Team Photo

Cute team photo from the just-finished basketball season. Next up - flag football. Ben and his friends James and Jared are all on the same team, as well as (unconfirmed) another friend Zade. The coach assignment email went out today, and lists James' dad as the coach. James' dad was confused by this news having (he claims) not actually signed up to be a head coach, so there may be some straightening out to do, but hopefully the boys will all remain on the same team. Ben is really looking forward to it. Practices start next weekend.

Crazy Week

Yes I am confident in calling it a "crazy week" even though the week is not over yet ;) Becca started throwing up Tuesday evening and was home sick yesterday, then last night was the snowstorm that didn't happen -- CMS and CJP announced last night that they would be closed today due to the impending snowpocalypse. The national weather service was calling for 8-10 inches in our immediate area, and 10-14 north of here.

 Of course, as the slushy snow started falling last night and I mused "How can we get that much snow when the temperature is not below freezing?" and Joel looked at the radar and mused, "This storm is moving really, really fast." And there you have it -- not quite cold enough + really fast moving storm = 1/2 inch of snow/slush this morning, a far cry from even the most conservative (3-5 inch) forecast that had been circulating last night.

So today, all three kids home and I am trying to get through the day with my wits about me. Becca threw up on her sheets and the laundry was in a general state of disarray before that, then Caroline peed on hers, and so I am trying to work my way through a ton of laundry while also working. Becca seems to have disappeared up to her cousin's house (I won't complain), Ben is out playing basketball with a friend, and Caroline finally fell asleep for her nap. Hoping to enjoy the peace and quiet and get caught up on a few things finally :)

Oh somewhere in all this mess this week Joel and I closed on a mortgage refinance ;) Busy week!

Winter Weather

Maybe just a preview of what could be coming tomorrow night -- remarkably for Charlotte, schools were operating normally this morning , at least for my kids-- some other counties delayed and one closed. The roads were fine when I was out , though it is still snowing....

Reunited!

Joel's residency classmate and friend Ali and his wife Sakeena and their two kids Emaan and Armaan paid us a surprise visit this week. Having recently relocated from Columbus Ohio to NYC, Ali decided to drive down with the kids for a visit during their Febraury break. They arrived Thursday afternoon and Sakeena flew down Friday morning. We had only seen them once since Joel graduated residency and that was about 9 years ago. It was great to see them and to meet their two kids. Becca and Emaan, who is 8, hit it off instantly and Caroline eventually remembered her "sharing is caring" motto and played nicely (mostly) with four year old Armaan. Ben preferred to hang out with the adults and also got an hour and a half lesson about cricket as Ali showed him some of the cricket World Cup. 

We took the kids to Discovery Place this morning and then out to lunch at Queen City BBQ before parting ways so they could start the long drive back to New York. We have already had to promise Becca a trip to New York to visit her new friend Emaan!

Cricket fundamentals:

Reluctant subjects:

Becca and her new BFF:

Bed of nails:

Pulley systems:

Aquarium fun:

Group photo-- hopefully the next one will be sooner than another 10 years!

Does This Look Like We Need Another Snow Day???

Checking out the White Stuff

It was crunchy, and a bit slippery, and not even Joel had to go in to work (he has Tuesday afternoons off already and the clinic wasn't opening till afternoon). The kids are enjoying an extra long long weekend (me, not so much). 

Reading

Look! Someone Actually Saw Ice!

You know what that means -- school is cancelled for tomorrow!

Valentine's Day Cutie

Champions!

Meet your (undefeated!) IFBL 5th Grade Boys championship team!!! They beat the only other undefeated team in the league today in the championship game, 46-39. After trailing in the first half they came back to tie in the third quarter and pulled out a win in the final quarter.  Way to go boys!!

Basketball, Basketball, and More Basketball

That pretty much sums up this week. Interfaith Basketball League playoffs are this week. Ben's #1 seeded team  beat St Mark on Tuesday night, St Matthew on Wednesday night, and tonight they play St Gabriel. (Yes, lots of saints in Charlotte apparently). If they win tonight they will play in the championship game on Saturday, which will very likely be against Charlotte Christian.

The games have all been scheduled for 6pm, which has put a real strain on the dinner time schedule, but I have been doing the best I can and making dinner in the afternoon and heating it up when we get home from basketball.

Ben has been, shall we say, tentative on the basketball court this season. It is his first time playing a real position (small forward), and having a real coach (one who yells a lot).  It doesn't seem to be sitting very well with him. But he did score 6 points in last night's game, so yay Ben :)

Quote of the Day

CAROLINE: when I am sleeping will dinosaurs come and try to open the door?

ME: no honey, the dinosaurs are all extinct. Do you know what extinct means?

CAROLINE: yes it means they went poop -- they are extinky! Pee-you!!

For All You Northerners

Report Card Day

The kids brought home report cards yesterday. Ben brought home straight A's and "conduct is excellent" remarks for every subject, for the second quarter in a row. He also brought home his latest round of standardized test scores in which he scored in the 99th percentile again for literacy (and in the 80s for math). Super proud of this kid. His $100 reward he asked me to keep and use to supplement his birthday fund (he is aiming for a Playstation 4 for his birthday).

 Becca brought home all "3"s in academic areas, but some "2"s in the areas involving independent working and things like that. Her teacher wrote that she needs to work on paying attention and being more focused on her classwork (where have we heard this before?)

Today is also the 100th day of school, according to Becca, who has been known to be wrong about such things but it sounds about right to me. A little over halfway through!

Super Bowl XLIX!!

Such a fun super bowl party last night and what a great game! Joel and Mike started jumping up and down and screaming when the Patriots intercepted the Seahawks' goal line pass with 30-something seconds left in the game. (Miraculously neither of the girls, who went to bed around half time, were woken up). Abby worked hard on deflated football cookies and delicious apple dumplings and appetizers, and I worked not so hard on buying booze and ordering pizza ;) We tried out Abby's new fire pit for some pre-game tailgating, which was very fun although my garage still smells like a Duraflame log. Congrats Patriots!!!