January 2023

The new year started beautifully with a gorgeous day to play pickleball!

The whole family came to the courts.

Jim and I wore the matching shirts that Aunt Sue gave us. Photo credit: Maggie

One evening Jack had some friends over and they joined our family for dinner.

I took 3 of our kids and some neighbors on a hike on an unusually warm day.

If there is water, kids will throw rocks in it.

We stopped in the visitor's center to play. Maggie read a book to our sweet neighbor.

One weekday, I drove Jim's mom to Columbia to meet her sister and niece for lunch.

Sisters!

Jim's aunt gave us her beautiful Christmas china. I used it when we hosted his mom's birthday dinner.

Happy birthday, Grandma!

Maggie enjoyed playing basketball this year.

The choir sang at a holiday concert.

Our sweet singer.

Maggie got to read at the all school mass.

I took the kids to a chess tournament.

Jim and I went to the winter social for his work.  After the event, we went to a bar we used to frequent when we were dating. We ran into our neighbor's daughters and their boyfriends. We felt old!

Charlie took first place in his final year participating in the Pinewood Derby!

Charlie played basketball.

We hosted a dinner for Papa's 70th birthday!

Cousin sleepover!!!

I love a helper in the kitchen!

Jim's band played at the Blues game (for the second year in a row)!  This time, we all came to the game. Uncle Michael and Auntie Kathleen were there, too.

You could see the band playing on all the tvs in the arena.

So, so cool to see them playing at such a fun venue!

Jim made the jumbotron! 

Charlie's buddy was there with his parents.  We got a message while we were at the game that due to predicted inclement weather, school was canceled the next day! Hooray!

This was Jack and Maggie's first Blues game.

We got to play in the snow with neighbors the next day!

Charlie and his friend worked on their science experiment.  Maggie and her friends provided comic relief.

I volunteer once a week in one of Maggie's classes. I love seeing this girl at school. I was lucky enough to get to be there on her birthday.

Neighbors came over to have ice cream cake to celebrate our 9 year old.

Maggie got some cool gifts (hat, boots, remote control car).

Maggie's wearing my readers and I'm wearing her headband.  

We celebrated my friend's birthday at a karaoke bar!

Maggie had fun at a slide park with some friends.

We finished January with a family birthday dinner for our favorite girl!