January: Monster Trucks and Snowboards

For Christmas each kid got a "special date" to do with just them and both parents. There was a Monster Truck Rally in Salt Lake in January, and I wanted to take just Henry to it but we decided the girls would love it too and took the whole family. We went early to rent skiis for the kids and then spent some time at Uptown Jungle. It was our first time at Uptown Jungle and it was a huge hit!!

The Monster Truck Rally was so stinkin fun! The kids all had a blast, but Henry especially. Amelia dropped her ear protection over the balcony down on some poor person, so we were pretty stressed after that part haha. But it was fun and really interactive. They let you vote for who you thought should win certain contests. The kids loved that!

Also this month I got this really weird spot under my eye. It kept growing and growing and eventually was so bit it started to make my eye close. I went to the doctor and it was a cyst that had got infected. It was really painful, and got me sick too. I got a fever and really nauseous. And it looked really ugly. Not a fun way to start a new year.

Our next Broadway tickets were for a play called Six. I had never heard of it, but when I looked it up I found out that it was clean so we could go, and it was about Henry VIII's wives. I didn't have high expectations, but oh my word this play blew my mind. It was incredible! The songs were absolutely unreal and would get stuck in your head for forever. It also sent me down a rabbit hole afterwards and I just wanted to study and learn all about him and his wives. It was so interesting! I got sucked into the drama around Anne Boleyn. CRAZY.

We finally got to go snowboarding as a family! We went twice this month (that I have pictures of, it might have been more honestly) and had a great time! Amelia stayed home with a babysitter each time but the two older kids absolutely killed it! They both remembered what they had learned last year and just picked up right there and kept progressing. 

It was time for our first Gluten Free Bake Off! We decided to do boxed brownie mixes. We tested six different brands and the winners were very clear! King Arthur and Betty Crocker (who knew Betty Crocker would come in clutch like that?!)

So Rusty got a call in the middle of the night from Weston. Which always means something weird is about to happen haha. He said he got a call from a guy he knew that said he needed help skinning a bison. Then Wes called Rusty to ask for extra help. I guess a farmer had a baby bison that broke its back, so they needed to put it down. Again. Weird haha.

The Midway Ice Rink was up and running, and it is always so fun! I hate ice skating, but I like going there. One night we went as a family and had fun ice skating and then walked across the street to get hot chocolate at Cafe Galleria in the globes. That was one of those nights that I absolutely loved living in Midway and could not think of a better place to live.

Rusty and I got to sneak away to go snowboarding just us! It was so fun. He's still so much better than me- and will be forever. But he's patient and doesn't seem to mind going with me haha. We had a great time!

Nature School in the winter is still going strong! I think their favorite part is that at the end of the day for free time they get to go sledding!

We watched Hazel a few times this month so that Amy could go to the hospital to be with Henrik. We went out in the hot tub and played inside. She also pooped on the floor, which was not my favorite thing haha.

One day we went out on a hike/wander around Dutch Hollow. We brought sleds to pull the kids or so that they could sled down any hills we found.

I told the kids that we could have a Valentine's Day Party at our house with some friends where they could exchange little Valentines because they wouldn't be able to do that in school because, well, they're homeschooled haha. We started out by making homemade invitations! 

Another day we went on a walk down to the creek that is hot water. The kids had fun stopping every so often and racing acorns down the gutter. 

House progress!

Extra Pictures:

Dentist!

Cozy reading by the fire

My two girls reading their scriptures

Kids making a movie

I accidentally sprayed myself with the shower

Henry's Highlights:

• "I believe it triples the flavor if you jostle the tea bag."
• "That was the weirdest fart I've ever farted. And I've farted a lot of farts."
• "I just sparked an idea!"

Adeline's Adventures:

• I was typing something on my computer and she said, "How do you type that fast?! You're like a robot. But you're beautiful and my mom."
• "In the morning my nose feels tickly and I have to wiggle my nose around like a bunny."

Amelia's Updates:

• We went for a walk and were floating acorns down the gutter. On our way back to do it again I said, "Amelia, we just have one more corner and then it's the road with the acorns!" And she said, "WHAT?!?!" with her face so excited. Then she calmed down and said, "Oh, I thought you said unicorns." So I said, "Oh, but acorns are still pretty cool right?" And she said, "No, I only love unicorns."
• She said the weather was "soggy". I think she meant foggy, but the weather was kinda rainy and foggy and somehow soggy just seemed to describe it perfectly.