January-February 2020

Sometime late 2019/early 2020 we got notice that Ruby was one of 5 students from her school nominated for Student of the Year!  I'm still not exactly sure how it all works, but I guess they choose one 4th grader each year who demonstrates excellent grades and character.  We couldn't have been prouder of our sweet Ruby!  She truly is amazing and we got some amazing milkshakes to celebrate!

Ada got gold Descendants hightops for Christmas and I don't know if there could possibly be another article of clothing that could fit a personality more than these!

I love her so much!

One day after school Ruby looked at me and said, "Mom, I look like you today!"  

My favorite twin!

Thankfully Steve doesn't have to travel very often for work but I never do, so I was a bit excited to have two 2-day conferences in January and February.  I'm sure it would get old, but staying in a hotel room for a couple nights by. your. self.  is not too terrible.

Ruby got her braces off in January after about 14 months.  She will have a second round at some point in the (hopefully distant) future.

I guess we forgot the "after" pic!

In early February we work up to quite a surprise!  This was the most snow we have ever seen in our 7 years in Texas.  Apparently as soon as they got to school all of the teachers took the kids out to play because it was melted by 10am.  Ada said they were rolling down the hills.  Ruby said it was really sad that the kids thought it was a lot of snow!  No one (including my children) had appropriate clothing, but they sure loved it!

This is as white as it gets in Waco!

Ruby and one of our very favorite teachers, Mrs Abarca.  Notice in the background, all of the classes are out before it melts!

Ruby participated in UIL again in 4th grade.  (For anyone who did not grow up in Texas, UIL is the TX league that organizes athletics, like WIAA in Wisconsin.  They also do academic/art competitions beginning in elementary school.  At least that is my understanding.  I've asked several Texans what UIL is and haven't really gotten a clear explanation!). This time she did Music Memory which means they learned about 15 different pieces of classical music and for the competition had to identify the composer and name of the work after listening to a 20 second clip.  Ruby got a perfect score helping her team get 2nd place!

Woodway 4th graders got 2nd in Music Memory (the 3 with certificates got perfect scores!)

Other randoms:

Mysty and Twilight, the neighborhood cats, continue to hang around our house.

Cat in a pot

Some cup-stacking champions visited the girls' school for PE and they got pretty good at it!