Thanksgiving 2021

With another fun trip to Nebraska and back, we have plenty to be grateful for.  The girls have been keeping a gratitude journal and we try to focus on all the blessings we have in our lives.  Health and family are things we don't take for granted.  The girls recently got their first round of Covid shots and have felt good so far.  They were very excited for the first snowfall and Pip sled in our yard (and our neighbors' yards) until all the snow was gone.  

The rest of November has gone by quickly.  We seem to always be on the run but have been mindful to take family walks and play some games.  We currently enjoy a hide and seek board game that is played in the dark, which is fairly easy these days.  The girls started some extra Mandarin lessons at school and also enjoyed watching the school musical.

Into the Woods      ------      Into the chaos of 10th grade math

October

October is already over and it seems we hardly had time to catch our breath.  There was a lot of good: Nebraska trip, MN Zoo, extended family time, Halloween, pretty fall colors -- and there was some bad: no heat, flat tire, dental work, no hot water, and some health issues.  Overall, things have been resolved and we seem to be back on track.

Our trip to Nebraska was full of fun and good food.  The girls got really into four-square and it provided a lot of laughs and intense battles.  There were some diy projects, too. 

Halloween was fun and it was nice to trick-or-treat in our own neighborhood for the first time in a long time.  We went out with some neighbors and the girls were sweet and helpful with some of the younger ones.

Visit from Badam       ------       Nina is starting to cook on her own

Homecoming silliness    -------     Neighborhood turkey gang

Sunrise          ----         Moonrise

Readjusting

Another school year is underway and we're getting back into the swing.  The girls are enjoying school and their teachers, and we're proud of their resilience in being the "new kids" two years in a row.  Nina has finished the Harry Potter series and is now on her second trip through the books.  She's had a lot of fun with memes and silly videos that make her laugh.  Pip has started gymnastics and is enjoying learning.

Ben is getting into a groove in high school classes and is thankful for his department, who has been supportive and helpful as he comes back.  Teaching in the states is obviously different and coming out of the pandemic has led to various issues that make life interesting.  Ninth grade is never the most mature group of people, but social skills definitely took a back seat during online learning.

We've started trying to do a family run around the lake every day after school, to mixed results.  Some days the girls are great, other days, not so much. But hopefully if we can make a healthy habit, it'll become easier.  We went raspberry picking to celebrate Kara's birthday a bit early and we've made a few trips around town.  We enjoyed celebrating the Moon Festival and watched some cool performances.  Kara also found some new games for us to play and we've been enjoying the cooperative game Forbidden Island.  Wits and Wagers has also been a recent favorite.

 

We love our neighbors and can't believe our luck to be across the street from two great friends from school, and then to have Ben's childhood friend, Kyle, move back from 10 years in North Carolina, just diagonal from us.  It is a remarkable coincidence and we've already enjoyed spending time together.

Oh, and the girls got to see one of their favorite bands, AJR, at the Basilica Block party at the start of September.  It was a really fun night and one they've talked about since.