Kid's Christmas Parties

The boys attended our church's youth group, "Classy Christmas" which featured a formal dinner and proper manners.  Later the same week, the debate club had a party at the Erickson's house.  Bryce and Garrett enjoyed playing fish bowl, while Griffin and Brett played basketball outside with some of the debaters and their families.

Dressed up for "Classy Christmas"

Q'ira checking out our Christmas letter printing out.

Our debate club party was quite a hit.

Griffin served as a greeter during the month of December.

A family of volunteers at church.

Griffin spent a number of mornings snoozing after Bible...

 

Christmas Parties at Work and Church

There were no Christmas parties last year, so it was a nice change to be able to go to the Payane's house for Joy's work party and to the Redwood Cafe for Brett's work party.  The boys and Joy volunteered at our church for the One Starry Night.

Joy with Danielle (former resident with Joy), and Lucy (from Brett's work)

Joy showing her spirit with Sunita and Raleigh

Kash and Sunita, Raleigh and Frank, and Joy and Brett

Basketball game featuring Garrett, Bryce, and Griffin.

Griffin serves unleavened bread.

Joy and Sunita with Elf.

Bryce cut up figs, starting his love of figs.

 

Christmas Piano Recital

The first Christmas recital in a few years and Joy was able to make it in time from work.  Garrett played O, Come All Ye Faithful and the First Noel.  Bryce played Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies.  Griffin played Ding Dong Merrily on High.  Then they played a trio called Triple Dip which brought down the house.  Grammy and Poppy were present to encourage the boys and we were able to publish the video for the rest of the family to see it afterward.

 

Bowing before the trio with teacher Lori helping to hold the sheet music for them.

Seated together, all three boys for one piano in synchrony.

ICC Celebration Day and Earth Science Finale

The boys had their final ICC meeting of the year which resulted in presentations from all three of them.  Garrett gave his OTE (Ordinary to Extraordinary) speech, while Griffin and Jake did a spoof together, and Bryce did a Goffism.

The following day was the Earth Science and Literature/World History final presentations of the first semester.  Griffin and Bryce teamed up for a rainforest biome presentation.  Earlier in the day, Bryce paired with Ruby for a Roman Colosseum presentation and Griffin collaborated with Chloe on Roman Customs and Holidays.

Griffin admires the dessert menu.

Brett helped Bryce build a Roman Colosseum replica.

Griffin baked honey wine cakes, a Roman delicacy.

The Thursday teaching staff:  Joy and Melanie.

Griffin and Chloe

Bryce and Ruby

 

Playing Family Challenge with the Jungingers.

Group picture for after Science Thursday.

Bryce and Griffin with their biome presentation.

Garrett gives his OTE speech.

Griffin and Jake do their spoof.

Secret Santa Delivery

Our church had a Secret Santa gift exchange, so we hired a bounty hunter and his kid to deliver our gift since it was indicated that there was a front door camera that would reveal our identity once we rang the doorbell.  The bounty hunter was expensive but he did his job well.

 

Axe Throwing

Our peer group at church had a social gathering which included dinner together and then travelling to a local establishment for axe throwing.  Both Joy and Brett were rookies but their athleticism served them well as they figured out how to get the rotations right to stick the axe in the target.

Joy demonstrates the two-hand power throw.

Brett used the one-hand technique to put one right on the bullseye.

Joy poses by one of her high scoring throws.

Are we ready to do battle?

The ladies of the night:  Erica, Maggie, Sarah, Jen V, Joy, Lindsey, Melissa, Jane
Kacie, Lindy, Jen S, Hannah, Sophy.

Brett arranged the drinks in a Christmas star pattern, but forgot to take a picture until some of the drinks were already gone.

 

Debate Tournament: Yuba City

Garrett and his debate partner Hannah competed in the Battle of the Buttes in Yuba City, CA.  This was their first official debate tournament of the year.  The debate year took an unpredicted pause when the team's mentor and lead teacher had a month-long battle with COVID which ultimately resulted in his going to be with the Lord.  As a result, there was a bit of getting back up to speed for the two of them.  Bryce did not compete in this tournament as the waitlist was long and he didn't have a partner.  In the end, Garrett and Hannah felt like they competed well and did not feel overmatched in any of the debate rounds.

 

Christmas Party Season

Tis the season for gatherings and dinner parties.  We missed out on some of these things last year and with the COVID numbers currently down in our area, there was a bit more freedom to participate and have events this year so far.  Our church held a kickoff celebration for the start of the Christmas season that we attended and enjoyed playing the games and socializing with folks.  The night before that, Brett and Joy attended the Capital Insight dinner party where we got to hear Jacob tell the story of the fantasy camp that Brett had attended with Jacob.  There were numerous old friends from the church that Brett grew up in that he was able to see as well:  Wargas, Irvins, Catheys, and Rothis.

Q'ira gets very excited about the arrival of her favorite part of Christmas:  the tree to hide under.

Family picture at the Gingerbread house at church.

Joy and Bryce pause in front of the tree.

Griffin and Garrett play Nine Square at church.

Poppy and Grammy shared a table with us at Capital Insight Dinner.

 

Experiments, Projects, License, Ouch

Griffin pokes in for a picture.

Bryce is at the head of the table for the Earth Science lab.

Plate tectonics demonstrated in lab form.

Driver's license achieved!

Bryce assisted Brett in assembling the new garage storage racks to help with the organization of our garage.

Bike riding in our park.

Bryce's new Minecraft Lego drawer...it is full, but easy to access.

Joy dealt with an infected cyst on her back that had to be drained and required some of Brett's old research center expertise.