Christmas Card Pictures

This was one of Mom's favorite sessions with Mrs. Shannon- she is the amazing family photographer that has been taking our pictures since 2011.

Shannon captures the light and focus, while Mom makes us laugh and smile.

Mostly, Mom just makes fun of us by bringing up funny family inside jokes from the last year.

Like how I am so clumsy that I fall over air sometimes, and how I get some words and phrases hilariously wrong, like:

• Ya-zan-ya-la (Lasagna)
• Gorgonzolas (Gargoyles)
• Dippenflopper (Doppelganger)
• Peropside
• Those great singers David Matthews and Mike Jackson 

We had more material on Ryan to make fun of, because he is manic and never stops talking.

• That boy Jalepeno (Alejandro) at camp made me so mad that I cried my balls out (balled my eyes out).
• Sometimes I feel like there is an undefeatable ghost enemy within my soul that makes me be bad.
• I think there is a spectrum of good and evil, and I think I'm pretty much in the middle.
• Salarva (Saliva)
• Satisfication
• Chingadonga (Chimichanga)
• Humpback Day (Wednesday)
• Don't be a dumb baby.
• *(whispers) You Tube knows everything.

Our favorite today was when I said when I meet people I always look at their eyebrows and teeth. Ryan said "I look at their pupils".

What a fun way to capture Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Super Spellers

The spelling bees this year were a big deal. We both decided we wanted to do well, so we actually studied and practiced the list.

Mom and Dad said they were most proud that we worked hard, and that we were brave on stage in front of all those people.

These kids got all the way up to fifth grade words!

And they were giggling at Ryan's casual confidence, with his hands in his pockets.

It reminded them of a high schooler who had the honor of meeting a former president, with his casual confident hand in his pocket. 

The fifth grade bee was no joke. These kids are wicked smart spellers!

The funny part was my first word was the same word Ryan got out on in his bee: "stylish".

I made it to the final 3, getting out on "diabolical".

Mom and Dad were so proud because they knew how hard I worked for this.

The top 2 spellers were incredible- they broke a record going 40 rounds in their never-ending sudden death match at the end. They went way off the list, past the 8th grade words!

Second Grader

Second grade has been great so far. Buddy started with solid self esteem, knowing his strengths: active, funny, and handsome.

It's been a semester filled with new friends, awesome teachers,

and big responsibilities like leading the morning meeting for all the elementary classes.

It's been a year of crushes...

which Mom DOES NOT LIKE. She wants to be #1 for as long as possible.

He still loves dinosaurs and sports with Dad. 

He still cracks us up with his command of the English language:

• Can you turn this paper towel wet?
• It doesn't care. (It doesn't matter.)
• It's giving me the bothers.
• Did you find something cositive (positive) in the experiement?
• That's contagious (disgusting)!
• I'm blessed (lucky).
• I like pal-a-heenyos now (jalepenos).

He's pretty confident with his opinions these days. Like, when asked if he needs a snack, he snaps "I'm feeling like an Oreo".

And new this year is a passion for writing. He has a talent for descriptive, suspenseful monster stories...

with complex protagonists who are "jumpy, scratchy, and snapy".

Thankfully, even big second graders still need a strong nighttime Jelly Cat posse. 

Fifth Grade Screenager

Middle school at our house means acrobatics,  

cool smart phone apps, 

and experimenting to find our signature style. 

It's a concerted effort to pull out those final baby teeth on the side, because I want braces so badly.

It's having fun with my besties,

and still liking afternoons hanging out with my mom.

It's understanding that I should be nice to my little brother. He misses me because he doesn't get to see me during the day at school now that I'm in the middle school building. And he thinks I spend too much time on my phone, and not enough time playing with him.  

Honestly, I was shocked that he likes me so much. He's kind of sweet sometimes.

One of the more shocking developments this fall was my fearless performance of the Wicked song "For Good" at my Broadway theatre camp. Mom and Dad have watched it 100 times. And Mom cries every time.

Soccer

Fall soccer with Coach Shea. Awesome!

Dance

Fall theatre jazz with Ms. Melissa. Awesome!