The last full week of March went out in a whirl.
On Sunday Mike played for worship and then we jetted down to Missouri for lunch with the Tallman's.
These little paper books are indestructible and so slender - perfect for the diaper bag.
Xavier got to work the computer for worship and sermon on Sunday. He's loving to serve in this position.
We sang to Mia while we were at the grandparents and used her birthday as an excuse for brownies and ice cream - as though we need an excuse.
Little boys growing up and having calmer moments in their play....
After dessert we went to Nannie and Vance's for puppy cuddles. They have thirteen lab puppies that are adorable and we carefully got our snuggles in. Honestly, my kids weren't as in to the puppies as I thought they'd be. I especially thought I would have a couple that really loved them. They did all take turns holding them and Evalynn was interested in everything that was going on.
Huggins for Nannie and Vance before we left.
Ev gives really good hugs these days.
We made an early evening of it and headed back to Iowa so we could have showers and be in bed at a decent time.
Monday was a co-op morning! We were up and running on time on Monday morning and Daddy helped us get out the door with our heads on straight. After this gathering we only have 2 co-op meetings left! I taught about Claude Monet in K-2 art and we made tissue paper water lily pictures. We worked our finger muscles tearing the tissue! Everyone's pictures turned out great and we worked steadily the entire time!
K-2 PE class.
Xavier got to play kickball in PE, worked on his pinata in Geography/Cultures, and learned about the nerves in his anatomy class. Natalee learned about electricity in Chemistry, finished her clay creations in art, and then learned about the steps of writing a narrative in writing class. The other teachers have asked for some of us to go round taking pictures of their classes, as they don't often remember and I said I would do my due diligence next time!
I took scooters and a little bike for the nursery charges. By the end of the morning they have started being just a bit unsettled and the nursery is next to a great big room with a great floor for riding. They had a blast working their bodies and enjoying a change of scenery.
This week Evalynn was fast friends with Sammy.
This was a short day of co-op - there were no book clubs - so after the lunch hour the children played games for a few minutes and then it was time to go. Had the weather been pleasant and the grounds not muddy we would have gone to a park, but that was not our destiny this week.
We stopped by Aunt Annette's and were spoiled with desserts - she'd been in the kitchen baking! The kids look forward to our visits as an added bright spot to our co-op days, and we're always thankful she welcomes us in and acts as though our energy isn't exhausting at all. Ha. Even little Evalynn, when she realized we were on our way to co-op, said "and Nanette's house?"
Since there were no book clubs, we beat Daddy home and had the van unloaded before he got there. Xavier was supposed to start baseball practice, but the wet conditions canceled that, so we had a night at home (which Mom loves best).
I got to the kitchen pretty straight away, and started the cinnamon rolls for Tuesday's birthday breakfast. I went ahead and baked the chocolate cakes, too, and cooled them to be decorated the next day.
Tuesday was an early morning. Mike took Natalee to PT and OT and stayed with her to address some concerns with her braces to our terrific PT. I got up and got the cinnamon rolls in the over and started the sausage. Our morning was a little divided, which isn't my favorite, but we did the best we could. I fed the youngest 4 and got Evalynn ready for her trial gymnastics class, and then Dad and Natalee ate when they got back.
Evalynn's gymnastics class was as adorable as you would expect toddler gymnastics to be and she was ever so proud to have something for her after watching the big siblings have so many things.
I was specifically watching for her ability and willingness to obey the teacher, and she did very well. Mike and I decided to let her do class for the month of April as the reward to potty training that she was promised.
Mia had a big day celebrating her birthday!
At the end of a busy two days of co-op and making homemade cinnamon rolls, birthday cake, and homemade pizza, this mama was beat. And my flour bin was empty! LOL
Alas, a good night's rest reset me, and Wednesday we were up and at it again. Ameliya had gymnastics Wednesday morning.
It's been a pleasure to watch her grow and her confidence bloom during her time in gymnastics. I am thankful for safe activities that allow parents to be present and take the pressure off of me to be everything for our kids.
After gymnastics we went back to grab the big kids and then headed to Dr. Mike for chiro adjustments for all of us. We have settled on going monthly. I would like to go more often for a couple of us (me especially) but our insurance has said "no thank you." Love the health care system. So, for now, we are trying monthly, and then if I need more we just handle it out of pocket. Evalynn loves Dr. Mike's and was his handy assistant this week.
