School

It has been a fairly uneventful week and I haven't had an update about school in quite awhile so I thought I would show a couple things that we did last fall. We read about Nebraska history and

Indians. After we read about how the Indians made music with rocks or beads in hollow logs we made our own with recycled tin and plastic bags

The colored clay on the tray was our attempt at sod houses. I rolled out the clay like a field an they cut it into sections. We couldn't really figure out how to do the roof and we will hopefully go to see a real sod house this spring.

They also made a covered wagon with cardboard, plastic and paper. They played with their wagons for days. They filled them with Little People and pulled them with My Little Ponies. It really was cute.

Home schooling is going pretty good. We definately have our days but the good outway the bad. Kylie does really well with math and Karinda still loves to write. They finished learning all their letters in penmanship (Karinda learned cursive) and they are doing better with their writing letters in just a week!

We will start a new system for snacks tomorrow. We put a price on all the snacks we have, healthy snacks being less expensive than junk. Tomorrow they will get $5 for the week and then they will need to add what they have together and then make change with their money. I am just as excited about as they are. Especially since I charge when they don't clean up after themselves. Friday afternoon their friend Shelby came over and they asked for a snack. Shelby looked at the price list and said, "but I'm not paying!"

The girls were tested when we were back in Michigan and they were right where they wanted them to be, I was hoping for leaps and bounds ahead of where we needed to be but was happy with our progress. I would not want to do this forever but I am extremely greatful for the chance to do it and the support we have got from our dear Ms. Marlene.

NCP Christmas Party

We had the NCP Christmas party this Saturday night and we had a great time. We started out at Town Talk for dinner and then had a "door prize" drawing and everyone got a bottle of Zoye oil. The employee's get a health newsletter with recipe's using the Zoye oil but couldn't get any at the stores here. Dinner was awesome and everyone seemed to have a good time.

These are the centerpieces I made for the tables and then gave away with the prizes. Pretty fitting I thought since the NCP colors are green and yellow.

After dinner everyone could walk across the street for bowling at
Cambridge Lanes. Almost every

one came. Most bowled and some
just had a good time talking.

Eric always loved this style of

Christmas party in Michigan and it
was a hit here too.
Eric is mocking Jan for not
wanting her picture taken.

I totally kicked Erics butt in this game. On the right side Eric is the top "E" with a finishing total of 60. I am underneath him with a finishing game of 142. It could have to do with playing 8 pin and Eric trying different ways of bowling, either way my score was higher and it was a great time.

After the guys got done at 12:00 they came to join in the fun!

We had a great time laughing lots and seeing the personalities of everyone we might not see at work.

Me and my "brother" Chris.

Dual bowling!

Snow!

We got snow! Over the weekend last weekend we started getting some snow. The girls have tried sliding down every incline they could find. There are two places in town that block off the road and let the kids use it for a sledding hill. The girls went Monday afternoon with their friend Gabi. It was bitterly cold so it didn't really last to long but they tried and had fun doing it. Pretty much all the hills are grass again so we will have to find something new to do after school this week.

Soup with the Grandparents

When we were back we wanted to see all of our grandparents that we missed over Christmas. So we had soup at Cliff and Karen's. (Thank you mom and dad for letting us do that at your house.) It was nice to see everyone and catch up and listen to them reminisce with each other too.

Great Grandpa and Grandma Top- a.k.a. the grandpa who teases us.

Great Grandpa and Grandma Meeuwsen - a.k.a. the ones that have bubbles and have Blake, Abbie, Caleb, Cody, and Claire.


Great Grandpa and Grandma Pluister - a.k.a. the ones that have candy.

Great Grandpa and Elsa - They love Elsa, she is so kind and plays with them so nice.

New Years Weekend

We celebrated Christmas with the Meeuwsens at the Blue Beaver Lodge. The girls were spoiled once again with some American girl stuff from Uncle Brian and Aunt Kelly and a new doll and Little House on the Prairie from Grandpa and Grandma.

We got a new chain saw and blower for taking care of the property.

Karinda and Kylie loved hanging out with the boys
following Carter everywhere he went.

We went up hoping to snowmobile but unfortunately it rained so thankfully Uncle Brian saved the day by borrowing his neighbors quad so the kids had some fun outside with that!

Happy New Year!

We headed back home late the 29th and celebrated Christmas with the Brouwers

The girls had fun seeing their cousins again and getting spoiled by Papa, Nana, Aunts, and Uncles.

The girls had been saving up for these dogs that walk and bark since July and Nana and Papa bought them for them for Christmas. They were so excited, unfortunately they could tell what they were before they opened them because they were making noises. But they love them!

The newest addition Maggie. Bryce and Sadie coloring together.

Gage with his missing teeth and big brown eyes.
I somehow missed Jaden in the pictures. :(