Weekly Wind Down {Friends, Busy Week, SUNSHINE, Tornadoes!} Feb 27-Mar 5

The first week of March was a busy one for the Beeler crew.  It was a beautiful kind of busy with lots of sunshine and outdoor time, maintaining new friendships, and making new connections.

My mom spent some time up in North Dakota with her mom and I got this picture over the weekend and saved it.  Aren't genetics such an interesting and lovely feature that God designed?  If anyone wants to know approximately what I'll look like at 60something and 89, I have a pretty good idea.  I love that these gals had some time together and that Mom got to see her brothers and their families, too.  Grandma turned 89 while Mom was visiting.

On Sunday we went to worship and then had friends over.  The guys played some guitar together, and eventually I think our group will morph into a dedicated Bible study, but for now it is friends getting to know each other, building relationships and friendships that will last forever.  Both of the couples that we've been having over are first time expecting parents and it's been a joy to be excited for them, pour love into them, and pray over their soon arriving daughters.  They are kind and patient with our children and a genuine delight to have in our home.  We are thankful.

Monday morning was an up and at 'em co-op morning.  While I'm thankful for our ability to start slow on most homeschool mornings, I am likewise thankful for schedules that hold us accountable to our time once in awhile.  Needing to be up and out of the house by 7:45 reminds me that we are capable and keeps me even more thankful for the days we don't have to do that.

The co-op morning began with opening song, devotion, and prayers and I especially love when our time allows for those special opening habits.  

Evalynn joyfully and willingly went with her friends in the nursery, and I hopped on down to teach art for K-2, while Natalee and Xavier went to their grade level classes.

My artist appreciation lesson was about Renoir this week.  We looked at several of his paintings and talked about how he filled the whole page with color and seemed to like painting flowers and children.  We painted our own Renoir inspired gardens with no formal directions to the kids except to paint a garden.  I did extend the creativity by not giving the kids paintbrushes this week.  Instead I brought q-tips, cupcake liners, poms, sponges, and felt.  I did bring along green, but challenged my little students to use their primary color knowledge and color mixing lessons to make secondary colors and tints using the only other colors I brought along - blue, yellow, red, and white. I enjoy the lessons where I get to sit back and listen to the kids' chatter to each other and learn more about them.  

We ended the lesson painting Renoir's The Skiff in our Usborne Famous Paintings Magic Painting books.

All of my students were well and attending this week, which was a joy.  Sickness has been hard through the winter months and it's been awhile since we've had everyone together.

Natalee in her art class...

My kiddos went to PE while I tidied our mess and then went to my job time in the nursery before lunch.  After lunch my older 3 had book club and a friend and I watched my two littles plus a couple of other little ones for a mom who was running one of the book clubs.  The weather steadily warmed throughout the day so we found a way to take the little ones outside into the sun.

I had brought a few blocks for the K-2 PE teacher to use so we got those out and I dug out a bucket of plastic unicorns from the bus and these girls stayed pretty contented.

After book clubs ended, we went to say hello to Aunt Annette and take her for an errand.  After her errand she took us for ice cream and that met with no complaints from the Beeler crew!  For 40 some years our extended family has called Annette AuntieNette.  Just like I wrote it, all as one word.  It just falls out faster that way, you see.  But I have noticed that the little lass in the picture is making an attempt to change it to Nanette.  She talked about her all the rest of the week and said Nanette each time and no amount of correcting from four older siblings will convince her she's wrong.  If anyone can change a 40 year tradition it would indeed be the headstrong Evalynn.

Mike worked nights this week, which always adds some chaos to our days, but we just grin and bear it.  We zipped home with enough time for supper and to get Natalee to swim as this was her last week of practices.  The two littles couldn't hang on the drive home.

Tuesday was an early morning for Natalee and I.  She had PT and OT and I went along since Mike was home with the other kids.

We went to Tuesday mom's group at 10, which met at a local small town park.  The forecast was almost 70 for the day and as the morning chill warmed up, it got downright gorgeous.  We stayed at the park for hours, and finally drug home at around 3 muddy, sun kissed, and joyful. 

Little one taking a rest at the park in the shade behind my chair.

We paused in the house long enough to drop our mess, track in some mud, and then went out to the backyard to get the last of the afternoon sun that we could.

Vitamin D therapy - I was soooo thankful for a spring day like this.  They are balm to my soul.

I slipped in to get supper going while the kids kept playing and we were just so invested in being dirty and soaking up the sun that at 5:21 Xavier reminded me that Zayden had basketball practice at 5:30.  Crumb!  I got him there just a few minutes late and Mike swung over on his supper break to watch kids, then Eric picked up Xavier and got him to and from practice for me since it overlapped with Zayden's practice at different locations.  #village

My boys were definitely not clean for practice, but hopefully no one looked too close.

Mia's hair Tuesday night.  Our friend, Chelsea, braided it Sunday night and she left it in for a couple of days.  It made beautiful curls.

Wednesdays are gymnastics mornings.  Mia's class is at 9:15.  Since Mike was on nights, I made an effort to get up and make something for breakfast each morning so we could all eat together.  Usually breakfasts are yogurt, homemade granola, bagels, oatmeal, etc....but on Wednesday Evalynn and I made sourdough waffles using Farmhouse on Boone's recipe and Mike fried bacon when he got up.  Ev is sans nightgown because quick as a wink after I cracked one egg she grabbed the other and said, "I can help you!" and so she did.  She loves to be in the kitchen and I find that I am more patient as an older mother, but also have slower reflexes.  

Mia's chalk art on the downstairs easel.  Isn't she an artist? 

Natalee asked to come along and watch gymnastics and she read some of her chemistry during class.

Puzzles and books kept Evalynn pretty busy during Mia's class.

