Ringing in 2016

Happy New Year! We rung it in with a parade and fireworks on the Boston Common followed by watching classic Star Wars movies. The kids really wanted to stay up until midnight, so we let them try. Phoebe fell asleep first, then Oliver. Bruce made it until midnight and was underwhelmed when we said, "Now it's midnight. Happy 2016. Go to bed." On January 2, I ran a 3,000-meter race at Boston University. I haven't raced on the indoor track in awhile and certainly not at so short a distance, so it went by fast.

10:50 and I felt too good at the end. I would love to try it again to go faster but I don't think I will be able to fit another one in with marathon training. Boston training has begun and I'm prepping for a 20-mile race in February.

The following weekend we went candle pin bowling as a family. The balls are small enough for Oliver to hurl down the lane, which he did very enthusiastically. 

Phoebe and I went on a mother-daughter date to a women's hockey game. We got donuts and watched Harvard trounce Colgate. 

Phoebe got all the players' autographs afterward and now thinks hockey is pretty cool. But she is still sticking with taekwondo. 

I got a date with my little man too. Oliver might start preschool in the fall so the days are numbered on our time at home together. We went to the Children's Museum and had a blast; it is a lot easier being there with one child rather than three! 

Last weekend we went to Rhode Island and stayed with our neighbor's mom who has a lovely house on the ocean. We relaxed, played games, threw rocks, walked on the beach, jumped in puddles, ate delicious food, played hide and seek, and chattered away. 

We finally got some real snow last weekend and the kids were eager to play in it.

They made snow angels...

...had a snowball fight...

...and pulled the sled around. More snow will come this weekend, although I'm happy it's not a foot of it like originally predicted. 

Last night was a school curriculum night where the kids shared projects they've been working on in their classes. Phoebe's class has been working on projects about same versus different. They made a video where the kids highlighted ways they were the same or different. Phoebe said she didn't have a favorite number and her friend said her favorite number was 24. Then they both said, "We are different." 

Bruce's class showed off their science experiments with plants. They've learned how to design experiments and have played with lighting and soil and water and such to see if beans can grow in various conditions. I think Bruce is going to take a more active role in our garden next summer. He hates pulling weeds, so I need to channel his energies elsewhere.