This is becoming a habit

This kind of catch up/ month in review post is becoming a habit.  But it's better than not posting at all, so here goes.....

When your child enters high school you always hope that they find their "thing". An activity or sport or team that they get excited about and want to be involved in.  For Ciara it was marching band.  That has been such a wonderful experience for her.  It has afforded her friends and experiences she never would have otherwise had including a trip to Washington DC to march for the President.

For Max I had assumed that his "thing"would be soccer.  After all he had been playing that sport since he was six.  But as it turns out something else got his attention. From almost the first week of school he became involved in the schools robotics club.  The boys with the help of a teacher and some mentors who work as engineers, have built a robot and taken it to a number of competitions through out the state.

They even featured on the local news....

Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

They put in a huge effort and had such a blast.  And it has whet their appetite for a career in engineering.  There was nothing like this at my school, and I am delighted that the school district here can see the value in these amazing extra curricula programs.

The boys had their last competition just before Easter but it sounds from the enthusiasm level that they will all be back again next year.  Go Bearbots.

The competition at WSU was not quite Iwo Jima but it made for a less than standard team photo op.

Speaking of competitions...Ciara went to state with her school KnoSledge bowl team.  No photos of the competition but he boys and I decorated her car, which she was thrilled about...not!

Still on the topic of competition our next door neighbor Alex came home from college to play an alumni soccer game against he current varsity soccer team.  It was so much fun to watch.  Here is a pic that the team photographer snapped of Alex in action...with Ciara taking her own photos in the background.

On another note...spring is on the verge of making an appearance win the Pacific Northwest, although we had a dusting or snow last week..

I am so ready for the sun. I have started a couple of yard projects and Max has made me some raised garden beds so there should be lots of planting and growing happening soon.

Besides the sun, one thing that makes me really happy is finding a new place to eat.  This bakery is in a run down part of the city, with the owner trying to inject som meet life and a sense of community into the neighborhood.  The place is called the Batch bake shop and I can highly recommend the citrus tart.