Our House in the Middle of Our Street

Anikka is 11 today! This year she has grown in so many ways--she is so tall (!) now, and has started to love dance again, after many years haitus. She is always moving: kart-wheeling, bouncing on her huge yoga ball, or jumping around on our mini trampoline. She still loves reading and art, and does both of those in the majority of her free time. She has gained more friendships this year and has been practicing bravery and is seeing the fruit of that in various aspects of her life. We're so proud of her! We love you, Beaner! Ani practicing flexibility    What is your favorite color?  blue  Who are some of your friends? Lilah, Audrey, Anya, Marie, Kate, Ophelia, Charlotte, Charlee, Summer, Emily, Isla, Kathryn, Anna, CJ What do you want to be when you grow up? a mom What makes you happy? kittens What makes you sad? movies about dogs dying! What is your favorite animal? cats What is your favorite book?  The Girl Who Sailed the Stars What is your favorite thing to do

First time skiing at Silver Star in Vernon, BC. It was gorgeous! January was full of skiing, school, routine, and planning. A lot of mental and physical energy were spent planning for the next two months (they'll be doozies!) and figuring out how everything can fit together like Tetris. I was also reading a very heavy book (that I finished on Feb. 2, so it won't be listed here) that I wasn't overly keen to grab most nights, but knew I needed to complete. I hope February will be filled with about 4 solid reads that I'm already counting on appearing  from the library this week. What I have for January is a bit of a random list, but here we are.  * Real-Life Rules by Mariah Bruehl  - This is a non-fiction, teacher-led activity book for tweens. I will buy anything Mariah Bruehl puts into the world (only 2 so far) because her books are warm, thoughtful, beautifully aesthetic and meaty. This book is all about guiding tweens and early teens through activities geared