Weekly Wind Down {STEM Day, Birthday Tea, Game Night, Play Date, Dart Guns!} Jan 15-21

 After church on Sunday, I did some hard core organizing.  So silly but it felt unbelievably good to clean out and organize all the kitchen drawers.

I also packed lunches for co-op Monday and did other weekend chores.

Co-op is the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month, but often there is an extra activity or field trip on the 3rd Monday.  Tami had organized a STEM day for this third Monday so we headed over to Newton for a fun morning with friends.

The extension office set up several STEM stations that the K-high school enjoyed a lot and Miss Tami took the little ones down for lots of sweet activities that left Evalynn glowing!

making a floating boat from foil....

Lego station

marble painting...

cardboard building...

Downstairs in the preschool area....magic milk...

cup/ball tower...

hexbug bridge...

3D pen

shaving cream fun!

{sillies}

We had lunch together and then I popped in and said hello to Aunt Annette but didn't unload the troops and we headed home.  This girl sacked out hard on the way home.

Xavier had an afternoon basketball practice.

And then back home for awhile before Natalee's swim practice and Zayden's wrestling.

Busy Monday!

Tuesday started as school per usual.  Having completed our art book and book 2 of the Birchbark House series last week, we started book 3 and put a new art book into the morning basket.  We haven't been playing games during morning time, but we're playing a lot of games throughout the week with the weather being so poorly, so I think it's evening out.

Ameliya was invited to an afternoon tea birthday party and was so excited.  I thought the card she made was simply beautiful and wanted to remember the details she put into it.

I ended up staying since driving home wasn't really fruitful.  I read to the birthday girl's little brother for a long time and then visited with a friend, keeping my promise to Mia to not butt into the party too much.  

Such a sweet time, celebrating Saydey and watching the friendships the girls are building.  I appreciate that their friendships spread a wide age span and think that's a benefit of homeschooling.

We did game and pizza night as Tuesdays have been (for now) a night when we are all home.  After we eat, we take turns playing games with Evalynn and filling her love cup up....

She gets to pick three games if she wants...somehow she got four this week.  Ha.

After Evie's games, the rest of us played swoosh, a card game we learned from friends.  We had a good laugh at the huge variety of scores - hat's off to Natalee for a great win!

Wednesday...our regular routine of school, chores {Evie loves to help fold laundry!}, early supper, and then Awana/youth group.

Everyone seemed to need a snack after church before bed!

Mike treated me to an early morning breakfast in bed....and Evalynn was the only one awake and got wise to his gift so she scored half the breakfast, too. 

Hippotherapy was canceled for weather on Thursday so Natalee went to an OT session in the clinic instead.

Getting ready for the day.

and looking mighty fine!

School....

Play-doh to fill Evalynn's time, and the other children enjoyed some, too.

Zayden is so incredibly patient to teach Evalynn new games and to play them with her.

Thursday evening basketball for Xavier while Zayden was at wrestling.

Friday morning Evalynn and I walked around the corner for a playdate with baby Lindly, while Madi and I had a nice visit.

sweet girls...

Back home my big kids did their independent subjects and we finished up school after lunch.  

Friday evening I had a mom's night at my friend, Tami's, and had such a good time visiting and getting to know my co-op friends better.  I am so thankful for Tami offering to host and so grateful that God placed these women in my life.

Saturday was Natalee's last home swim meet. It was a full day, but a good one!

After the swim meet and grandparents had left, Mike ran Zayden to the store because he had a "need" to spend some of his Christmas/birthday money on a new dart gun.

Bringing home a new dart gun meant everyone else got one out, too, and so darts flying round our home was how we ended the week.