Busy month

Above are a few pics from the month...more can be found at:

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January usually feels like a terribly long month. This year it went by pretty quickly. Of course, we were busy the whole month.

Delaney kept busy with her activities. She's doing tap and jazz (which she didn't have the past two weeks b/c the local schools were off those days), gymnastics, swimming and Spanish. She does tap and jazz and gymnastics while she's at school. They're in the afternoon when the kids have free choice. Her daycare is at the rec center, so she can take advantage of everything there while she's at school, if we choose. She loves it all...especially the clickety clack of her tap shoes. I took her to see High School Musical: The Ice Tour and the Hannah Montana movie. She thoroughly enjoyed both. She sang along to all of the songs, danced, and clapped, not quite in rhythm...hopefully the tap will help with that:)

We went ice skating at the beginning of the month. Delaney started out really hesitant. But the rink had a walker-like contraption that we ended up having her use. She got to the point that she would skate 10-20 feet on her own!!! Derek didn't show off his hockey skating skills too much, thank goodness!

My mom came out for MLK weekend. She flew in Friday morning and got to spend the day with Derek and Delaney. We took her to try deep dish (which, I am soooo over...it's good about once every six months) and she liked it. Derek made her eat a grape, which was an ordeal. I get my lack of liking fruit from her. At least I will have smoothies to get my fruit. Mom watched Delaney for us on Saturday b/c we had dinner plans with the Faths (Derek's buddy from Moto). Didn't do much on Sunday. I think we went to Costco.

Derek flew out to the Boston area on Thursday morning and was scheduled to come back that night. His flight back ended up being cancelled by noon on Thursday due to the winter storm warning that was in effect here. Poor guy didn't come home until Friday night at 1. He learned that one should always take a "go bag" on planes, even if it's a day trip.

Speaking of the snow...we've had a lot this winter. Thursday into Friday we had close to a foot! I shoveled 3 different times. Delaney and Jake had an absolute blast in the snow together. She threw the tennis ball and an ice chunk for him. He loved finding it in the snow. Delaney helped me shovel. She continuously said "I'm stronger than a bird." Not quite sure what that meant, didn't ask.

I'm taking another lovely Phoenix course. I need to take these since my job is an ESL math teacher. So, I need my ESL endorsement on my teaching certificate which requires me to do at least 13 hours. Happy, happy, joy, joy....

I've got nothing else......Take care!

Update and pictures

I know we haven't been great about posting...sorry! We hope you all had a restful holiday season. Derek headed back to work yesterday, Delaney went back to school yesterday too. I go back on Monday :(

Here is a link for Christmas pictures. We spent it with Derek's family. Delaney had a great time opening all of her presents and was excited by them all. She loved spending time with her cousin Landon. They got along really well, and even shared a cold with each other...fun! We opened the gifts from my parents Saturday before Christmas. Those pics are also included.

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New Years was spent with our good friends, Jess and Brett and their two kids. They came out our way this year. We've spent every New Years with them since 1999, except for one year. We took it pretty easy. We went to Ikea on Sunday and out to dinner that night. Derek and Brett took Delaney and Cort sledding on Monday...Brett kept Derek's adventurous side in check, so everyone came back unharmed. NYE we made dinner while the kids watched movies. We all struggled to stay awake. We celebrated the Eastern time zone's New Year at 11 with a glass of bubbly, and barely noticed when it was actually the NY here!

Delaney is getting ready to be a busy bee. She's still going to do a dance class (Tap and Jazz this time), her Spanish class, and swimming. She LOVES swimming and asks every day if it's a swimming day. She also will do gymnastics for 8 weeks. She took it when we lived in OH, so we'll see if it's still a winner. She still loves playing with her friends in the neighborhood. She's into playing board and card games, drawing and writing, and playing make believe. She's still a High School Musical and Hannah Montana superfan...a day doesn't go by when we don't hear at least a few songs from those shows. She still likes the Wiggles and Dora, so she's not completely in the 'tween scene. She's super excited to be a flower girl. My best friend from Salem, Stacie (as in the Stacie and Paul who came to visit Singapore), is getting married in April and asked us all to stand up for them. Delaney and I have our dresses. In fact, I think one of the photos is of Delaney in her dress. Three months and one day!!!!!

As for Jake (the wonder dog - ha!) his tail is healed, finally. He enjoys his days laying on the landing of the stairs where the sun streams in. He's not a fan of the snow and cold anymore. He spends about 3 minutes outside a day!

Derek officially ends his rotations today. He starts his "real" position officially on Monday. He will be a category manager...he can post more on that later.

Take care and let us know how you are doing!!!!

Ms. Happy Outlook

Setting: Our Home Office
Situation: Delaney pointing to her bag of Halloween candy

"Thats all the candy I can eat every day until I pass away"

Delaney - Deep Thoughts

Setting: Our House
Situation: Delaney wanting her mom to carry her up the stairs

Melissa: You are getting too old for me to carry you.
Delaney: You're old too!
Melissa: I am not!
Delaney: Yes you are...but there are two kinds of old.
Melissa: There are? What are they?
Delaney: There's the tall kind of old where you get bigger. That's what you are.
Melissa: What's the other kind of old?
Delaney: The kind where you get bumpy and slow.


Setting: In the car on the way to swimming lessons
Situation: Conversation between Derek and Delaney

Delaney: PaPa's skin is different.
Derek: Different than who?
Delaney: Me, you, Mommy.
Derek: Different how?
Delaney: It doesn't match.
Derek: How?
Delaney: The color doesn't match.
Derek: Why doesn't it match?
Delaney: It's a mix between blonde and black.