Everyday Moments

Life...unedited. 

These random iPhone photos are dark, blurry, and untouched,

but they capture everyday moments from this week.

After Savannah finished gymnastics on Monday, the girls got lollipops, and then we walked down to the ice rink to watch the figure skaters and hockey players:

Brr! The ice rink feels like the inside of a freezer: 

On Tuesday morning, we had a 2-hour snow delay. Before school, the girls hung out with me while I exercised on the elliptical in our home gym:

On Tuesday morning, Savannah enjoyed being a Junior Librarian with her friends Juliet, Chisom, and Samiyah. They took the library cart and collected books from the 6 classes that had library for specials that day: 

Then, the Junior Librarians checked-in the books and put them on the library cart for my volunteers to shelve: 

Hadley's Painting

Savannah did a beautiful job coloring the front cover of her moon research project: 

Savannah wrote down three facts about the moon:

 She also colored the phases of the moon: 

After school on Tuesday, the girls and I went swimming at the YMCA in our neighborhood (while Tal was in a group fitness class). When I signed up for the Biggest Loser at my school, I received a free 5-month family membership to the Y (a $500 value). Our family is looking forward to swimming and exercising at the Y over the next few months:

Going down the slide at the Y:

Going to the pool is a great way for the girls to burn some energy on a cold winter day: 

This afternoon Tal and I cooked jambalaya and tacos for our meals this week. Savannah baked honey cornbread muffins to eat with the jambalaya:

After Savannah mixed the cornbread batter, the girls took turns spooning the cornbread batter into the muffin tins: 

Then, Savannah helped Tal cut the ham for the jambalaya:

Over the last couple years, Savannah has been earning $5 a week for an allowance. In order to get paid on Saturday, Savannah has to earn a "3" for good behavior from her teacher every day, as well as complete her chores in a timely manner and with a positive attitude. Below are some of Savannah's daily and weekly chores:

• do her homework
• read for 20 minutes each day
• wash, dry, and put away her clothes
• put her dirty clothes in her hamper
• set out her clothes for the next day
• put away shoes in the mudroom baskets
• load and unload the dishwasher
• put her dirty dishes in the sink
• throw away trash in kitchen and living room
• put away toys, blankets, and pillows in the living room
• anything else as requested

When she wants to earn some extra money, Savannah does a couple chores for $1 each. Savannah looks forward to getting paid and enjoys spending her money on iTunes music, toys, books, make-up, art supplies, and craft projects.(Aside from Christmas, Tal and I rarely buy any of these items for the girls.) Savannah loves having some spending money, so she is motivated to have good behavior and do her chores. By getting an allowance, Savannah is learning how to save, budget her money, and make thoughtful spending decisions.

This morning our family went to the Home Depot Kids Workshop, where the girls made a Valentine corn hole. Tal and Savannah enjoyed playing corn hole in our living room: