Weekly Wind Down {Time Change Blues, Co-op, Cousin Sleepover, "Spring Break"} Mar 12-18

Sunday was just a regular day - with a time change.  Eek.  The weather was not too lovely, so after church we just did our best to adjust everyone and prepare for co-op on Monday.

Evalynn did not adjust.  She was not happy to get up in the dark Monday morning for co-op.

But to co-op we did go.  I had checked out the book, Soup, on CD to listen to for our drive to and from, after hearing it was funny.  Honestly, it was okay.  Not great.  I won't care to read it again.

My K-3 class focused on our art projects.

We did have time to build a rhythm together and play it all as one long connected "song" because our class time was extended.

I only had two little preschoolers.  I took a couple of book and plush sets from our local library.  First we did 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.  I actually have a knitted set of this that our friend, Brea, made for Natalee years ago, so I had one for each girl to use. 

Then we read Where's the Green Sheep? and took turns hiding and hunting for the green sheep.  A very simple class this week.

Stepped into K-3 PE to watch the kids exercise.

After co-op we went by to see Aunt Annette and had a good visit.  It was another drippy wet gray day, which made the time change seem harder, and we all were tired when we got home.  The kids played and I worked on supper and our evening was just....peaceful.  Early to bed.

Tuesday was a regular school day with a later start.  Blame the time change.  The day was not bad, just average, and I think it's okay to have those days sometimes.  The weather finally straightened up enough for us to get a couple hours outdoors and we appreciated that.  I have been asked to join the Christian Education Committee at our church so I went to a meeting for that Tuesday evening.  Mike did Tuesday evening game night with the kids.

Wednesday was gorgeous.  Warm temps, though windy, so we hustled through book work to get outdoors.

We finished the final book in the five book series of the Birchbark House.  These books were a good read aloud.  A lot of topics to discuss as we were reading.  

Aunt Penny offered to watch the kids at the park, so after lunch the four older ones went to play.  Evalynn and I joined as soon as she woke up from her much needed nap.

Playing capture the flag.

This girl loves the swings.

Natalee's bike had a flat so she had to walk to and from the park while the others rode.

Back at home, the kids played outside a bit more, while I got supper ready.

There was no church Wednesday evening because of spring break, so it was another quiet evening at home.  

We've had to enforce some "solo play time" for Evalynn so she doesn't lose that skill, as she's become quite accustomed to having playmates and being entertained.  A quiet evening at home is a good time to practice.

There was no hippotherapy this week because of spring break, so instead Natalee had an in clinic OT session on Thursday.  The weather was wet, again. 

Having some solo play time the evening before reminded Ev she's a good companion to herself and she played baby dolls through the morning while we did school.

{watching the news with babies}

Mike had worship practice Thursday evening.  He worked 10 hours shifts M-Th, so he got home to leave again and the rest of us curled up to watch Lego Masters.  After practice, Mike went back to work until 4:30 Friday morning - so much for "Friday off" as a reward for working 4 tens.

Natalee's zoom appointment got canceled Friday morning, so our morning wasn't rushed.  Mike slept most of the morning so we didn't have quite the "fun Friday" feel that we usually do when he's home during the week.

Evalynn chose to get out the transportation matching magnets and spent a lot of her morning working on those while we did school.

Then I set up an art project for her and we talked about God's rainbow, the order of the colors, and she painted the sections in with Kwix Stixx.

Natalee and Xavier both chose classic novels to read and I challenged them to do a book presentation on them.  Xavier's was Robin Hood.

Natalee chose the book Moby Dick.

Friday I also asked the older kids to make new spring art for the display frames.

Ameliya..."birds on a wire."

Natalee..."stained glass church"

Xavier...."quack"

Zayden...."pot of flowers"

Evalynn wanted to paint so badly, but I was quite busy and couldn't assist her.  We made supper for our friends and Natalee baked bread.

We had a big, yummy supper of beef roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, and freshly baked bread.

Saturday was a lazy day on my behalf.  I actually had a hard week just feeling "inspired."  Time change or just a touch of the blues, I'm not sure, but Saturday and another gray day definitely didn't bring inspiration.  Ha.  Zayden and I got around midday to head to Missouri.  He went to have a sleepover with Theo (and Artie) at Grandma and Papa's and I went to a Friends Trivia night at my sister's.  

It was a lot of fun and the perfect cure for "blah."  I took zero pictures (shame, because it was such a fun night) and enjoyed visiting and catching up with my sisters and niece especially.

Sleeping buddies...

Evalynn and Ameliya were both disappointed that they didn't get to come, so I charged Mia with helping Evie paint a new picture for her display frame.

"bunnies in the grass"

and Dad let them turn the living room into Calico Critter/Li'l Woodzeez village...

Our table looks so empty when a couple of us are gone.

Zayden and I were up early the next morning to get back to Iowa before 9 a.m. church...I didn't think it was quite fair for Mike to have to parent Ev from the stage the first week he played for worship team.  It was a quick overnight but we were both very glad to have gotten to go!

And here we are halfway through March.  With the many cold, dreary, gray, wet days we had, this week of "spring break" sure would have been a good one to have been on the beach somewhere.