Matthew is 16!!

The best part about turning 16 is the fact that you get to go behind the wheel and drive yourself!! Matthew even got to drive our rental van! Apparently the limits about age only apply if you are renting it for fun...if your insurance is covering the rental. I wasn't allowed to drive a rental vehicle until I had 3 kids...only Philip could drive! But because it is covered through our accident...Matthew can drive! He is probably really wishing that I chose that Jeep that I was offered when I first showed up for a rental. ;) But driving is driving...any vehicle will do. Even a minivan!

Since we can't skate at home anymore, Matthew decided we could spend some time at the skate trail to celebrate his birthday.

The trail was nice and empty during a weekday afternoon.

Lovely day for a skate!

And there is lots of room to zip around.

After an hour, though, it can get tiring.

The classic birthday picture in front of the cake did not work. By the time Matthew was done his trifle, I was able to get a decent shot of him.

As the celebrated individual, Matthew chose a board game for any willing siblings to play with him.

It took a while for the game to end...which is pretty typical for Monopoly.

And the chosen birthday meal was a meat fondue. Enough meat to keep all the guys in the house happy. Matthew let me serve some veggies on the side so that I could enjoy a meal that was a bit more well rounded.

 After dinner was time to enjoy gifts.

This year Evelyn gave Matthew a box of corn flakes. Every year someone finds a cereal box and wraps a REAL gift inside it. And the birthday person ALWAYS makes a remark about "Oh, goodie, cereal! Just what I wanted!" knowing that it will have something else inside. But this time, it really was cereal!

Don't worry, there was also a note in the box that told him where his real present was hiding, and Matthew got to enjoy a gift made just for him. And I got my box of cornflakes back.

Feb 2024, second half

Saturday morning breakfast is a self serve affair. If you want it cooked you have to do it yourself.

Or you can team up with someone. Sometimes Jennifer will ask Evelyn to do the eggs for her (she hates cracking eggs open) and then she will do the cooking.

 

Hickory sticks taste even better if you know Dad doesn't want you to have them because he thinks they are his. Yum!

 

Feb 2024, first half

February is time for us to get some serious school work done! Evelyn is working on a writing project.

Matthew is working on his Dutch. We have all been avoiding learning French, as much as possible.

And then there is lots of reading to do.

During school hours I find kids reading in random places. At least they are getting work done!

At least, I think they are getting their work done?

Math work.

Melanie getting some work done. She decided to learn French this year. If she is going to be an elementary school teacher she will be expected to have some basic French knowledge. She prefers Spanish, but unfortunately she probably won't get to teach that. So French it is.

Evelyn doing her school work in style.

I'm not sure what the poor dog did to offend her...but it didn't end well for him. Sometimes I think it is better not to ask questions.

She not only dresses up to do her schoolwork, but she also makes her own books to do her writing in.

Daniel hard at work.

And Daniel hard at play. His 3D printer requires a bit of work to get going. Once it has a print job made, it often needs to be edited, especially at the beginning to get the height correct.

 The little snow that we had is disappearing quickly! Spring is coming!

Jan 2024, second half

At long last, we have a hockey game going on in the back yard!

Everyone had better get their skates on and enjoy the opportunity while it lasts!

Priscilla and I have known each other for two years. We went out for lunch to celebrate. She treated me with Thai food. It was so good!

And I had bubble tea for the first time. That was also really good. But neither are as good as our friendship. So thankful to have been able to grow closer as sisters in Christ over the past two years!

Daniel designing an island.

And Daniel working hard on his school while his pirate captives look on. Perhaps he will teach them a thing or two.

During January we had the joy of spending lots of time with a missionary family we got to know when we were in Papua New Guinea. They spent a month in Ontario, and then were heading off to repatriate to Australia. The joy of being a homeschooling family is that we could just do less school work and hang out as much as time allowed, and catch up on our work later. We soaked up every minute.

Matthew really enjoyed his time with this family too. The friend his age broke his leg after about two week of being in Canada, so they had to find activities that could accommodate less movement.

We did get some school done during January as well.

And Jennifer, with her braces. She managed to get them damaged twice while playing with these friends. Her orthodontist told me that if it happened again, I would have to pay extra for the repair. Somehow it hasn't happened again. Yet.

Matthew working on programming his Lego motors.

Ice time!

Three cheers for winter sports!

Jan 2024, first half

My teenage daughter now has her own phone. I'm not sure she is always paying much attention to me when I am talking to her anymore.

At least she didn't get one until now. Hopefully the real world will have some appeal left, when she reminisces on it, and she will come back to us one day.

It's true, Matthew can sew!

Sibling bonding. Or screen time.

Evelyn babysitting. It is a good thing her baby enjoys reading the same books that she does!

Going for a walk with Sejin in the cold. It sure is nice having a golf course beside our property, so we can go exploring together!

Evelyn was gifted some custom made shelves. Her room has a unique corner to it, so she asked for some shelves to fit there for her many knick-knacks. I'm sure as soon as she finds a place for them, she will need another one for the ones she has accumulated in the mean time!

 The shelves in their little corner:

Jennifer staining my boot rack to order.

Sledding time! It hasn't been a great winter for outdoor sports, so Daniel and Evelyn have to make use of any opportunity that we get!

So...it has been a few months since our accident, and we have been renting a car since then. I have bothered quite a few people at the rental place...and after a Sante Fe I used just ceased up and stopped driving, I finally got an actual minivan to rent! We are STILL waiting for the insurance to sort things out and let us buy our own vehicle. Our van sort of vanished after getting towed (by a less than reputable towing guy). Anyways, I am very happy to be able to seat 7 people in my vehicle now. Iit is still not the 8 that I had, but it's two better than seating 5! So I will not complain. (Too loudly.)

Lately Daniel has been dressing up and acting out very strange characters. He makes a pretty scary old lady.

The girls sliding down the front yard.

The skating rink is frozen AND full. Now just a big of plowing and we can really enjoy it! At last.