Ballet class

Today was the day when the parents can go and watch ballet class, so Ellee took Irene to music class, and I went to ballet (after quickly running to the shoe store to buy some new ballet slippers, since someone lost them...)

I'm happy to report that Evangeline is not the worst kid in the class by far, although we've got to work on things like "how to stand in line."

She's a pretty great dancer.

Her recital is May 10th.

You are invited.

And then we found the ballet slippers in the glove box.

pollo

Thanks to Aunt Jessie for the underpants and cat shirts.
This was a pleasant surprise.

 We went to a birthday party with an actual piñata, which is impressive, since these things aren't exactly pc these days, what with all the violence and whatnot.

On the way home from Ava's party, which was out in the country, we stopped and picked up some baby chicks. I think we've got a fox family thats been dining on our chickens lately. We've lost 5 in the last four weeks. So, we've got to give them something more to eat of course.

And then Irene comes around the corner using a belt as a whip.

Kaleb (my sole catechumen) had a championship game, so we went.
They lost. Evangeline was actually pretty sad that he lost.

 And then today we went and picked up EIGHT more chickens. Two are speckled sussex, and aren't for eating, but the rest of them will be eaten. The kids seem surprisingly okay with it at this point. Lets see how well the parents hold up.

Nighttime Serenade

This had been going on for about five minutes before I decided to make a video.

Valentine's Day

If these kids did not have a mom, they would not do anything like this ever. 

Luckily, their mom is long-suffering and is interested in doing things that will enrich their lives.

Making cookies is really fun until someone decides its not going to be fun anymore. Guess who that is?

Ah, but after several hours, the work is done and the beautiful edible art is arranged.

This is truly a masterpiece.

 By the way, it snowed here, and has stuck around for a few days.

I went out about an hour after it started, and there were already cars heaped up on each other.

 These are new Valentine's dresses.

We went to a birthday party for Caroline's dad.

It was Sunday afternoon, and Irene was the only one who remembered the normal routine.

This kid slept through a ton of loud screaming and running.

Caroline and Evangeline feasting.
Caroline's dad is a potter and made most of their dishes. Its pretty cool.
Obviously not the plastic stuff.

We ended the night by watching a movie in their room for the first time ever.

A Few Short Journeys

Hey Kids, were going on a trip to...

VIRGINIA!

You've never heard anyone so excited to go to Virginia before.

Since Ellee is now an official commissioned deaconess, we got to go to Springfield, VA for her Southeast District new worker orientation. They had childcare there, but our kids were too horrible, and got the boot. So, I took them on a drive around DC.

National Cathedral

This is where Barack Obama lives.

After Ellee was done learning how to evangelize millenials we took a quick trip up to Baltimore.

Ellee's old classroom is on the top floor.

Ellee's old street.

The whole family atop Federal Hill before finding a bathroom for dad.

Oh, did you need a bellhop?
I'm actually really proud of this.
I checked out of our hotel room while Ellee was finishing up her orientation.
I got the kids and everything out to the van in ONE TRIP.

For some reason I was trying to take a photo of a cop car with a headlight out. It was pretty hilarious.

Baltimore again.

 Shortly after getting back we went up to Asheville for grandaddy's 89th birthday.

They comfort one another in the van. No one likes it when anyone cries.

The house where my grandaddy grew up and where my aunt Carol lives.

No trip to Asheville is complete without a trip to see the Biltmore chickens.

This trip also rekindled the goat fire in my soul. So... we'll see where that ends up.

And then I went to Indiana for a conference.

You've never heard someone so excited for their dad to be going to Indiana.