Good Grades = Melting Pot

This semester's classes were especially challenging for Trey and Allie so we thought we'd help motivate them by telling them if they got straight A's we'd take them to The Melting Pot. Trey ended up with 98 averages in both his AP English and AP Biology classes! Wow. Is it possible for someone to get their smart genes from their uncles? Allie is still waiting on the Honors english and Honors Algebra standardized state-wide tests to be graded to find out her final averages but she assures us they are A's! UPDATE: Allie finally got her final grades and she did indeed pull out straight A's!!! Yeah for Allie!

Anyway, we had such a FUN time with our wonderful teenagers. It was their first time going to this fondue restaurant. Allie said she could just go for dessert next time and be happy. We got the cookies and cream this time...YUM. Trey ate all his dinner and most of hers (b/c she doesn't really eat meat).

I still can't believe that I have a 17 and 14 year old. I'm so happy to see them making good choices and enjoying life so much. We are truly blessed.

A perfect afternoon

Trey was working at the Empty Stocking Fund this morning downtown so we decided to pick him up and take the kids ice skating in Market Square. I wasn't sure who would like this activity when it actually came time to hitting the ice. Happily, everyone loved it! David was the only one who had no interest in skating. So he took pictures instead. The kids liked it so much they asked if it could be a family tradition. I love a happy family day!:) (The best part was there was no fighting the whole day.)

parties and celebrating

Last year when Trey turned 16 I told him that after 13 birthday parties, this was going to be the last real party. It was fine to have a couple of friends spend the night but no more "parties". Anyway this year Allie and a friend Lizzy gave Trey a surprise party! It was Taylor Swift themed, b/c Trey loves her. Allie and her friend Hannah even performed "Thug story" by Taylor Swift and T-Pain. He was genuinely surprised and was so happy to hang out with the church kids all night.

On his real birthday we let Trey choose where we would go out to eat and he chose Lakeside Tavern. It was so fun and festive this time of year. We then had a family celebration at home with cake and presents. He was thrilled and surprised to get the new Droid phone.

Random arm wrestling

Last night we celebrated Trey's and Afton's birthdays- cousin style. So many cousins, so much love. What a fun night!

Warning: A cousin may have been hurt during this dog pile.

SNOW

You really can't have a snowfall in Knoxville and not blog about it, even if you are the last to do so. So here are the kids having fun in the snow. After they played in our backyard David took them over to see Koa and they played in the snow some more before we rushed off the piano recitals, basketball games, and church meetings.

Tree decorating

Sydney asked me to take a picture of her holding her favorite ornament.

Can you see something around Connor's waist? Usually that would be some kind of belt to hold his light saber, but on this day it was a home made safety patrol badge --something he desperately wants to be next year.

Next Christmas our tree will have to find a new room to shine in as we are finally after 19 years of marriage going to get dining room furniture. In both the houses we've lived in our tree has always been in our empty dining room, or shall I say "christmas tree room", with plenty of space to pile up all the presents.

I'm glad we have a big tree for all the hundreds of ornaments we have to hang. And yet they still seem to get bunched up in a few areas.

The future

Trey turned 17 this morning. As he was walking out the door to seminary he turned to me and said "mom look at the time, 6:51". His time of birth. Why is it that I've had such a hard time with him getting older lately? I know why. I don't want him to leave us. Everytime I hear the word college or mission I have a pang of sadness. I never knew it would be this hard. But he's helping me see that he'll be just fine as he moves on to his new phases of life. Like when he was loading the dishwasher and I asked him to go ahead and start it and he remembered to run the disposal first. :) Like when he bore his testimony on Sunday and shared what he knew to be true. Hearing my child proclaim his knowledge and belief in the gospel is one of the best gifts I could receive. I wonder if they realize that? As I listened to him I couldn't help thinking he sounded like a missionary. I'm not ready yet, but I see him preparing himself.

Here's to the next 18 months!