Last Christmas the kids received an indoor trampoline. It has served us well all year long. They continue to do tricks on the bar, showing off for everyone who comes over. We didn't have a traditional Christmas tree, much to the dismay of Aunt Andrea and Uncle Jeffrey, who decided to help the kids make one while babysitting one night.
Winter is always a bit of a challenge - keeping the little people busy, but not freezing. We spent time at indoor playgrounds, in the library, and even ventured outdoors a bit. We got the kids some shovels to help manage the snow and even enjoyed a visit to the zoo - very few crowds that time of year.
To help make Sundays more meaningful we found reasons to take treats to friends, whether for Valentines, Mother's Day, or "just because." Now it's hard to just enjoy a quiet day at home.
In February we learned about a preschool Joyce could attend. She had begun to give up naps and I saw it as a great way to still find time for Ward to nap. She absolutely adored her teacher and only resisted going a few times. I think she was more concerned with missing out on any potential fun Ward and I would have.
In the spring we played outside when we could, even brought some nature indoors with a butterfly kit, and then later a praying mantis egg case. We recommend the butterflies. We also took a trip to Capitol Hill to see all the cherry blossoms, which led to a fun tour of the Capitol itself. And, like all seasons of the year, we spent time at the library, this time participating in science exploration. The kids love going and interacting with the "big scientists," high school students that run the activity.
We also got a new car in the spring, due to an accident on the freeway. It took the better part of the year to get insurance to sort out our payment. Bret was on his way to work when a delivery truck drifted into his lane, clipping his tail and sending him in circles, crossing all lanes of traffic. It was a miracle all we needed was a new car. The kids have named it "Blue Hoo Stoo Hoo," or "Blue Hoo" for short. Now they like to look for other "Hoos" on the road.
After a couple birthday parties at Jungle Jim's, the kids began asking to go there on special occasions. On Ward's birthday, when asked what he wanted, all he requested was chocolate cake, cookies, and grapes. Will it always be so easy?
As the kids struggled to nap during designated napping time we had a few challenges. Here they got into a first aid kit, other times they pulled down curtains. We've finally transitioned over to a half hour "quiet time" in which they sometimes get a little nap, but at least we've had less disasters.
In Summer we celebrated Father's Day and Joyce's birthday, for which she got a new bike. Minutes after that bike riding picture was taken she got bit five times by a wasp and fell over on the park strip. It kept her off the bike for a while, and paranoid of any buzzing bug.
Bret's parents arranged for us to visit their local fire station in honor of both kids' birthdays.
We enjoyed a visit from cousins as they passed through town on their way to Texas.
We squeezed in the time we could on our local school's playground, but we soon shifted that activity to watching it be torn down in preparation for the new one.
We got to work a bit in the garden, participated in viewing the eclipse, dealt with our first encounter of lice (argh!!!!) made trips to the zoo and Heritage Park, and of course, visited our library several times a week (story time, dancing, magicians, crafts, snacks).
On the 24th of July Bret and I did our first (and probably last) 10k, as a co-worker bonding event. Our local neighborhood is where the Pioneers first encamped, so the kids enjoyed visiting the First Encampment festival with friends that weekend.
In August we took the kids to Afton, Wyoming for a large family reunion. Ward still asks when we can go back to see his "friend" he made. While there, Joyce took a tumble and gave herself a terrible black eye. We also got to check out the state fair.
Rounding out the summer we also got to enjoy our first camping trip with the kids, being invited by good friends to camp overnight at their property not too far from the city.
In September, preschool for both began. Joyce enrolled at a small private one some friends recommended to us, where we hope to have both kids enrolled for years to come. Ward's is right across the street from us, at the neighborhood school we watched be built over the last year. Their different schedules allow each to have an alone day with mom and mom to have an alone day by herself. It works wonders! In addition, they both take a community ballet class on Saturdays.
I've long observed and finally recognized that Joyce has a true gift for getting what she wants. As one of many examples, one morning she said she wanted a lollipop. As a normal mom I said no. Later that day she saw the mail carrier and asked for a package. The carrier said she didn't have one, but offered to get her a lollipop. Joyce asked for pink and the carrier said she didn't think she had a pink one. An hour later, when she was on break, the carrier brought the kids lollipops and happened to have found a pink one. She even had a package for us.
General Conference began with me getting to spend the women's session with my sister and three nieces. During the regular sessions, the kids did various crafts while watching. Between sessions we took walks in the rain (Ward's new school's playground).
In October, the kids and I went to a pumpkin patch with Grandma. I got to have my annual girls' weekend, which, this year, turned out to be just a long afternoon/evening. We hiked behind Park City and then strolled Main Street looking at art and eating good food. It's nice having kids old enough that I'm comfortable taking long breaks.
Last year Joyce dressed as Minnie Mouse. Despite my great efforts and insistence that she be Red Riding Hood (a costume I'd been planning on for several months), she opted for her Minnie Mouse costume when it came time to go trick-or-treating with friends. At least she spent the weekend before, at all the parties, as Red Riding Hood.
The kids regularly write birthday cards to cousins. You can imagine their thrill when they hear back from some.
Some of the things we've been enjoying doing lately as a family is playing games. We've even taught them the joy of playing Nertz.
I didn't get any good pictures of it, but in November our oldest niece on Bret's side got married. That called for a Robinson reunion. We played with cousins over several days. The kids also loved playing with their uncles. We spent one day at Tracy Aviary.
Thanksgiving was part of the big reunion, but since we're lucky to live by both sides, we got to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with both.
And finally, the biggest news of our year has been buying a house, a true fixer-upper. This home was originally owned by George Q. Cannon's daughter, Emily Cannon Willey. She sold it to Harold B. Lee who sold it to Don Bagley who then sold it to Milton Smith in 1964. Milton's son Duane, is an old friend of mine. It is not like either of us to take on such a project, and we probably would not have done so were it not that we have felt guided throughout the ongoing cascade of events that have taken us this far. We hope that this will prove to be a step forward for both our family and for Duane. We've applied for national historic register status as the Harold B. & Fern Lee House. We've loved learning its history and feel it has a spirit about it, both in the home and on its fairly extensive property. There is much work to be done, and we don't expect to move in any time soon, so no need to change our address just yet, but if definitely consumes a lot of our attention and resources.
Until next year.....
