Teriyaki pizza

Whole wheat pizza crust.

Chicken with teriyaki sauce, ginger and onion sauteed in sesame oil and also with somen noodles.

And broccoli

And of course cheese

Think they like it?

It was too hot for Sophie to pick up at first, so that's why she used a fork.  But, that didn't last too long...

2nd letter from Jake arrived today

Mom! Well lets see where to begin.  I've been here 2 weeks.  It's all stressful and one of my RDC's doesn't like me (basically he says he sees potential in me so he's gonna be tough on me!) I'm gettin my teeth cleaned and 2 wisdom teeth pulled tomorrow.  Not lookin FWD to that.  I passed my first physical fitness assessment.  P-days were the worst BC we had no sleep for 36 hours the first 2 days and it was all paperwork and getting our gear.  The Uniforms are awesome.  Not enough food or sleep but I make do.  I was starboard watch but I wanted to get more time to study so I lost that job.  I'm havin a lil trouble with focusing on my studying which is no good.  I've been lookin at a couple new jobs #1 (SAR) search and rescue, #2 builder (BU's) and SWCC's. I really want the SAR BC I watched a video on it and it's really cool and I can use it forever.  It's intense training.  I have had a lil problems with my asthma and allergies but I havn't said nothin-one kid just got sent home for hisasthma.  So I'm nervous about that.  Alright I gotta go sleep so TTYL



So, his ADD is kickin' in and so is his asthma.  I hope he does okay anyway!!!  Pray for him please.
For those who don't know, his job as of now after basic training is culinary on a sub.

Finally heard from Jake

Here's the majority of his letter to us:

"Hey. What's happening? I've been here a week now and we are just starting regular basic training. It's a lot of classwork, not a lot of food. I'm starboard watch which is pretty much a big deal. LOL. I can't wait to grad. I'm not healthy right now from my flu shot. It sucks. My division likes to talk a lot which makes me mad but I can't do nothing about that. Tell everyone I said hey. BTW I passed my first swimming test like it was nuthin. I have my physical test tomorrow. 7 weeks left now."

Puzzle Progress

Holy Cow!  This thing is going to root itself into our kitchen table before we get done! LOL

Starting to think about next school year

Things I'm thinking of changing:

Math.  Christian is loving Teaching Textbooks compared to Saxon.  Sophie is to use Saxon next year since we have it already.  I'm seriously thinking of switching her to TT tho...

English.  Don't care for Sonlight's program.  Not complete!  Adding Growing with Grammar this year, but thinking of switching to something else.  A few things are on my brain for that.

We love using Sonlight Cores!!!  So, we're certainly going to stick to that!  Sophie will be using Core 4 with Science 5.  Christian will be on to Core 7 with Science 7. 

That's were I'm at right now...

Snow

Lots of it.

Tho, not so much to close our local school, only to give a 2h delay.  However, the next town's school was cancelled I hear.

We were suppoed to go to mom's for piano lessons, but she said her street hasn't been plowed even once.  But, that's not the main reason.  My grampa has been admitted to the nursing home my mom works as an RN at into the rehabilitative wing.  He's 90yo, has had a few heart surgeries, is working 100% off his pacemaker, has had several joint replacements and recently couldn't get out of bed alone without severe pain.  They're not exactly sure what is wrong, but the family is taking this time of him in the nursing home to get things set up at home; hospital bed, home care nurse to come out, etc.  Thankfully my aunt and uncle moved in with them about 1 1/2y ago (I think) so there at least is someone there all the time.  My gramma can't walk really either, but that's her only main problem, due to back surgeries NOT being very successful some 30+ years ago. (and, she gets B12 shots biweekly for pernicious anemia)

Driving to violin lesson last night was not fun!  The antilock breaks were doing their job at every stop, and we drove 40mph the whole time (about 7mi.)  I'm not convinced it was worth it...

Hopefully the kids will go out and play in the snow after school, assuming they get done before dark...

Good thing we have a peninsula to eat at

Because otherwise we'd have no where to eat presently...

Jake's swearing in at the Bulls Game Feb 2nd

Center, blond

At the corner with his left arm swinging

Upper right, 1st row from back in front of back row glasses

Upper center/left

Center 1 row from left, gray shirt under jacket

duh... LOL!

Tom went to the game.  He got tickets from a guy at church.  The man's boss gets season tickets and had extras for last night's game, and a parking pass too.  They had floor 19th row seats.  The tickets Jake was trying to get people to buy were in the 3rd balcony!! LOL  Anyway, I'm glad Jake's friend had her camera because I forgot to send ours with Tom.  These pictures were posted by her and published to Jake's Facebook, where I copied them.