Baking, Joseph, and the Great Shift of 2023

Not so many pics, but lots went on this past weekend...

Very excited about Pazookie baking!

AJ made Dump Cake for Family Dinner
Friday night. The topic: hell.

AJ, Nana, and Papa thoroughly enjoyed Joseph
and the Technicolor Dreamcoat produced by Starz.
They had dinner at BJ's beforehand which
prompted the Pazookie happening.

Four boys made a Pazookie! A big one!

The Great Shift of 2023. Matt's office is moving to the
third-floor landing. Lexi and Jonnie are moving into Matt's
ex-office. Leaving a bedroom for expansion...

The Pazookie crew.

It's UCCS!

A school has been chosen! Fina is going to UCCS (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs) this Fall. So, the countdown to move-in has begun, and there's a paper chain to prove it. Milestones along the way are labeled along the chain (e.g. high school graduation, birthday, opening night, etc.).

First Few Days of 2023

Tracy got 2 or 3 puzzles done over the break. The whiteboard kept everyone posted on what each day brought, including "Go Thunder!" on the first day back to school. While at the Club for Lexi's Taekwondo class, Jonnie and Lexi discovered that the Grill has finally brought back pretzels, big and tasty ones. Remember, Lexi got a belt promotion right before Christmas (see Dec. 16)! AJ started dance classes at the Colorado Ballet Society. His first class was Broadway Dance. And yes, the new muscles the class discovered hit him about 24 hours later. And tomorrow he starts Men's Ballet. Our Family Dinner topic this Friday night was "What does 'take God's name in vain' mean?" and the menu included a baked potato bar, French baguettes and butter, and apple crumble with ice cream for dessert. The adults' favorite TV show these days is "House." And as of today, I'd say >80% of Christmas decorations are put away.

Fina helping AJ with his "new" muscles.

First Days of 2023

Lots going on during our last days of Christmas break... And Lexi and Jonnie got to try the new pretzels at the Club tonight while waiting for Lexi's Taekwondo class.

Sandy being a cat on the top of the couch.

We got another 2"-4" of snow.
And AJ and Griffen shoveled the entire driveway.

Jonnie and Nana made Hoth Chocolate Creme Puffs
from a Star Wars-themed cookbook.

Nothing like Torah study in 20-some degrees.

Tracy's gotten back into puzzles,
and we've all gotten back into House.

Fina made banana muffins.

Papa visited two depots in Castle Rock: more here.

St. Nick posting at the 1875 depot above, D&RG.

AT&SF Depot circa 1911.

New Year's Eve

We eased into New Year's Eve, but it got pretty exciting as the day progressed culminating with a group going to see Mean Girls at the Denver theater, Papa going to Springs Ensemble Theater for a show and a party, pizza for the kids' dinner, and everyone getting back to the house by midnight to have our Compound festivities complete with fireworks huge and tiny.

Marzipan Pigs (Fina made)

A little more Asian influence...

Griffen and AJ cleaned their room!

Happy New Year!

Fireworks at midnight from the top of Pikes Peak!

Complete with aurora borealis!

The Week Between

We had a great week between... Calm, relatively quiet (that is, not many have-toos outside the house).

Lynn built her Vespa! Vroom vroom...

Lots of Legos!

About 5" of snow.

First run on Matteo's 3-D printer. Came as a kit.

Lovin' the white board this week...