sure we had a gift for him. He got a new bone and some wet dog food (which he has never had) for dinner. I can't believe we've had him for almost a year. The kids are crazy about him!

A Visit with Cooper and Mallory

We had a fun visit with Cooper and Mallory. They were in Texas visiting his grandpa and stopped by to have lunch with us before heading back home. It's always good to see them!

 

Valentine School Parties

Here are some pictures of the girls' Valentine class parties. 

The girls made Shopkin bags to collect all of their valentines from friends.  

Makena's class rotated through a few games. One of them was seeing who could stack the most conversation hearts in one minute.

Karis's class played Bingo and made a craft.

Roller Skating and One Very Determined Little Girl

The first time we took the kids rollerskating was a few weeks ago at a friend's birthday party. All three of them loved it! Karis didn't even want to stop for dinner and cake. She wanted to keep practicing.

Kyle didn't want to try it at first, but then he was so bored he decided to give it a try. He was hesitant at first, but by the end of the hour, he didn't even want the bar to help. 

They loved it so much that we signed up for a Kids Skate Free program. We took them again but to a different rink. We quickly learned that the other rink had skate wheels that were really tight. Kyle's wheels barely even spun so he was really just walking on wheels. All the kids were struggling at this new rink with such slippery skates but they still had fun. 

I was really impressed with Karis. She was so determined to learn how to skate. She didn't stop for breaks. She got up when she fell. She was really self conscious of people seeing her fall, but she overcame that and kept going.  She was having a great time. She just kept practicing and practicing and came a LONG way in just one night.

It reminded us of when she was 3 years old and she taught herself how to write  letters so she could go to school. She will definitely accomplish anything she puts her mind to!

101st Day of School

The kindergarteners celebrated the 101st day of school. They made puppy ears in class and came to school dressed up as dalmatians. They paraded around the school for all the other students to see. 

Ms. Carlton put in a doggie door for all her pups!

Makena and her puppy friends. 

The Princess Ball

Daddy took his two princesses to the Princess Ball at a local church. They were so excited! Makena wanted to wear a fancy dress. Karis didn't want to wear a "puffy scratchy" dress, so she picked out her own dress. She threw on her boots and was ready to go! 

Daddy was working at church, so we met him there and took some pictures. The girls had a great time with daddy, dancing with their friends, eating lots of sweets and meeting Elsa!  

Fun Run

Our school does a fundraiser every year called the Fun Run. Students raise money for the school by collecting pledges for every lap they run. This year, our school didn't hire an outside company, but rather hosted the event and called it the Silver Fun Run as a way of celebrating our 25th anniversary. The school received 100% proceeds. 

The girls didn't raise any money prior to the event, but they still ran their hearts out. It was cold on the day of the event, so the school transformed into an inside track. The kids wore silver and had a great time running in the halls. 

The girls ran separately the whole time, but when they caught up to each other at the end, Karis had a big hug for little sis!

The girls had a great time! 

Our Maverick of the Week

Karis is the 1st grade Maverick of the Week! She came home so excited. 

We go out to eat dinner to celebrate our Mavericks. The girls usually pick Chik-fila but this time Karis wanted something a bit fancier -- she chose Applebee's.

We are so proud of her!

Ice Cream Treat with Halbogi

Dad and Soyong were headed to Chile for two weeks. They had a long layover in Dallas so we got to see them! We picked them up at the airport and Halbogi wanted to buy the kids ice cream. It was the kids' bedtime (note Kyle in his pajamas), but how could we say no? The kids loved the special treat!

It was great to see them, even if it was for only an hour or so. Kyle has been saying he misses Halbogi ever since!

1st Grade Field Trip

The 1st graders did a unit called "It's Better to Give." Part of their unit was to bring a new pair of shoes to donate. 

After all the shoes were collected, they headed to Buckner International. Their Shoes for the Orphan Souls program provides new shoes and socks to orphans and vulnerable children in the United States and throughout the world. At the warehouse, the students learned about how children around the world have to walk long distances without shoes and how important shoes are -- something most of us take for granted. 

Afterwards, the kids helped process some donated shoes by inserting laces, bundling them together and writing notes to the child that would receive the pair of shoes.

The trip was a great way to finish off their unit. It was a fun learning experience and the kids were able to be a small part in making a difference!