Weekly Wind Down {Co-Op, Benefit Dinner, Turtles & Tears, Cold Outside Play} Oct 9-15

Here we find ourselves already, middle of October.

Sunday we went to church and classes.  I drove the transit with a load full of girls out to Mia's Sunday school teacher's house for a lunch party.  She was there until 3 and then I ran back to get her.  Mike had intentions to go to Jace's football game with Xavier, but his to-do list was getting the best of him so instead he called Aunt Penny and Eric and asked if Xavier could go along with them to cheer on his buddy.  So our people were a bit here and there but it was a good day.  I used some of the afternoon to prep for co-op classes.

Monday we were up and jumping, getting out the door to co-op.  

A cute little Monday morning pout face for you....(I adjusted her chest clip. wink)

I can't remember what she was pouting about, but her blue eyes were sure shining, and the strawberry was coming out in her hair.

I taught music/art for my K-3 kiddos first hour.  We reviewed all of the information from last session and re-read the first book in the music series, since I had so many kids missing last period.  Now we're all up to date and ready to continue together!  

The kids watercolor painted their fall drawings that I had traced with black paint.

Both of my kiddos drew pumpkins.

I stepped out to take a photo of Mia and Zayden in their PE class before I headed to my preschool class.

The class had a lot of energy!  Bless Miss Cortney.

My preschool class was focused on leaves.  I had asked Miss Tami if she'd go on a leaf hunt with me.  The old very independent (and proud) Jenn would have said "I can handle 3 little girls on my own," and I can, but this generation, older, gentler Miss Jenn realizes the safety and joy in asking someone along to help.  

These girls are such joy.  What a blessing to see the world through their eyes. 

We looked for beautiful leaves and observed the world.  Then we checked out this evergreen tree and talked about it's leaves.

Leaf headband.  Leaf bouquet.  It's too much cute.

I brought the fall sensory bin back and the girls really enjoyed playing in it to finish up our class time.  We also did our "Leaf" fingerplay.

My leaf princess.  I love preschoolers so much.

My preschool class is supposed to take the last thirty minutes of the 2nd hour, but somehow we have too much fun.  I had about 20 minutes of the 3rd hour block left to sit with the other moms and visit before it was lunch time.  I don't regret one bit offering to do the preschool class, though.  Evalynn glows with excitement and that break in the middle of their nursery time is perfect for those little girls.

Off to the park we went for lunch!  It was a beautiful day!

Evalynn and Betsy shared their babies and took them down the slide and all over the playground.

Evie's first time trying the zip line!

Aunt Annette had a medical appointment so she wasn't home for us to visit.  The kids pouted, but alas, it didn't change the outcome.  (wink)  We are bummed that we keep missing each other.  I love how much they love her. 

We came home after playing at the park, and it was so warm that we decided it was sno cone weather, so we text the Brummers to see if they wanted one after school.

The kids spent a good amount of time outside the rest of the afternoon and Natalee had swim after supper.

We learned that butter was on sale at Hy Vee from Mon-Thurs for $1.48 a pound with a limit of 1.  The cost of groceries is very concerning to me, so on Monday, all the children lined up with their $1.50 and self checked out with their one pound of butter.

I know it's silly.  Kind of.  Inflation is also "kind of" sickening.

Because we have a Hy-Vee just a mile away, we ended up doing the same thing each evening of the sale.  The kids calculated our savings for the 21 pounds of butter we ended up buying compared to the current Wal Mart price of $4.48, and were shocked that mom's silliness ended up saving us $63.  Now we're a little ahead with butter in the freezer.

Evalynn lined her class up for preschool Monday evening after showers and was teaching them so sweetly.

Tuesday was an off day for therapy.  The colors on my walk were fire.

I had signed Evalynn up for a "Knee High Naturalists" class at the conservation department mid morning.  The class was all about turtles and I thought she'd love it.  Ha.  She was very unsure.

New situations are hard and I am reminded that, while Evie has a big personality, she still gets anxious in new situations.  Part of that could be just who she is, but I still think the pandemic closures had a lot to do with this.  

She did all the things at the class.  She looked at the turtles, touched the shells, watched the races, raced with the other children, and then when it was time to go back inside she put her head on my shoulder and cried big overwhelming tears quietly.  