After the chiro, since everyone was loaded, we went to the library. I taught a lesson on using the card catalog to the older four children. They have all chosen a state to research further and do some kind of report or presentation on, to wrap up our geography 50 states unit, and so they used the catalog to find books to use for research. We chose a few free reading books also, even though our home library is extensive.
The early afternoon was filled with read alouds and audio books. I love to see our home filled with children sprawled out and listening to a good book. Mia asked if she could decorate the sling Kea and Miguel sent her and I thought that was a fine idea so she got out the sharpies. Luckily our sharpie stash is full of fun colors thanks to our friend, Kathy. Mia was very generous and let Zayden help her a bit.
Mia and Xavier's book club book this time is The Wind in the Willows. None of us had read it so we are all doing it together. Honestly, I was struggling to fall into it, so now we are listening to it using Librivox's free service. This means the book is not in mom's hands so Zayden and Ameliya are taking turns following along while it's being read.
The children played the rest of Wednesday away inside since the weather was just so gray and wet again. They also enjoyed their free reading books from the library and some of them started their state research because they had new books to use.
The house smelled delicious as we'd put in some beef roasts for our supper and for our friends around the corner who have a new baby. Xavier made another batch of sourdough discard biscuits to go with the roasts, potatoes, and carrots. No ball practice again, so I did some nails and toes for the little girls. Evie wanted hers "just like mommy's" while Mia had me paint hers with the new paint she got for her birthday.
Thursday I took zero pictures. We got out in the blustery weather for hippotherapy and then came home and cuddled up. The children played and we read and that summed up our day. I was out of sorts Thursday and fought my own attitude all day, and am a big enough person to admit it. I think it was days of gray weather coupled with kids that were crabby for various reasons, and a mom that just needed a good book and a blanket, but did not have time for either. Mike relieved me when he got home and I took my salty self to the bedroom with my library book.
Friday dawned brighter internally and externally both. I got up and made the family cheesy eggs with bacon in them for breakfast and started our day out with a good protein. Doesn't that fix everything? (wink)
I strove harder to delight in my children.
I try to keep Fridays a bit lighter on school, but we'd had Monday off for co-op and Tuesday off for Mia's birthday so we did a full morning.
It finally was warm enough and not raining that we went out for a long walk and stayed at campus until Daddy got off work so we could walk him home.
When we got home the children played and played and enjoyed the sunshine. Mike fixed a flat on our utility wagon and another flat on our jogging stroller. Evalynn was his assistant.
I warmed up leftover roast, potatoes, and carrots in the oven and that was an easy supper, with enough biscuits left yet for each of the kids to have one.
Saturday morning we all were lazy for a little bit. Then we got up and around and started whipping the house back into shape. I vacuumed and mopped, Mike worked on the bathroom and got called into work, and the kids worked on their bedrooms and the playrooms. I used to despair about how the house could be such a mess week after week and why we can't keep up with it better, but now I simply say "houses are for living." It is what it is, I guess.
Grammy and Papa Beeler came up to take us to lunch and celebrate both Ameliya's birthday and Mike's upcoming birthday. Then we hit Wal-Mart and Grammy and Mia shopped for her birthday. Mia settled on play-doh, and then she and Grammy hit the clothes which was fun to watch. I tried to tread back and only helped with sizing.
Grammy and Papa also treated the kids to a full height basketball hoop as a spring Easter gift. Everyone was excited, but none so much as Xavier. As we all know, you don't bring a new "toy" into a house with five kids and not assemble immediately - lol - and so in they dove. I honestly didn't think it would take long, but it was a solid 2.5 hour job!
Mike had plenty of helpers in the beginning - their interested waned a bit towards the end - but he got the job accomplished.
Thanks Grammy and Papa!
After Grammy and Papa headed home, the girls trickled in for showers and to wind down for the evening. I made a quick supper of scrambled eggs and toast with apple slices and the boys scarfed theirs down outdoors before going back to play ball.
Mia had a new play doh set to try out and she played for over an hour making different dessert creations. It is a very cute set and her ice cream sandwich she created was pretty realistic looking!
Big sis having out play-doh meant little sis headed in for a play-doh kit, too. She really gave her doh a work over as though she had some tension she needed to get out.
The boys came in at dusk after several rounds of horse and pig - some with Dad - and we wound down the evening with devotions and then headed to bed for good sleep after a busy day!
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