February Fun

 I'm the Bear Den leader.  We only have two boys, and Monkey only has one more month until he's in Webelos!  The other boy, J is a doll.  I love working with him, and will be sad when he turns 11.  We learned about cooking and made an Apple Crisp!  It was really fun, and delicious!

 Boo and Monkey do this hilarious pretend play that reminds me a bit of the Concert of Nenis growing up.  They arrange two desks, complete with quills for writing, ledgers (scriptures), lots of paper with lists and receipts, comfy stools to sit upon, and some serious imagination.  It's called Money Lenders and Bureaucrats.  I think they got the title from a board game called Dominion.  When I asked them one day what the game consisted of, they said, "  Well, we write rules and lend money to people who are trying to do different things.  Sometimes we give it to them, sometimes we don't.  If they don't pay, then we sent the Bureaucrats after them to collect."  They get a bit embarrassed when I catch them playing it, but I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that they are still doing pretend play - as Scrooge-like as it is.

Bad handwriting is a must!
"Dear Chancellor, the festival is on, we just need your sign of approval."  

 In February, we had a little getaway to Park City, thanks to Josh's work.  They hosted an alumni event up there called Aggie Snowcase, and we got to stay in a hotel, try out show shoeing, watch an Aggie game on a big screen, hang out with Big Blue, and play around in the Swaner Center doing rock climbing, crafts, etc.  Our hotel had our own hot tub!

 Nana, Papa, Abby and Oaklee joined us for the afternoon and tried out some show shoes.  We had to call our weekend quits early when all three kids came down with the stomach flu!  Miserable.  Diddles never wants to sleep in a hotel again.  She's convinced it made her sick.  :(

 Valentine's was such a joy for this little girl!  She loved making these little Animal Huggers for her friends.  I loved how she carefully chose an animal and flavor of Starburst for each of her friends.  I'm so glad she got a kind, sweet, calm class this year!

 On Valentine's they had a Tea Party.  They all dressed up in their fanciest clothes.  Isn't that so sweet?

 Lots of snow this winter.  One Sunday Josh went outside with Diddles and built her the "Perfect Snowman".

 We finally used our Groupon pass for ice skating at the Galivan Center.  Diddles wanted to skate SO badly.  She stayed out there for hours going around and around, trying to get the hang of it.  She was frustrated that she wasn't "fast like dos other kids."  Persistence.

 I've been reading Little House in the Big Woods out loud to her in the evenings.  I'm amazed how long it holds her attention!  She was fascinated with Laura's corncob doll, and made one of her own all by herself.  I don't even want to know where she found that cob.  Probably the chicken yard!

 She loves her chickens!  They love her too, I think.