Sew Cool ... really Soooooo Cool

Lilly got a 'Sew Cool' sewing machine for Christmas from G&G Rich.  We got it out this weekend.  She couldn't stop!  This thing is really neat and gave her several pillows to make as her starter projects.  There is no thread, in or out of the machine.
The cupcake was her first one!

Despicable Me 2 - hits Micah's room

We saw Despicable Me 2 together as a family this week.  The kids had seen it at the theatre (August), and over Christmas, they watched it with their cousins.  So, Micah and Lilly have it on the brain -- "Ramsbottom -- bottom, hahaha!" 

Micah closed himself in his room with a project.  (It is always fun to see the end products of these sessions.)  We were not disappointed.

He created two minion images out of construction paper.  What made this project extra cool was that the yellow minion was on the right/front door with the left/back door behind it.  When someone went to close/slide the back door --- then the purple minion showed up and the yellow minion was shooting him with the jelly.  Clever!

Happy New Year

We arrived home from Chicago just in time ... before all the cold & snowstorms began.  Dave (next door neighbor) had snacks and fireworks ready for us, but we delayed those celebrations until the evening of the 1st.

Veterans Day

We had the opportunity to celebrate Veterans Day officially with the Barton House last week.  On Thursday we attended a flag ceremony put on by the National Guard.  They gave a wonderful salute, and tribute, to the empty place setting.  Many family members of the Barton House residents also attended.

Lilly's special requested hair style for the day

Today (11/11/13) we did some school activities and played with neighborhood friends, who were out of school for the day.

Riding Her Bike - No Training Wheels

Well, we finally got Lilly over to the track, with a softer falling surface, to practice riding a bike without training wheels.  She took to it like a bee to honey.  She rode first through the field portion and began to curve around to come back to us making great turns.  Then she rode around the track, riding for 1/8th of a mile first, and then all the way around, 1/4 mile, the second time.  In the afternoon she was riding her bike up and down the street, around the cul-de-sac, and in & out of the mini road across from us with the big boys of the neighborhood.
The boys all congratulated her and treated her with awe, giving her much confidence and huge smiles!

The Men Who Built America

Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, Carnegie, Astor, Ford and Morgan. Their names are part of history and their efforts transformed a country.
Micah and I came part way into the 'The Men Who Built America' marathon on the History Channel Saturday afternoon (we missed Vanderbilt).  We were folding laundry and learning a lot about the Industrial Age.  The episodes went through the life of each man and then how their lives intertwined throughout their lives and the transformation of the United States.  We both learned a lot!

School Photos

This year our school photos were done by an Eastside family named the Dahlquists.  They have downloaded them for us, and these are the images that will be used in our Eastside Explorers Yearbook.  Other poses will be sent out soon, then I'll make a selection to have some printed.


Micah Rich - age 10, grade 4

Lilly Rich - age 5, kindergarten