I really wanted to end the experience positively so we went upstairs to the discovery center and explored a little bit.  

The paleontology dig table was a big hit,

She wasn't sure about the snake.  Evie's brain is working hard to sort out things that are real vs fake....and then you throw in stuffed/preserved animals (like at the conservation dept) and you've got a lot of thinking to do.

Bird eggs!

She looked really hard at this deer.

Back to the sensory dig table to let her brain unwind a bit before leaving.

We headed home and I made lunch....the weather was up and down a lot on Tuesday, but it was warm enough to eat outside.

All day Tuesday I worked on washing laundry and made a big mountain.  I wanted us to be able to turn on a show and fold it altogether after supper but that plan fell apart, so we just got through it.

We had a field trip coming up Wednesday, so I suggested everyone choose one subject to do Tuesday evening with the last of our time before bed.

Wednesday flew by.  We got up and got busy on our school work and morning time.

Mia had OT before lunch, then we ate, and headed out for our Autumn Acres field trip.

Back home we came...I showered the youngest 3 right away to get the corn dust off of them, and then they played outside and finished school before we ate our supper and got ready to leave for Awana and Youth Group.  I quickly threw a couple of pans of bar cookies in the oven after Natalee had said there wasn't any snacks the previous week for youth group, but someone ended up bringing some so *most* of these went in the freezer for another time.

I enjoyed leading games for the Cubbies this week.

Thursday was very windy.  So much so that it just wasn't really enjoyable to be outside.  We did have hippotherapy, so everyone loaded up mid morning.

Evie put Honey's warm suit on to keep her cozy!  

We used the waiting lobby during Natalee's session and worked on school work while Natalee rode. 

Back home for lunch...Zayden read to Evalynn for me before her nap while I was finishing my clean up.

During Ev's nap, the rest of us did "morning time" in the afternoon.  Natalee really enjoys the Hotel Flamingo book, so she asked to read for us.

Mike ordered a massage gun, trying to help relieve the tension in my back and neck, and it arrived Thursday.  Everyone had a turn and Evalynn loved to use it on people!

Wednesday morning it was raining and Thursday I made an excuse and didn't take my walk.  Proof of getting it done Friday.  I wish I could walk and not think of all the other things I "should" be doing during that time.

I couldn't help with how cute Evalynn looked Friday morning.

She wanted braids - hair isn't my special gift, though I do try to improve - but she's not too critical.  I could work on the part, though, couldn't I?

Big kids are working on their morning exercises!

I love our morning time.

We have been doing a YouTube video of a worship song with ASL, and I love these sweet girls working on their signing.

Friday's weather was weird.  Warm-ish in the morning - but then it got cold and spit a bit of rain.  The kids wanted to play outside and got all bundled up when the mist started.  I told them they could stay in, but they said no.  I'm so pleased with the shift in mindset that the 1000 Hours Outside has helped us with.  We've talked a lot about the benefits of the sun, fresh air, and being outdoors and they are listening.

I made hot cocoa and took it to their club house.

Mia, Zayden, and Evie used a baseball net, sheet, and clothespins to make a "lean to."  It kept blowing over in the gusts and it was fun to watch them problem solve it.  First they put the garden bags full of dirt on the edges, and then they thought to move it over by the tree to a more protected area.  I alternated cleaning up the kitchen and sitting outside with them.  I like to give them space to play and use their imaginations, but also want them to know I'm cheering them on and am here for them.

A mom and Evie (and Honey) cuddle.

Saturday we did cartoons, cleaned house, ran to the library, and stopped at Hy Vee.

Today's sale items were grapes and chocolate chips, and daddy got brats.

Natalee and I had a benefit dinner to attend for a pregnancy center on Saturday evening, so we left Daddy and the other kids late in the afternoon and headed out for our evening.  The Brummer boys came to play and Mike convinced them to stay and have a steak for supper.  He does grill a good steak, so I don't blame them a bit.

We enjoyed the company at our benefit table and had a delicious meal with friends.  The cause was very worthy, the speakers (some were other co-op friends!) were lovely, and we were thankful to be included.

We had planned to go visit Aunt Annette, but she wasn't feeling too well, so we went ahead and came on home.  We saw several deer together right as we were leaving Newton, but no more the rest of the way home.

Another busy blessed week.  We are grateful!