Wednesday was another beautiful sunny day.  We were blessed to be asked to watch a friend's two year old and Evalynn got to navigate and learn about being a good hostess and sharing the toys within her home.  Such good, important lessons for little people.  The little one we watched was a complete darling.  I let the girls play on the back deck with the play water sink.  I didn't realize how wet they'd get. (why didn't I?) And then dirty when they went into the yard.  And water+dirt = mud.  So in the end, 2 little two year olds got a bath and we had to confess to our friend's mama that her clothes were soaked but she was clean.  Ha.  She didn't seem to mind one bit.  We sent her home in an outfit of Ev's that no longer fit.  No sweat!

Mike came home for an early meal break to do Natalee's zoom appointment while I supervised the tots and got some more sunshine time in.

After our friend left, the crew and I went to Aldi to do a huge grocery stock up.  Well, it was supposed to be huge.  And it was two carts worth, but should have been three, however there was no bread, butter, pasta, deli meat, and a few other things we would have stocked up on for our freezers.  I treated the kids to fast food but we went in and ate so I could help Evalynn and we got home in time to feel the temps fall drastically and the wind blow.  We had left without jackets and had regrets!  False spring tricked us. We carried in the cold food bags and put those away and called it a night.  Showers for all and bed.

Thursday was a bit slower paced day but not much.  My first grader and I got in some math while Natalee and Dad did math before he went to work.  The rest of the groceries got brought in and I tripped over them much of the day instead of putting them right away.

Thursday is hippotherapy day and Ev was delighted that Benjamin kitty was around and tolerated her love.

Mia took this video of the end of Natalee's session while I was in washing Evie's kitty hands and getting her ready to load up.

Back home after lunch, Natalee had some food prep to do to prepare for a class on Friday.  Xavier kept her company while she chopped.

Chopping veggies is a chore.  She tried out 3 different knives/cutters, and it took quite a long time, but I was proud of how she stuck with it.

During his supper break, Mike picked up a large Wal Mart order of things we don't buy at Aldi plus things we weren't able to get Wednesday.  We were able to get everything but 2 items, so we consider that a win.

Working nights means Mike has Fridays off.  

Blurry proof that Mom is mean.  When she comes into our bed I don't let her sleep on my pillow because it hurts my neck.  She has a pillow in the middle.  Her dad is nicer than I am.  Look how close she is to him compared to how much bed is left.

We went as visitors to a nearby co-op that meets once a month for activity days and the kids got to jump in on the classes and try them out.

My B.L.I.S.S. Academy babies.  Shout-out to my cousin, Shayna, for new shirts in everyone's assigned school color.  Shout-out to my sister, Andrea, for the original B.L.I.S.S. Academy design logo.  

Building Lives in Spiritual Strength

Each of the four older kids got to do 3 classes each.  Each one had PE and then two other classes.  One of Natalee's was the cooking class, which was why she needed to prep beforehand.

Evalynn had the opportunity to go to the nursery and play, which she seemed really excited for.  She willingly separated and ran off without a backward glance.  When Mike checked on her the first time it seemed all was well, but when I went to check on her halfway through all was not well.  She came out with Mama and spent the rest of her time with us, visiting, mingling, and checking in on kids.  I certainly don't mind that she wasn't ready for a different new environment, but I am praying this experience doesn't have a negative impact on her progress in the nursery class for our regular co-op.

After the activity day, we hit the thrift stores, before heading home for the afternoon.

Friday evening Natalee had her last swim practice of the season and Mike took the other children to open gym to run around.  Natalee had made chicken pot pie in the cooking class, so that's what we had for supper.  We realized Evalynn loves peas when the other four children picked them out and she ate them all off everyone's plates.

Saturday brought the final basketball games of the season.  We had a later start to our morning because of some schedule changes, so Zayden didn't start until 10.  He played two games back to back so we were there from 10 to noon for his games. I took my big camera but I have just decided I'm not a basketball photographer.  Give me natural lighting and a baseball fence to photograph through and I'm fine, but basketball games aren't my jam.  Enjoy my attempts at capturing my little "baller."

Zayden took the ball to the hoop several times and made better passes this week.  He got fouled and got to shoot a free throw!

Zayden is what I call "street smart" when he plays basketball.  His biggest opponent is a brother twice his size and 5 years his senior who gives him very little grace when they play backyard ball.  He relies on his wit, stealing the ball, and being fastest to a rebound to get the ball and that shows when he plays.  There's positives to those attributes, and also means we've had to work on the rules of the game and giving grace to opposing teams who are learning.

The Gateway church gave out free doughnuts and Ev was here for it.  All the kids enjoyed the treat, actually.

Game #2...

After Zayden's game we went home for a nap for Ev and leftovers for lunch for the others before heading back for Xavier's 3 o'clock game.

I have enjoyed watching Xavier and Jace get to be on the same team this season.

Xavier's been a good defensive player this year and is learning to use his height to his advantage during the games.

You can barely seem him behind Jace but Xabe is getting a couple points on the board.

Jace.

The Gateway gave all the players a gift after their games.  It has been really fun to watch this church and their hospitality throughout the season.  They have shown great grace and love to the community by inviting us in every week to make messes and play ball in their facility.  We have greatly enjoyed the partnership between the Y and the Gateway.

After basketball, it was to the shoe store we went.  Three of the children needed new {bigger} shoes, and Ev got a pair of sandals that she says she's not wearing because they aren't pink and sparkly.  Xavier went up another whole size to a 10 1/2 mens.  Oof.  

And then....home again home again.  Mike took the kids for a quick bike ride that he cut short for an incoming storm.  We ended the night watching the weather and ducking tornadoes in the basement.  Not really, as they never quite got to us, but we did seek shelter and prayed for those they affected.