Getting into a groove

Things are going pretty well here for us.  We are into a really good school routine with the kids.   The bonus of being "stuck" at home all day every day is that there are no major distractions to get in the way of consistency.  The kids actually get to take the weekends off now :) 

Due to our lack of routine and the craziness of the past year, both of the kids are behind by half a year grade wise.  We worked hard to get caught up over the summer, and my goal of being able to start 2nd and 4th grade in January is going to happen!  I'm pretty happy about that.

On Saturday we attended a christmas breakfast party at the base.  It was nice for the kids to get out and actually be around other kids for once.  Afterwards we searched around for the library and actually found it this time.  They have a really nice temporary library set in the old elementary school (they're renovating the new space right now). 

Just down the hall from the library in the gym is a HUGE HUGE play structure.  Like, way better than the kind they have at McDonalds!  Those who know me know that I refuse to take my kids to those fast food place play structures.  They are gross, and dirty and my experience in them is that the other kids are not kids I like my own children being around.  But this one?  Oooo la la!  It's huge, clean, safe and free! 

The kids had a blast running and playing.  We will be heading back there for sure very soon.  The gym also has bounce houses you can rent for 1/2 an hour to an hour for your own private use.  We will occasionally do that also.  I only got a couple of crappy pictures, but I will be sure to get more the next time we go.  What a fun place!

They have a toddler area that Ephraim loved to play in when he got overwhelmed with all the noise and chaos

And you can see the enormous size of the structure here I think