January ended and February began in a flurry. All the sudden the new year isn't so new anymore and we're just marching along.
I took the youngest four kids with me to Missouri after church on Sunday to have family lunch with the Tallman crew. We haven't seen many of them since Christmas and it was SO good to see everyone.
Evie shared her Yoto and Honey with Artie. He loves Honey's blink-y eyes!
We stayed in Missouri until the Chiefs game was over and then drove home. But even after 5 we still had some daylight - praise!
Natalee stayed back in Iowa with Mike and went to a friend's birthday party.
The week was just a mix of school, church activities, therapy appointments, and playing.
Playing London Bridge.
The three amigos made a pretty Lego stained glass.
The weather got progressively warmer through the week. On Thursday, Xavier went with my dad to Aunt Annette's to work on installing a garage door. With the warm weather, the other children and I met some friends at the skate park and then walked through the thrift store. The sun was simply glorious.
Natalee's Biology lab buddies enjoying some chemical reactions.
Mike worked ten hour shifts Monday - Thursday and had Friday off. He and the boys had hair cuts and he took Zayden shoe shopping as he'd worn straight through his. Again. Ha.
Natalee did some baking - delicious!
Zayden had his first basketball games of the season on Saturday.
He played two games back to back and made 3 or 4 baskets and lots of rebounds. He had several steals and knows he needs to refine his speed and ball control down the court. More importantly he was a good sport and teammate.
It's fun to watch your kids do things they enjoy!
Grandma and Papa came up to watch basketball and treated us to lunch out.
Our Sunday started with these cuties in matching dresses.
Throw back to 2016...
We spent Sunday evening at a surprise birthday party for one of our small group friends, Krystal. It was HOT but fun. I took spray bottles for the kids to play with to keep cool.
Monday morning we jumped into school.
Xavier got to start his school morning by "blowing stuff up."
Ice cream break...
After school I got out the water sink to help get some extra time outside. It was HOT out all week so we had to work for our hours.
And ultimately be thankful for the air conditioning.
Tuesday morning Bible study buddies...
After someone read to her, Evalynn read to her baby.
We had a great week to do the science experiments for Zayden and Mia's curriculum. On this day we learned about thermal energy...
We spent Tuesday afternoon at the library. Natalee and Xavier worked on a teen craft and the rest of us read in the children's area.
I spent Tuesday evening at the store getting the supplies I needed to set up the Cubbies year for our Awana program and used part of Wednesday morning while the kids were eating breakfast to get a jump on the organizing.
"use every color of clip, Mama!"
but I do love her hair pulled back from her face.
A page from Evie's "social studies" preschool book. I shared this on Facebook and wrote the following, "Things I never want to forget...
She drew mommy first.
When she drew daddy she said, "he's strong" and then "not too much hair for daddy."
She drew all the girls' hair to one side and said "we're standing in the wind."
She purposefully gave Xavier curls.
She's very into eyebrows and gave us all strong ones.
She put all the kids together except her...she put herself between mommy and daddy.
Preschool is a magical time.
Another HOT sunny day and Mia, Zayden, and I headed out to make a fire with a magnifying glass.
You can see the smoke tendrils if you look closely enough, but then I put my phone away.
A post lunch coffee and reading with this guy....
Wednesday evening I had a meeting at the church and Mike had youth group with the big kids.
As I was finishing up prepping my Cubbie things with a couple friends I noticed Zayden was drooping instead of playing with the other children there. Mike was done so he took all the children home and then we realized he had a fever.
Evie woke up in the night with one, too.
Thursday became a rest day for the little ones. Hippotherapy was canceled for the heat, which worked out so we had less to balance, though I know it was disappointing to Natalee.
The little ones rested in our room and alternated sleeping with watching TV (and eating popsicles).
By midday they were feeling much better.
We didn't have much to show for playing outside but it was so hot no one minded much. I cooked chicken and Mike made soup for supper.
Garden run!
Our first garden watermelon!
As fast as the virus came it left as quickly.
We were supposed to go to MO on Friday to make kuchen with grandma for my cousin's wedding, but since we'd had sickness I kept us home lest someone else came down with it and shared.
We had a bit of baking to do for the wedding, too, so we did that instead.
Saturday morning we temp checked everyone and all seemed well so we dressed and did hair and headed to Missouri for a big ole wedding party!
We were early for the wedding so we stopped about 30 minutes from the venue at a fun store and let the kids browse and stretch out.
It was a beautiful outdoor ceremony and then we headed in for the reception.
So happy to see cousins. Mike actually grew up as a next door neighbor to my cousin who got married and her family, so his side was at the wedding, too.
Congratulations, Jake and Shayna!
Zayden and Theo...
Artie and Evie - the blonde haired blue eyed double trouble duo.
My sister-in-law, Kea...
My cousin, Brooke...
Another generation of tall children...
Natalee and Aunt Kea...
Papa Phil, Xavier, and Miguel....
I got a big hug from my grown up nephew who is a lineman in western Iowa now and got to hear about his new job!
One sister is shorter than the others.....{Hi, it's me.}
Unfortunately as the evening progressed Mia felt "off." Thinking it was low blood sugar, I got her meat as soon as the food line opened and I could politely do so and Mike took her outside to sit in the breeze and eat. She perked up some then and came back in. However, when she was in the dollar dance line, she finally said "my head hurts so bad." And quick as a wink the virus had found her. Mike took her to the van to lay down while I let the others finish a bit of dancing and visiting.
Evie loved the dollar dance. She danced twice and took my turn.
A sparkler send off is beautiful and not at all dangerous (wink). Seriously though, so pretty.
We had already committed to driving back home after the wedding because Mike had signed up to play guitar for service without realizing what the weekend was, however I was especially glad that we were already mentally prepared for that so we could get Mia home to her bed.
Despite the sickness, it was still a beautiful wedding and a sweet way to end the week.
Playing London Bridge.
The three amigos made a pretty Lego stained glass.
Zayden had his first basketball games of the season on Saturday.
He played two games back to back and made 3 or 4 baskets and lots of rebounds. He had several steals and knows he needs to refine his speed and ball control down the court. More importantly he was a good sport and teammate.
It's fun to watch your kids do things they enjoy!
