Lately: Cub Scouts, Birthdays, Valentine's and More

It's February 24, it feels like late spring weather-wise, and yet I'm still writing January as the date! February has flown by and we've had so many fun activities that have kept us all busy-busy-busy!

Here's a peek at some of what we've been up to lately:

Cub Scouts ---> Boy Scouts

Will earned his Arrow of Light badge (the top honor in Cub Scouts) and the Webelos dens held a lovely ceremony at the West U Scout House on February 9. Gene and I ended up being in charge of facilities, food, and decorations; there was lots to manage but it was a really lovely ceremony and we are so proud of Will and all his hard work as a Cub Scout.

Last week, Will officially "crossed over" into Boy Scouts at our February pack meeting. 

The ceremony is pretty simple but involves a bridge that the Scouts literally cross over as they transition to Boy Scouts. 

Will's a Boy Scout!

 

At school, I helped teach Hands On Art and the boys learned about Georgia O'Keeffe. They made some beautiful works using water-soluble oil pastels.

Weekend projects:  Will collected 14 different leaves for a science project and Henry made a model of Neptune (complete with all 14 moons) for his science class. 

Another project: Henry and I made a Minion box for a classmate for the Valentine's Day card exchange. This is the almost-completed box; we used a red peanut butter lid behind the eye to finish it off. 

Will made this heart at school.  I love it so much!

Valentine's Day dinner -- heart-shaped quesadillas! 

I had some projects of my own! Teacher appreciation week was last week, and I was in charge of two door signs -- one for Henry's teacher and one for our school librarian.  

I did the s'mores one mostly on my own but fortunately had some help with the library door!

We've also spent time with family celebrating birthdays and half birthdays! We celebrated Will's half birthday with Gramma and Grampa.

We've been sick around here, but the boys and Gene were well enough last weekend to celebrate Nana's birthday with her. 

Celebrating Friday with sno-cones at school

I'll leave you with one last photo of my boys reading away at Brazos Bookstore this week.  

With all we've been up to lately, it's no wonder I can't remember what month it is!

Good Reads {January 2017}

January was a banner month for reading -- I finished twelve books (six were on audio)!

Here are my favorites:

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

I listened to this on audio and just absolutely adored it. Britt-Marie is a neat freak who, at age 63, has walked out on her husband and finds herself in the local unemployment office. Times are tough and the only job she's qualified for is caretaker of the rec center is tiny town Borg. The story is hilarious and surprising. Highly recommended if you read A Man Called Ove.

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

This middle-grade novel is the story of Ally, a sixth grader with a secret. She can't read, but has been hiding it for years and barely getting by, until a new teacher arrives, discovers her secret, and sets out to help Ally. I listened to this on audio and it is fantastic.

Girl in a Blue Coat by Monica Hesse
This is a YA novel set during World War II. Hanneke has been helping keep her family afloat by scrounging and selling items on the black market. One day, one of her customers asks for her help in finding a young Jewish girl who's gone missing. It's a powerful story of bravery and friendship during war.

Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson
This is the first book I've read by Joshilyn Jackson, and I am hooked. In this tale, Rose Mae Lolley tries to escape her abusive husband and find out who she really is. I listened to this novel, narrated by the author, and it was fantastic. Fans of southern fiction would enjoy this, and it's utterly delightful on audio (despite the heavy topics).

The Inquisitor's Tale; Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz
What a great title for an incredible tale. The Inquisitor's Tale is a 2017 Newberry Honor book. Told in the style of the Canterbury Tales, this middle-grade novel is set during the Middle Ages and follows the story of three magical children and their holy dog. Full of magic, farting dragons, corrupt officials, and banned books, this is a fantastically funny story. Even though I listened to this on audio, we also checked out a paper copy from the library because the text is illuminated. Will has been enjoying it too.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizbeth Strout
This is a short novel, and I just devoured it. Lucy Barton is recovering at a hospital and her mother, whom she hasn't seen in years, comes to stay by her bedside. Through their discussions, the reader learns about Lucy's dysfunctional family and desires to escape and build a better life. Beautifully written.

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel
This sci-fi thriller starts with a little girl falling into a hole. When local authorities discover her, she's cupped in a giant metallic hand. Seventeen years later, the mystery of the artifact is still unsolved and a team of scientists sets out to find the rest of the pieces of the puzzle. The first of a series, the reader will be left wanting to know the rest of the story.

What have you been reading lately?

Lately: Projects Galore

So far this year, we've been busy with projects -- school projects, house projects, and Cub Scout projects! On the house front, I am in full-on clean-out mode. So far, we've donated 11 boxes to Salvation Army (five more have since been filled); taken a car load of electronics to Westpark Recycling; put out piles and piles for heavy trash; and donated 181 books to Books Between Kids!  

Cleaned out linen closet with plenty of room for a kitty!

We are also trying to spruce things up, so my parents helped me select and hang new bedroom drapes (blackout, finally, after six years of thin curtains in a light-filled room!). They also helped me replace curtain rods in three rooms and replace all our old, broken door stops. I purchased a bunch of frames for odd-sized art from Art-to-Frames and we have been busy hanging art around the house! 2017 has been productive so far! 

Will had his final two middle school interviews in January -- whew! So glad those are done! Lunch out at Little Matt's before the final interview.

Third graders showcased all their hard work on their heritage projects in January, with a Heritage Festival and Feast. Henry dressed up as a Danish immigrant for the parade. 

 This kiddo worked so hard!

At the Heritage Feast, Henry sampled foods from around the world. 

Also that week was our school's International Festival, with more food and activities from around the world.

Henry's class also had a field trip to Space Center Houston and I got to tag along as a chaperone. 

January is also Pinewood Derby month. The boys each made a speed car and a demolition car. 

Will's last Pinewood Derby!

Demolition

Speed

Our cars didn't win any prizes this year, but they sure were fun to build and race.

Will's last den meeting as a Cub Scout was last week. His Arrow of Light dinner and ceremony are Thursday night, and then he officially crosses over into Boy Scouts next week. This boy has worked so hard and we are so proud of him! Now he just needs to pick which troop he's joining!

Super Bowl LI -- celebrated with Eureka Heights Buckle Bunny, my favorite beer ever,

and pizza!

We were rooting for the Patriots (for no particular reason) and most of us went to bed thinking the game was lost, only to wake up this morning to find out they had pulled off the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history! 

One final picture -- breakfast crepes at the farmers market are the boys' new favorite breakfast.

What have you been up to lately?