Projects and Puzzles

We involved ourselves in lots of indoor activities this week that coincidentally involved putting things together. Better that than tearing things apart, eh?

Monday, January 13 – Monday started off very early for Hallie. As part of her process to receive bariatric surgery, she has to have has psychological evaluation. She passed with flying colors. With such a good visit, the doctor told her to contact the surgeon and see if there was any way to get her first surgical consult moved forward. Mike got both kids off to school.

Hallie received a bike for Christmas to replace one stolen by unscrupulous tree trimmers several months back. The kids and Mike put it together today so we could ride around together once the weather improves (probably months from now, but hope springs eternal).

Tuesday, January 14 – School and work. School and work. Mike got a new monitor set-up for his makeshift stand-up desk arrangement.

Wednesday, January 15 – The kids went to speech and OT, and afterward Eliza had Storytime. We had a lesson with the sister missionaries and a lady named Sue. In the evening, Mike went to our branch temple night. After he got home, the grown-ups finished the Peggys Cove puzzle. Now to glue it together and hang it in one of the kids’ rooms.  

Waiting to pounce and gnaw up yummy puzzle pieces. Bad Kitty!

Thursday, January 16 – Hallie got Eliza ready for school and they got there and realized there was no school. Bummer. Total mix up in communication. Hallie had promised a lady in the branch she would help her with her resume, so they worked on that in the morning. Mike volunteered at Landon’s school during recess before going to work for the day.

Hallie's slip-and-slide road out to Gina's. Yes!! No.

Friday, January 17 – The kids did their normal school routine. Hallie came home for a brief clean the house before she had to go back and get Eliza. The two of them ran home to eat lunch and then turned around to go pick up Max who we were babysitting for several hours. After picking up Max the three went to Sam’s Club for a major grocery trip. A couple of weeks ago we found a link on Facebook showing how to make 20 meals for $150 at Costco. So, Hallie decided to give it a whirl. The great thing is pretty much all of the meals can be frozen and cooked later. It was a great killing two birds with one stone by cooking cheap and having meals for later. The kids were not impressed with being there so long but were overall quite well behaved. Once home, Hallie earned her exercise by unloading all of the groceries up the front porch's flight of stairs.  

In the meantime, Mike volunteered at Landon’s school again. During the winter, parents help out at lunchtime by giving the students enrichment classes during lunch recess time so the kids don’t have to go out into the cold weather if they don’t want to. For the next few weeks he and the students will do different paper crafts. This week they made paper snowflakes. Mike left a few of his old ones hanging in the library windows. We’ll see whether they get noticed and how long they last before they get taken down.

View up to the third floor library and flakes. Landon's class is directly below.

Before pizza and movie night, Mike and the kids put together a grappling hook launcher based on some instructions for office supply weapons from a link to the Instructables website Grandpa had sent to Dad by email. The gun is now Landon’s New Favorite Toy, and with good reason too! After all, he helped put it together.

Fergus has taken to sitting on the floor in front of Mike and just staring at him. Just looking expectantly at Mike and not moving when called. What could be going on inside his feline mind? 

"Feed me. Let me sit in your warm lap." 

"GET UP AND DO MY BIDDING, MORTAL!"

Saturday, January 18 – The cold has come back! This morning started with Landon and his gymnastics class. Earlier in the week Hallie found out that Barnes and Noble does story time. Landon also needed a haircut, and both places were next door to each other. The storyteller wasn’t so impressive, but Landon looks handsome with his new hairdo.

Mike knows what he wants for his birthday. 

The kids have seemed interested in “helping” us with our puzzle. In order to not lose any pieces we found a glow in the dark puzzle for them to work on. Just as the puzzle was getting started it was time for Hallie to head off to go babysitting. 

It's a puzzle and an astronomy lesson all in one!

While Mom was away, Dad and the kids made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and even froze the excess dough in little cookie balls for the future.

COOOOOKIES!!!!

Mike broke out another Dowdle puzzle (Washington, DC) that we have had sitting in the basement, getting the edges mostly done between the time he put the kids to bed and Hallie got home.

Sunday, January 19 – This morning Hallie received a new calling to teach the 10 and 11 year olds in Primary. These kids happen to be the same ones that are in Activity Days with her. After church Mike kept working on the new puzzle we started. For lunch we ate Pierogies. Yumm-O! Landon said they are his favorite. Landon doesn’t realize pierogies are made with potatoes, but he doesn’t like potatoes. Ha, ha, ha! We love that the kids enjoy watching Veggie Tales. Makes Sunday afternoons a little easier.

Landon made his first "all-by-himself" peanut butter sandwich. Good on you, boy!