What's going on at school...

A few days ago Matthew celebrated the 100th school day! That means the school year is a little more than half way done!(and also that they recognize and know how to count to 100) He loves to read (just like big brother) And he is doing so at a 2th grade level. He got an outstanding achievement award in November, and he was student of the month in December. As some of you know he has had very bad anxiety and although it's getting a little better we have to deal with it one day at the time. What a little trooper!

Jr is working extra hard, he is on the Math team that will represent his school in a Math competition the 1st of May.
And on that note I realize that I have forgotten all about Algebra...this is only pre-algebra, and I've already had to say -I think Papi would be happy to review you homework today.(I'm sooooo glad my hubby's brain understands Math better than mine)
Jr. has been on the honor roll and the principal's list for both quarters so far. He is an avid reader! A few weeks ago one of his uncles (uncle Steve) sent him a box full of Golden Guide books,(they're full of facts about a specific subject) I believe there were around 50 books, and oh was he excited! I mean really really excited about them.

Every day life

As most of you know my oldest son has had a passion for reptiles since he was two and could barely talk. And because of this we go on in life listening about these creatures a lot more that Josh and (especially) me would care to other wise.
But sometimes I have to pause and look at him to make sure that the person who is talking to me is my little Jr.
When I picked up both boys from school today, I handed to Josh Jr. his monthly REPTILE magazine that I had just picked up from the mail box and pointed at a picture of a lizard like (that I had never seen)and said: -Look at that rare lizard on the cover- to which he responded with out blinking -Uuuh...first of all that is not a lizard and second it is not rare, it's a California Red Bellied Newt-
So I realized today that I'm not a cool girl. There are only a few of those in Jr's life, and they actually enjoy catching lizards and looking at reptile pictures with him.(Maddi one of his best friends and Erica, his cousin)
And I'm very glad they are that way other wise he'd probably grow up thinking that all girls HATE snakes and lizards.

Seriously!!

It is COLD!! Out here, it was in the teens "yes" the teens this evening (and the forecast said it felt like 9 degrees) Seriously I can't believe I grew up in cold like this, and with no heater! But even though we've had to scramble around finding gloves, jackets and cozy beenies and socks, we have been able to enjoy the kind of things we didn't in SoCal, like...leaving big chunks of ice outside on different spots to see which one gets thicker and bigger, and how thick the ice in different containers gets and peeling the ice off the plants, not to mention the warm soups, hot cocoa and all day long pajama (and COZY robes) days we've had, as well as the endless boardgames!
(We have no cable so our board games and books get their job done:-)

Cheers Everyone!!

Our New Year's celebration was very low key compared to the past 9 years...but neither was it boring or uneventful!
Japanese food,
Movie,(NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN)
Played Scrabble till midnight,
And Cheered with sparkling cider and milk.(because Matthew still doesn't like carbonated beverages)
Even our dog got New Year's best wishes;-)
And best of all, "NO" melt downs!!! (from the boys that is)