Our new year was off to a good start. January was a pretty uneventful month, but the first few months tend to be a little slow. The girls are usually happy to be back at school and back into their normal routine, and in between dance, soccer and gymnastics there were some fun things going on at school.
Each year Cece's school hosts their annual bowl-a-thon, where they raise money to help with school costs. Between the years of Olivia and Cece being at Peace they have participated in many bowl-a-thons. This would officially be our last bowl-a-thon at Peace Montessori as Cecilia will be joining her sister at Canterbury next year. As we enter the second half of the school year, we are faced with doing many things for the "last time". She had such fun bowling with her buddies, and it's sad knowing it is her last time.
In early February Olivia's school hosted a Valentine's Day social. As a 7th and 8th grader you get to enjoy a handful of school dances throughout the year. The Winter Social was more formal, but the Valentine's social was just as fun! I think what Olivia's enjoys most is getting together with her friends and dancing the night away. They always have a blast!
We hadn't gotten much in the way of snow this winter, so whenever we would get a dusting, Cecilia would dash outside to play in it. On this particular day we got just enough for Cece to test out her penguin snow mold. She practiced making the perfect penguins for a few hours, but I think within a day or two it had all melted.
We always look forward to celebrating Valentine's Day with the girls each year, but this year we had to celebrate a few days early as Olivia was getting ready to head off on a ski tip with her friend Sara. But we couldn't let a year pass by without making our heart shaped pizzas. This tradition has carried on for many years now, and I think this year they turned out better than ever! They were tasty too!
Each year in mid-February Olivia gets a few extra days off from school on President's Day weekend. Last year she was invited to go skiing in Boyne, Michigan with a friend from school. It was her first time skiing and she mastered it immediately! Well this year, her best friend Sara invited her to go along and she couldn't say yes fast enough! So on Valentine's Day weekend she was off to Boyne once again!
Throughout the weekend I got updates from Sara's Mom, reassuring me that they were having a great time and she hadn't broken any bones on the slopes! It addition to being with Sara and her family, there were with many other Canterbury families that spend that weekend in Boyne each year skiing together. Each day they typically go off on their own to ski, meet up for lunch, ski more in the afternoon, and then all have dinner together. It was a super fun long weekend of skiing and hanging out with friends. I think she had even more fun this year, and I know she is crossing her fingers to get invited again next year!
The winter months tend to be quite a bit slower when it comes to all things soccer for Olivia. It It typically consists of regular indoor practices with an occasional tournament thrown in. This particular tournament, which takes place in late February was cancelled last year due to the weather. This year the snow stayed away and Olivia was able to enjoy the weekend with her team! Who knew at that time that it would probably be one of the last times they would play together for the season!
January and February were off to a good start. Who could have predicted that just a few weeks into March, the entire country would be on lock down while we try to stay safe from the Coronavirus?!? I don't think anyone saw that coming. How quickly things would change...
