Weekly Wind Down {First Baseball Game, Co-op Share Night, First Soccer Game} April 23-29

Sunday we went to worship.  After, Natalee and Xavier had VBS practice and then Xavier had baseball practice.  A full day.  I spent time prepping for our final co-op of the year.

We were up and out early Monday for co-op.  My K-3 class polished our music presentation for share night and completed our self portraits to display.  To wrap up our preschool I brought large motor toys for the kids to play on and we read some books about birds together.

We visited Aunt Annette before we headed back home.  

Evalynn and I took a walk after we got home.  She collected pine cones in her hoody pocket which was fun for me later.

Retrieving the bat he "accidentally" threw on the roof.

Mike took the kids to Xavier's baseball practice (everyone wanted to go along) and I stayed home and made tacos which everyone was very ready for when they got home.

Tuesday was a slow start to school but we got it going.  As I was making lesson plans and looking back through last week's lessons I was just taken by how lovely Zayden's cursive writing is.  We've really like the Rhythm of Handwriting cursive book if anyone is looking.

Tuesday evening brought soccer practice for Ameliya and Xavier's first double header baseball games.  We're so enjoying hanging out with our new friends, the Fross', as our kids' ages align almost perfectly and we cross paths often at the sports complex and at church activities.  Their oldest two sons play on the same team as Xavier, and so does Jace, so it was a regular ole party at the ball field.  

The boys lost one game, won one game, and had a big time playing on the new university field.  It was a lovely night for baseball.

Tuesday's late night brought another slow start on Wednesday.

We got our school completed, Natalee made a big batch of cookies for youth group, and then I took Xavier to baseball practice.  I read my book in the sun while he practiced and then Mike and I switched and he did youth group duties while I went back home with our youngest three.  Wednesday night Mike got a call that his dad wasn't feeling well and he decided he wanted to go to Missouri so he left home about 10:30 and spent the night and Thursday with Papa George.  

We got started on school Thursday, but left mid morning for hippotherapy.  

Mia, Zayden, and I got all our history read while Natalee had her session and Xavier helped Evalynn with her preschool - all outdoors in the glorious sunshine.  Mike came back into town just in time to grab our pizza carry out and we ate before heading out to our co-op Share Night.

Share Night was a resounding success!  What a blessed two years we've had with this group of families who have become dear friends.  We got the news this week that our co-op is disbanding, which is a hard thing to acknowledge, but we're trying to be very grateful for the two years we got.  We're praying about what next year looks like for us and searching out our options.

Back to share night....

The opening song was so sweet.  Please catch Evie at 38 seconds look at her little friend and say, "my grandma's here."  Grandma and Grandpa Tallman came all the way from Missouri! and Aunt Annette came over, too.  What a joy to have people in the crowd for us.  As evident by Evalynn's "stage whisper" we were proud to have them there.

Our sweet little preschooler was happy to have her moment on stage...

Ameliya and Zayden were in the K-3 group.  Their share for their lit class is first on this video, and then our performances from music class are in the middle of the video.  We had so much fun preparing our music presentations.

Their dance for their PE performance was absolutely adorable.

Natalee and Xavier had three very detailed presentations for their class shares.

I loved their dances from PE and appreciate all of the effort that Tami put into their class this year.

Their ASL/Music Appreciation presentations were really fun and highlighted their class so well.

Sara gave them such an independence in their STEAM class and I was so impressed with their project and what they accomplished.

The entire co-op program is here:

After the program we showed the art projects and displays to Grandma, Papa, and Aunt Annette before they headed out and we loaded our things up.

My K-3 art class displayed our "bubble blowing selfies"

and our mixed media hot air balloon projects.

My preschoolers displayed their birdie handprints and their painting with feathers posters. 

(took these photos of their projects as I was packing our things up to go to share night)

It was late when we got home, later yet for Grandma and Papa for sure!

Friday started slow - seemed to be a theme of the week - but we worked through school with cheerful attitudes.  The day was nice and we spent a lot of time outside and then went to Mia's first soccer game.  The temps dropped fast! and we were ill dressed for the wind and rain that blew in.  Mia played hard and had a good time and I'll cheer for that, even in the cold rain.

She got to do the opening rock, paper, scissors for which team got the ball first.

Love you Mia!

Saturday was gray and rainy with intermittent sunbursts.  We cleaned house, washed bedding, and righted ourselves after a busy week!

Weekly Wind Down {Awana Awards, Co-op, Sports Practices, Rainbow} April 9-15

Sunday was Easter and we celebrated at our church and then in Missouri with family.

Monday we were up bright and early for co-op.  

I read a bird book with my preschoolers and then we painted with feathers and made handprint birds.

gal pals working on their STEM project...

cuties in matching dresses...

This precious pile read some books and played while their older siblings finished up their STEM project.

Aunt Annette was out of town so we came on home after we were done with co-op.

The kids logged some good time outdoors when we got home....

my little foot massager rubbed my feet before bed...

Tuesday Evalynn was up, dressed, and beckoned by the sunshine by 8 a.m.  I supervised her jumping and listened to her joyful song while I made my bed and tidied my room.

It turned out none of us could resist the sunshine so we did morning time outside.

This is a fun book in our morning basket - we just do 10 quick questions each time and it's so fun to see what the kids know (and what we all don't)!

Starting the day out dirty.  Sweetheart.

painting ice - this didn't last long...

Natalee decided to set up a puzzle table in the basement which inspired Evalynn to get out her puzzles, too.  They worked on them a bit throughout the week.

Tuesday evening found us at the baseball field for practice...

and the soccer field for practice...

Zayden was so excited to get to practicing catching.  He did a great job and made good stops!

Sports sister...

Wednesday morning...doing school on mom's bed is a treat.

Evalynn decided to start her morning with play doh.

Then we moved to cutting.

Wednesday evening was Awana awards night.  All 4 of our Awana clubbers completed their books this year.  Way to go, guys!

Xavier came straight from ball practice but he made it!

After awards we stayed for the ice cream sundae bar.

Thursday morning brought a couple intruders to my bed.

School time...peep the Awana award trophy keeping him company.

Natalee had hippotherapy and the other children and I sat outside during her session.

When we got home Zayden's new bat had arrived.  Both boys needed new bats this year to meet length/weight requirements.

This wild girl...backwards hat like Daddy.

Mia learned long division in math.

Back to the sports complex Thursday evening...

Zayden gave that new bat a workout.

We worked and played so hard Thursday that Evalynn was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

Friday found us!

This girl was going to skip nap but she was a bear cat so I insisted she lay down on the couch and out she went.

I love the kids' chalk towns and raceways.

Dirty toes are the best.

We didn't have any obligations Friday evening so we did pizza and game night.

Saturday morning was lazy.  

Well, I was.  Mike and a couple of the kids worked the dirt outside that had been dug up when a pipe was replaced this spring.

We did get some outdoor time in, and then early evening we went over to the Fross' house for supper and to look through the Sunday School curriculum that we're going to teach this summer.  The kids played so well inside and out and then we got a rainstorm which brought us a rainbow.

A perfect way to end the week....new friends and a rainbow.