Mother's Day

We spent this Mother's Day weekend camping as a family.  We hadn't done that since Noah was a baby...9 years ago.  It was a lot of work to get everything packed up, but it was fun...working together, laughing together, and enjoying a slower pace of life.  I can't think of a better way to spend Mother's Day. 

And thanks to my wonderful husband, amazing kids, and horrible head cold...I didn't have to clean it up!  I woke up from a nap to find everything had been unpacked, counters were clean, and the house was picked up!

Birthday boy...

This Spring is all about SPORTS - soccer and baseball to be exact. 

We're not sure which one he likes better. 

Soccer is all about running.  And baseball...well, right now it's about patience.  ;)  There is a lot of waiting, especially in the outfield, but getting a hit & making it home makes the game worth it.

Can this boy really be NINE?  He was pretty excited about the coupon for a night go-carting with Dad.  Good thing he's gotten taller so he could drive!

Show Choir Stars!

So proud of these two performers! They did a great job & it was fun to see the results of all their hard work.

Productivity

When I look at our calender these last weeks of school, I am overwhelmed by all the activities - some unavoidable, others we have "inflicted" on ourselves. At any rate, this weekend was no exception. We had Seiling Music Festival (competitions) on Saturday. I was praising God for Friday night's rainstorm that cancelled soccer games so something would get crossed off the list!

But despite the full schedule, my husband still managed to squeeze in two BIG projects.
He & the kids built this platform last summer, but we've always been leary because it wasn't the safest...
So they put scrap wood to good use & made sturdy walls. The kids felt like they were the Swiss Family Robinson and had fun dreaming of what else they could built on to their new "house"! ;)

The boys spent the afternoon climbing the higher branches and "hiding out" in camo, shooting at unsuspecting "wildlife" (or sisters!) with their wooden guns.

This afternoon Phil & the girls built a loft bed. We're hoping this might cut down on bedtime strife, but Grammie has plenty of stories - how she would hang down from the top bunk & pester HER sister! ;)

The finished product...don't worry, Grandpa, it's safe! ;)

"The Banker" and "The Snob"

...or was it "The Villain" and "The Casanova"?

...which mustache are YOU in the mood for?

Easter

Easter this year was a little different. We have been going to Chouteau for several years, but this year Phil's dad was in the hospital and we spent time visiting them there, helping with "chores" around the house, and being together as siblings and cousins. It was still a special Easter of celebrating God's blessings...and family.

Noah helping Phil prepare potatoes for planting

Two cousins tending to the mowing

Happy to hold a new cousin - sweet Silas

The kids love their cousin, Elliot, who turns two this summer. They "hunted" eggs in his front yard - a "game" which consisted of him finding the same eggs over & over. ;) He would find an egg, bring it back to the basket, and the kids would toss it back into the grass when his back was turned. That got them giggling! They couldn't believe that we did the same thing to them...

When he tired of that, they went hunting for bugs. A ladybug caught his attention, and though he wouldn't touch it, he was okay holding the dandelion on which it was crawling. Soon it started climbing down the stem toward his arm. He threw the flower to the ground, and only then did we realize that the ladybug had made it off the stem and onto his arm. What followed was a hilarious freak-out moment when we tried to remove it from his sweater. Well, it was hilarious for us...not for the sweet boy that had just been traumatized by a ladybug. ;)

Decluttering my mind...a little

It's hard to believe there are only 6 weeks left of school. I'm not sure where this year has gone, but it has gone by fast to be sure. I still love teaching & I feel like I have begun to find my "groove". And by "my groove", I mean living a messy, disorganized life where I say, "Oops, sorry...I forgot!". A lot. But I guess in the big scheme of things...it's not the end of the world. Plus I keep reminding myself that I will have two whole months to do nothing but get organized again. Haha! ;)

My students make me smile everyday. I wish I had been more intentional about writing things down, but I can't always stop in the middle of teaching to do that. Some of my favorites this past week were...

"It's so sunny, I need to put on sun SCREAM."

"Dear God, I just ask that any of my cats that are still alive...that they will just come home..."

Noah made me laugh one night when I was tucking him in for bed. I teased, asking if he was stinky & needed a shower. He answered with "I need some deodorant." WHY? "So I can get used to the smell." Wasn't prepared for that reason. So I asked WHY? again. "When we were playing dodge ball (with the jr. high kids) the big kid standing next to me had deodorant on & it was REALLY strong! So I need to wear it now so I can get used to how it smells." The conversation that proceeded was about AXE and jr. high boys' obsession with trying to smell good, but smelling stinky in the process! ;)

My mommy-heart burst with pride to watch my kids pass the finish line yesterday. The boys ran a mile race & Noah came in 3rd place (12 & under category). Grace ran a 5K with her daddy & came in 1st place (12 & under) with a time of 29:32. They have been working hard in preparation and are excited about the "next time".