Winter home life

Hello family!

Disneyworld is just around the corner for us!  I can't wait to take a vacation from everything.  I'll be unplugged from work and life and doctors and responsibilities for a short time with the 4 Webbs on the biggest adventure we've taken so far.  

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...  Easton and Layla are learning to code.  There is a product called a code car that ships a USB connected integrated circuit board that is shaped like a car.  The software online allows you to use code samples to make the lights and noises do different things.  They both did really well, but it only took about 30 minutes to work through all of the examples.  Now they will need to get creative with the code and edit it manually.  That's when the fun will begin.  I told them both, "as long as you can code, you'll always have a job.

I took Easton and Kain out for community service project just because.  our neighborhood pond was looking a little trashy so we took a trash bag and a long stick to clean up it up.

I was proud of them for figuring out ways to reach the trash even after repeated saying, "i can't...".  sometimes it's the little accomplishments that build confidence. 

Easton used his chore money to buy a laser gun game.  He convinced Layla to join in.  They ran around the house playing the modern version of laser tag.  it's a great indoor game on these cold, rainy days at home.

Layla is getting ready for her next performance in March. She is improving so much lately.  The olympics are fun to watch with her because she calls out the moves and knows which ones are truly impressive. 

We have been watching the winter olympics almost every night.  Easton's neighbor friend comes over frequently and does whatever we are doing as a family.  dinner time, watching a show, or playing board games.  Tashinga is happy to join in. 

Layla has her own pal, Max to share a chair with as we cheer for the figure skaters.  Kendra sits next to me on the couch since she is the most interested person in the house when it comes to olympic events. 

That's all i have time for today, but I'm starting to write out my final blog post already so the curtain is about to close on the 4 Webb's blog soon. 

10 year olds, finally

Hello family... and classmates of Easton and Layla,

The twins informed me they brought up this blog site on the computers at school and showed their friends.  I'm really happy for them to share the pics and videos and stories, but this is a milestone I've been waiting on for a long time.  For the past 10 years I've been blogging regularly.  I've been planning to end this when they turned 10 or whenever they started to share their own story.  It looks like those two milestones are going to happen at the same time.

With their 10th birthday and the Disney World trip coming up soon i'm committed to end this blog on a high note after our vacation is over.

Six weeks into the new year and we are still going strong with our nightly reading of the New Testament so that we complete it by the end of 2018.  First, we do math by dividing the number of scriptures by the number of people who are reading.  Then we decide who will read which section.  Then we do reading and grammar as we read aloud through the chapter.  Those benefits are just an added bonus for the real reason why we do this.  The main goal is to develop spiritual warriors with Biblical literacy.  We spend about 15 minutes reading and 5 minutes talking.  They still see this as a "do we have to" kind of thing, but i'm confident by the end of the year they will have a healthier desire to spend time in the Bible. 

Layla's figure skating is primary, but occasionally she gets a chance to cheer, which she enjoys almost as much as skating.  She went to an evening camp for two days and then half-time performance with the high school cheer squad during their basketball game.  She was front-and-center with her high intensity spirit. 

The 4 Webbs are full of anticipation as we prepare for our Disney trip.  Pirate costumes are not required, but we are going the extra mile to have a full experience on the cruise ship. 

Our semi-coordinated shirts will be nice and cool as we run around Disney World in the 83 degree heat and sunshine.  I can almost feel it on my face already.

In the Seattle winter we have to find ways to get our activity badge for the day.  I took the twins and their friends to my gym for family night.  Easton and Kain spent most of their time in the nerf gun room, shooting random strangers. 

Layla and Makya bounced around the jump houses and danced to the big screen videos. 

I took the crew to Red Robin because I was crazy enough to let them choose.  I hope they continue to see me as the "cool dad" who gets to be included in their fun. 

Sometimes we go on outdoor adventures whether it is raining or not.  I took the boys and Max out for a hike because when the sun peaks through the clouds I want my face to be there to catch it.  I'm secretly doing some cross training with Easton to prepare him for our boys trip this summer. 

Easton and Layla are 10 years old.  It's a fact, but Kendra and I are having a tough time coming to grips with this.  Not because we don't want them to be 10, but the realization is that we have pre-teens in our house and we must adjust our parenting to fit their stage of life.  We celebrated their official day at Red Robin because they chose... again...

Layla was most excited about the staff singing their happy birthday song for the whole restaurant to hear.  and the sundae.  that was significant too.

I'm planning for one more post before we leave and then one or two after we return before I pull the plug on the whole blog.  I'll use a program i have to capture the entire blog into a large e-book just for posterity sake.  After that it will be up to the twins to tell their own story. 

See you soon!

Laziness and vacation prep

Hi family,

January proved to be a difficult month for the 4 Webbs.  not exactly the way i wanted to start the year, but I don't give much power to time segments of life.   Some people have already written off 2018 based on a few situations or setbacks, but I've never been one to forfeit a year, month, week, day or even hour of life based on circumstances.

Anyway, we have some bright sunshiny days ahead even though we are in the depth of the winter cycle here in Seattle.  We limit the screen time for the kids because otherwise they would be zombies.  Easton plays Minecraft on the weekends with anyone who will join him, including me.  We play cooperatively and competitively against each other with great success.  I measure success based on how Easton still includes me in what he likes to do.  We have fun and laugh often so i'll continue to be included in his playtime as long as he will invite me.  If Kain is available then he hangs out with at our house where Max gets more pets, games have more players, and I get some time to do things on my own.

Over Thanksgiving I spent some time with my nephews who are extremely musically talented.  I was inspired by them and picked up my guitar again regularly for the first time in years.  Each finger is forming a callous from the strings and I'm enjoying using the internet for guitar chords.  The last time I was playing back in college there were no sites with full listings of songs and music.  so much to play!  Layla and Easton have a computer next to mine so Layla joins me in singing along when she knows the song.  There is something special about singing together as a family.

A break in the rainy season gave us a weekend gift of being outside without being soaked.  The playground is still wet, but that doesn't stop Washington residents from playing.  The tire swing was the biggest hit as Clay and I swung the kids around to the point of dizziness. 

On the hiking trail we took a detour off the path to a creek.  The mud and sand were so deep that it almost swallowed their rain boots as they squished into it.  The scene looks like another planet or at least a well-designed movie set.   

Easton took a break from the tire swing on the second time through the playground because he didn't want to lose his lunch. 

Layla took a solo spin on the puke machine, proving she's a little more excited about adrenaline experiences than Easton. 

Not many pictures of Kendra lately because she's been in bed or sometime around the house, but rarely outside or in any state of picture readiness.  For the past month she's been at the hospital way too much with gut issues.  She's still not in the clear, but we are at least confident she is cancer-free still.  The variety of issues, including back pain, are keeping her from increasing her stamina and strength.  Our upcoming Disney trip is a big motivator, but we are praying and believing she will be healed before then.  In the mean time, we have some awesome neighbors and friends who are taking care of Kendra and us to supplement my full time job of employee, father, husband, maid, taxi, and the 100 other titles Kendra and I usually share. 

vacation is coming soon and I'm holding that as the carrot on the stick in front of my face to keep this donkey going.

See you soon!