December happenings

 When you say no to screens, a $1 box of cups can still occupy the time of a 6th grader- 

Tate is thrilled that two of the boys in the neighborhood play Magic The Gathering- a game he used to play with his Virginia buddies. Logan is new to the neighborhood, but Brandon is an old buddy who he usually just plays video games with. Again, when you take away the screens, they find other things to do that are alot better for their minds! 

Not the best picture- as I am sneaking it from inside the kitchen window, but Tate and Macy have been taking Muay Thai lessons weekly at home together with local trainer-

Blue skies on Dec 1- 

And again on Dec 26-

What a treat it is to have blue skies here- and something I really miss as I am highly motivated by sunshine!

When we decided to go to to get Tate birds for Christmas, we went with our friend Laura to "bird street" and it was fascinating- 

You could by everything from a giant python, to bats, to owls, to turtles the size of a quarter, to cats and bunnies. And of course I wore the appropriate mask- 

Macy's mask- 

For 12 weeks, the embassy community competed against each other in a fitness competition- there were 12 teams and I was the captain of one team that moved from beginning at 7th place to ending at 4th place. It FOR SURE got me more active every single day. But.... Brian's team won 10 of the 12 weeks- 

Here they are blowing their $100 gift certificate for winning on much deserved beers and chicken wings- 

When the kids want burgers for dinner, Brian teaches them all the steps of how to do so, including how to grind their own meat-