Everyday Life–March

Lots of great stuff happening this month.

• Katie found out she got into BYU
• Katie, Emily, Megan, Luke and Matt enjoy Swing Dance practices and a Swing Dance Recital
• Emily busy with Voice (Kathy Klamm) and Piano (Gina Forero)
• Chris spent a week in Utah at a Work Conference and spent time with his Mom and sisters over the anniversary of Del’s passing.
• Chris and I enjoyed a fun dinner out with the Hales and the Theurers
• Jared, Geneva and Family spend Spring Break with us!!
• Megan starting soccer practices on United with Coach Rob.
• A Young Women volleyball tournament – that always comes down to Cordera against Pine Creek, but PC always wins.
• A fun Dance Festival Fireside kick off.  My girls are going to have so much fun!!

Anders, Cade, Ian and Matthew at their 3rd Grade Choir Concert!

Matthew practicing his piano flashcards.  Emily is teaching him for a few months.  He desperately needs some new pants but for now these short track pants are his FAVORITE!

Student led Conferences with Luke at School in the Woods.  He took me around to a variety of activities ending with archery.  He’s good…. I’m not.  Seriously, who gets to practice archery at their parent teacher conferences?  So fun.

Megan got her braces off and we celebrated with soup at Panera Bread – exactly where we went when she got them on.   Ironically, she was a little scared to get them off!  “I’m going to look so weird without them!!”

Such a fun Swing Dance Recital.  Katie’s last performance.  Sad!!

Katie and Megan’s group… the TRICK group : )

Luke and Matt’s group…

Katie and Megan’s group…

Katie and Emily’s group…

Katie’s group…

Katie, Sister Hansen and Emily…

Typical after school picture.  Emily at the table ready to start homework.  The kids dancing in the background.

Emily texting a certain boy and trying to figure out what to say.

Katie comes home for lunch almost every day and typically watches Gillmore Girls while she eats.  Love that they can come home as Juniors and Seniors.

Matt reading before heading to school.  He loves to get his reading done first thing in the morning.  He’s reading Harry Potter.

Luke cleaning the stove for his ‘family contribution’.

Spring Break–Chuggs visit Colorado Springs

While we waiting for the Chuggs to drive from the Denver Airport to Colorado Springs in a blizzard,  we went over housing options for Katie and played Castles of Burgundy with Emily.    They arrived at about 11:00pm on Monday night.  So fun to have them here and show them around the house.

TUESDAY

Tuesday Dad went to work, Geneva and I did a kettle bell workout and then we talked and hung out until lunchtime.  Jared, Geneva, Katie, Hanna and I headed down to our Edelweiss German restaurant and Dad met us there.  Such yummy noodles and sauce.  It was fun to reminisce about our German adventures together. 

After lunch we headed home to pick up the boys and headed to Manitou Springs to the Penny Arcade… which we had never been to.  (Katie and Hanna stayed home so Katie could work on picking BYU housing.)  The rest of us enjoyed it.  We played old arcade games like Pac-man, shot rifles, played lots and lots of skee ball, and even tried out the Lord of the Rings pinball machine.  It was fun.  On the way back to the van we picked up some chocolate fudge from the candy shop.

The Manitou Springs Penny Arcade is a historical treasure with some games dating back to 1900.  One of the penny arcades that Geneva found was an advice machine.  For 1cent we received advice like… “Don’t get fat” and “Try necking!”  Too funny.  The old lattice ceiling and creaky wood floor made us seem we were back in time. 

We spent lots of time and quarters playing Skee ball.

Emily playing Lord of the Rings pinball.

Tuesday night I made curry soup for dinner and then we got comfy on the couches downstairs to watch the new movie JUMANJI -- which is pretty funny.  Then we taught Jared and Genenva how to play Istanbul -- which we played countless times the rest of the week.

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday we ventured out to the Garden of the Gods.  We bundled up in several layers but it ended up being a nice day.

We had a picnic lunch and then hiked up to the Siamese Twins.

Matt, Cole, Luke and Josh

The grey clouds moved in just as we were leaving.  We stopped at the new park to play soccer for a bit, but it started snowing so we headed home to play games. We had tacos for dinner.  Scott joined us since he was in town overnight for work.  We taught him how to play Istanbul as well and he won the first game, and Geneva won the second.

Hanna has been sleeping up in Katie's room and every night they are up late laughing and talking, watching Musicals and playing the guitar and ukulele.  I think they had a great week.

THURSDAY

Thursday Dad had the day off.  We started the day with a 9:30am movie at the theater.  Ready Player One -- it's a movie based on a book Chris has read recently about a virtual world in the future.  I didn’t know what to expect but I actually enjoyed it.  Then we headed over to the Paint Mines and enjoyed hiking around even though it started snowing as we walked in and our shoes were filthy from the mud.  Still, I just love a good outing. 

Thursday night we hosted the Seaquists and Jacksons for dinner so they could see the Chuggs since we all knew each other in Medical School.  It was a fun night.

FRIDAY

Friday we headed up to Denver for the day.  We spent the morning at the Nature and Science Museum exploring the Dinosaur exhibit, Creatures of Light, Animals of Africa and The Body.  It was fun. 

Then we headed to Torchy's for lunch -- a newly discovered taco place that we love.  Fried avocado tacos and spicy queso please.

Then into lower downtown Denver to walk along 16th street and stop at Union Station for shuffleboard and ice cream before heading home.  Fun day!

We’ve been to Union Station multiple times but never been able to play Shuffleboard – this time it worked and we got to use both boards.  It was really fun!

Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream from the Milkbox Creamery at Union Station.  So good.

We had the Chuggs with us for Saturday as well.  We watched the first session of  General Conference, played soccer at the park, watched General Conference again.  Geneva and I went shopping to Home Goods while the guys watched the Priesthood Session.  Then we ate Belgium Waffles and played a couple more games of Istanbul.  The Chuggs left early Sunday Morning.  SO fun to have them here for our Spring Break Staycation.  : )