Jacob

Jacob has started to play organized soccer for the first time thru the YMCA. Now that isn't too notable expect that it is for the 9/10 team; which means most kids have played before. Jacob's soccer skills are definitely not up to par as the rest of the team and his coach is super intense but Jacob is hanging in there. The practices are totally intense and half the time he is chewing on his lip trying his best to keep up and understand. He isn't the only one, like I said the coach is super intense.
The one thing that I see in Jacob though is his coach-ability. Whenever his coach shows how to do something or instructs him what to do he does it. Now as a coach and teacher myself, I can totally appreciate his ability to take in what he is told and then immediately try to do it.
Jacob may never be the best athlete on a team but he does try hard, does his best and does what he is told. All of those characteristics will help him on the playing field and in life.

Jack

Over Christmas break Jack saw one of those commercials about helping abandon animals for .50 a day or something like that. He came in with tears running down his face he was so sad about the animals. He asked why they would show that on tv? Why no one would help those animals? He was pretty upset for while; I just hugged him.
Well over dinner he brought up the cause again. He wanted to donate money to help those animals. Well of course he doesn't have much money but he convinced Amelia and Jacob to give him some of their money to add to his few coins. We asked him if he would like to donate the money to the tv place or at the local animal shelter. He said he would like to donate it to the local shelter and pet some of the animals. On Wednesday we are going to drop off $4.53 to the animal shelter.
While we were discussing this Jacob, smart-mouthly, pointed out that most of the money was his and Amelia's. Dada was quick to point out that giving the money was important but having someone round up the money was just as important. I asked Jack if he knew what that meant, of course he said no. I told him someone has to be tell people about problems that are important to them, someone has to lead people to believe giving money to that cause is worthwhile: simply put he was a leader.
Of course that made him puff his little chest up with pride; it makes me proud as well. Jack was significantly moved by those sad animals he saw. No matter how small, he has acted on that feeling to help those animals; an official start, hopefully, to a long line of actions that make the world a more loving place.

Winter 2017

This last month we have had so much snow! It has been a recorded year of snow fall. Since Christmas break the kids have missed a week of school. When they do go to school it has been 2 hour delays. They have played in the snow, shoveled snow, went sledding, had snow ice cream, lots of hot chocolate and one day we made a snow fort in the cul de sac.
The snow is deep enough to be up to their knees as they trudge across the field to go sledding at the park. As a grown up there are always those epic winters you remember with tons of snow and school snow days; I believe this one will be one of the winters.

Amelia

Amelia lost her first tooth! We noticed it was lose the other night while we were brushing her teeth. She asked why her tooth felt funny and we discovered it was loose; since then she has avidly wiggled it. Tonight at dinner she popped up and said her tooth moved a lot. It was bleeding a bit so I grabbed hold of it and pulled it the rest of the way out. She is so excited to have lost it! We took a picture, of course, and she had me send it to her friend Adriana from preschool.( Adriana has lost 4 teeth so far). She already has the glass with the tooth by her bed ready to go for the Tooth Fairy. Can't believe Amelia has lost her first tooth! 

Jacob

Jacob loves the game Monopoly. I do not like the game Monopoly.
This is how every game starts: Jacob, Jack, Amelia and I start the game. Eventually Jack and Amelia quit because the game takes soooooooo long. I want to quit because the game takes soooooooo long but can't because I am the mom and must keep playing with Jacob. Usually after a couple of hours we take a break. The break lasts until the next day. The game stays as is until we come back to it because we always have to come back to it. Jacob  will patiently and methodically play until the bitter end; which is usually me "losing" somehow.
I swear that kid is the most patient, persistent kid I know. He will mortgage properties. Stay in Jail for about 20 turns in order to collect rent but not pay any. Build up up houses into hotels, the whole nine yards.
I think I am going to get him the personalized Monopoly game for Christmas next year. I might as well land on Heidi Ave if I have to play it.