Our Christmas was filled with music and lights

Jake - EHS Choir

Jake - Vail Youth Symphony Orchestra

Our annual family photo in front of the Christmas tree

It is so nice to have everyone home this year.

Lois's 7th Birthday

Matthew's 9th Birthday

Emma's 15th Birthday

Our Local Zoo has an even called "Zoo Lights." Everything is lit up for Christmas and they invite musical guests to perform in the park to bring cheer as you wander and see the lights.

Jake first performed one night with his piano instructor and her students.

Then a week later he performed with some friends in his cello rock band.

This is Jake and C4.

We also have a neighborhood here named Winterhaven.  Each year they outdo themselves in a wonderful display of Christmas lights on houses.  This is our favorite one this year.

Of course it just wouldn't be Christmas without bake and decorating a lot of cookies.

Early Christmas morning and everyone is ready and excited to head downstairs to see what Santa brought.

The month and year ended with the same sort of theme...

Lights!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Wrapping up Boy Scouts

With the month of December came the final moments of our family working with The Boys Scouts of America.

Philip was able to complete the goals he set for his final rank and merit badge.

Jake, Ben and Philip with members of Troop 722

Benjamin also completed his goal of earning the rank of Eagle Scout.

On December 11, 2019 he completed his final review and was able to earn the rank of Eagle Scout with The Boy Scouts of America.

No More Braces

Look Grandma - No More Braces!

MoonDance - Van Morrison

Jacob

For His Talent and Passion

Jacob was awarded a scholarship at the Thespian Festival this weekend.  

Dobby's Farewell

Dobby's Farewell

Home

Emma

C4 at the Talent Show

Jacob's Cello Rock Band was selected to play at the school's talent show.  Everything they do just looks fun!

Heaven's Light - Hell Fire

Jacob

Happy Halloween

 Emma as the bride from the Haunted Mansion

Jacob is the artist behind her make-up

Homecoming 2019

Jacob:  EHS Homecoming

Our Budding Artist

 These were all drawn by Emma

 Outside on the tiles in our backyard

She used a piece of rock she found in the garden

Benjamin's Eagle Scout

 Benjamin chose a project that will help for years to come.

 It was in the Ironwood National Monument 

 We gathered early in the morning and headed out

 The boys discovered an endangered cactus in the work area

 Jacob and his friends

 Benjamin and Philip

 The project was building dams in a tract of land that had been illegally bulldozed years ago to make a private runway.  This photo shows the sparse brush trying to grow back.  The dams slow the rainwater preventing erosion and helping the plants to grow again.

 Benjamin and his first group of helpers

Benjamin and his second group of helpers.

Jacob and the creation of.........C4

Jacob and three fellow cello players from EHS have decided to create a "Cello Rock Band."

They call themselves C4 and this is one of their cover songs: 

Seven Nation Army

Gardening in Tucson

 Now that we are home owners we decided to try gardening.

 We tried a system of watering with homemade oiyas,  It is a form of watering that originated from the Native Americans in this region.  It is essentially glueing two terra-cotta pots together, plugging the bottom hole, burying it in the ground and then filling the pots through the hole in the top.  We just fill them each day.  The "lids" are just the terra-cotta saucers from the pots.  The kids decided they wanted to paint the lids to add more color to our little garden.

 Our little tomato plants quickly out grew their cages.

 Our corn looked good in its early days, but didn't survive.

 We learned that gardening in the desert is a constant battle.  We had bugs and birds that we constantly fight for our tomatoes.

 Bell Peppers do really well here if you can get them enough water.

 We have learned that the labor of love in  gardening here comes not from working with the bounty harvest and the hours to perserve it all.  The labor is just trying to get a harvest.

 After MANY months we finally figured out that we have to hand pollinate our zucchini plants.  Here is one of only about 5 we actually harvested before the plants died.

Our aluminum streamers (aka pie tins painted and cut in spirals) have really helped out tomato plants as they seems to keep the birds away.

Isabelle

Emma's first movie

Summer Fun

 Matthew

 Jane

 Lois

 Ben

 Jane

 Philip

 Philip as Ironman

 Benjamin as Spiderman

 Emma as Supermom

 The Neighborhood Summer Drama Club

 "Mr. Stark, I don't feel so good."

 Benjamin

 Emma

 Jane

 Philip

 Benjamin

 Matthew

 Matthew practicing life saving skills at Cub Camp

 Matthew

 Jacob and a surprise visit from a far away friend.

 Birthday lunch at In-N-Out

 Benjamin

 Emma

 Jane

 Philip

 Philip

 Matthew

Jacob