We Made it Through February

Cannon and George had a really, really spectacular ballet and contemporary show in February.  It was excerpts from Sleeping Beauty and a contemporary ballet choreographed by Lindsay Folkman-- Cirque de Ballet.  I cannot wait to see the professional pictures.  It was SO SO GOOD!

Here's a picture someone snapped of one of the pieces.

One of the MANY snowstorms we've had this winter made our drive home from the Covey Center is little scary.  Our mega-van does not like snow.  

These adorable hard workers spent the day trying to dig out the neighborhood.

Can you even imagine the months-- nay, years-- of physical therapy and chiropractic appointments it would take to heal me of this.  

Peter was so thrilled to get to go to a Heroscape tournament with Clark.  

George is our resident inventor.  For many years now, I frequently find him in his room, surrounded by a lot of mess, deeply engaged in making whatever brilliant idea his mind has thought up.  This one was made from a mousetrap.  A mousetrap? Yes, a mousetrap.   Don't ask.

He created a Spiderman shooter thing that fired a little foam ball.  

Cannon and George and I went to the temple this morning.  It was so lovely.  To celebrate we picked up some Crumbl cookies on the way home.  We propose every Friday be Temple and a Cookie Day!

Greta and I made a list of the pieces she needed to practice on her violin.  She got it all done, but Greta is not to be rushed through life-- or practicing.  She took lots of breaks to "portrait" as she called her drawings.  

I love how little girls play together.  

One day Greta decided to "be Faith".

Peter tinkering away on his Tinker Crate.  Lately, I've had to increase security measures in the house.  We're not talking fancy door cams or security systems.  Rather, I bought a couple $6.00 plastic tool/ammo box thing and a couple old-school padlocks.  No joke, I locked up all the video games and all the TV remote controls.  I am exhausted from trying to monitor it all.  Too much time on the screens, too much time asking to be on the screens, too much time thinking about wanting to be on the screens, too much time arguing with me about why they should be on the screens, too much celebration when I  leave home because that means they can immediately get on the screens.  Too much time not engaging their beautiful brains because they are distracted by the screens.  You get the idea.  So I locked them up.  They can come out sometimes.  But it is minimal.  

And you wouldn't believe-- actually if you are a mom, you would totally believe-- how the creative juices have been flowing the last couple of weeks.  

The first week or so was uncomfortable, but Cannon spent hours practicing guitar, George composed a ragtime piano song, Peter wrote a book, and Greta's art is taking over the house.  

At this point in my parenting journey, I'm pretty sure at some point (probably as a teenager) they will all detest me for something.  Something I did or didn't do, who I am or who I am not.  I also think (at least I hope) that when they are older they will forgive me and still love me.  So if I'm going to err, (and I AM GOING TO ERR) I am okay with erring on the side of less screens.