Go Utes! Did I Just Say That?

The evening was meant to be a girls night out with the three older girls (sorry, Greta!)  But then Elinor got a babysitting job and she's pretty much broke, so she did the responsible thing and worked rather than played.  And we missed her, but like any loving family, we partied without her. 
The girls and I went to the gymnastics meet up at the University of Utah.  Once again Faith got season tickets for Christmas and we've thoroughly enjoyed starting this new tradition. 

Bethany's friend Connor came along and used Elinor's ticket and was cooperative in taking the obligatory bad selfie picture I insisted we take on Trax.  What a good sport!
Yeah, I didn't give much of a choice since I was holding his ticket ransom.

The girls...

Being a good sport again. 
Why do I do this to myself?  Why do I continue to post these most unflattering pictures?  When I was younger I would NEVER have willingly shared pictures with the world in which I had quite so many chins.  I feel certain that a picture like this in the 8th grade would have completely undone me.  You hear what I'm saying, right?  I suppose that is about the best thing about getting older--- you just do not care anymore!!!  I had a grand time with grand people and I want to remember it and that's all there is to it.  I'm telling you, getting older isn't all bad.

Sugar and spice and everything nice.  This is a favorite spot of her's lately.  I like it!  I also like her hair style here.  We do try, but she pulls out her little elastics when she takes naps.

More.

She really is too much sweetness for our family.

His nickname is Mr. Dancey Pants.  He dances-- quite a lot.

And today I discovered that a ballet bar in the living rooms makes a perfect drying rack for wet snow clothes.  That's what's been missing from my life!

He talks to me about different ballet combinations.  It's like he's fluent in French now and I have absolutely no clue what he is talking about.  I can't be one of those dance moms, because I can't even understand a single word he says.  It's all Greek to me.  Well, French, but...

Faith wanted to miss one of her gymnastics classes this week because she'd been invited to a birthday party at a trampoline gym that conflicted with her class time.  So we  made a deal.  She had to turn in a total of 1000 practice back handsprings in order for me to take her to the party.  The little work horse did them all!  Here she is with her tally sheets.

Poor little sickies were both down with ear infections this week.  Peter got tubes just before he turned 2, but one of the tubes has come out and that's the ear that's hurting him.  Greta doesn't have tubes, but I think she'll be getting them sooner rather than later.  Kids can't learn to speak if they can't hear.  And as we learned with Peter, they can still scream if they can't hear.  Theoretically, if they can hear, then they can learn to speak and then (if we're lucky) they can use words rather than screaming.  And THAT is the goal.
I think it is a reasonable goal.