Spring Break

Its officially over. Monday was brutual. I am SO ansey, so READY for summer break. BUT when I realize that I only have 6 weeks of preschool left that sounds crazy. Things will start to get busy, busy (because they weren't before!)

We had a really good spring break. We didn't go on a trip. Shocker. I know. It actually felt really good just to stay. Just to be. I had some spring clean urges and completely gutted my preschool storage room. I took the desk out of the preschool room (to make a library corner and give us more room) so I need the storage room (now called "my office" ;) to be organize so I could function in it. It was a large project. The laundry is now in disaray due to my "organizing" so hopefully I'll keep moving with these spring cleaning urges.

Monday - Wednesday we babysat Hailey (10) and Amy (7) Trotter. It was really good. Everyone had grown up since we watched them last summer and they all played so well together. It was a fun treat.

Naturally we worked on a few projects besides the spring cleaning {i.e. volcano, start of sewing club, Easter crafts, and a trip to Nampa.} I just love cutting lose from the schedule. AAAhhhh summer I'm dreaming bout you!

Exploding Party

Our one project for spring break was to make a volcano.

We started on Monday with the construction of the body.

These are the materials we used.

Midway

(we used A LOT of blue tape!)

We found lots of (quieter) uses for the tape, too.

I won't lie, this "technique" did help my headache.






We started the paper mache on Tuesday. I made it by boiling flour, salt and water. Using strips of ripped up packing paper and newpaper we covered our volcano form.

To my surprise the kids really didn't like putting their hands in the paste. So we opted for only one layer. We gave it 24 hours to dry.



On Thursday we painted it. I came back throughout the next 24 hours and gave it multiple coats adding the red hot lava and Friday.



Saturday morning was our EXPLODING party. We invited Marti, Braxton and Brooke to join us. We started by having Austin tell us 5 facts about volcanoes. Then we played 2 games.


Lava Jump Contest by Austin (see how high you can jump as if you were lava coming out of a volcano. Emma has some impressive height here.)


Lava Leap by mom (leap over the lava [towels] so you don't get burned.)

Then it was finally time for the long anticipated event, eruption of the volcano! Kurt came home to enjoy the fun. Naturally we had to get out the dinosaurs and place them around the volcano.



The kids were EXPLODING with excitement! Every time it erupted they would yell and squeal with delight. They LOVED it! We went through a new bottle of vinegar and baking soda.







We had exploding brownies (frosted and sprinkled with POP ROCKS) to finish.



What a perfect spring break project.

SEW fab-U-lous

Kelli mentioned a few months ago that she wanted to start sewing again. I agreed. And so we asked Tiffany if she would lend her talents and help us jump back on the sewing band wagon. {{Extra loud shout out to Tiffany!}}




Emma's proof that I was indeed behind a sewing machine.

I found a cute {and EASY} reversible bubble skirt pattern that I wanted to try. {Originally I wanted it to be for Easter but I don't think that it's dressy enough for church.}


Kenzie models her mother's handy work. Beautiful!


My girls in their matchy skirts by ME! (the reversible side is a solid turquoise. love the functionality of it.)


All three lucky-new-skirt-wearin' girls

So all I can think to say is that I had FUN. I even made matching hair accessories after everyone left. The company was great, I made 2 skirts that actually look like clothing items and my girls love them and look super cute. What a creative rush and confidence booster!

This opens the door to so many projects if I can keep making friends with my sewing machine. And Kelli might need an early Mother's Day/Birthday/Christmas/Hanuka/Kwanza/Valentine's present! ;)

Rooster's CHARACTER at Two

Said simply she IS a character. She has such a fun and dynamic personality. We are constantly and almost always laughing at the funny and adorable things she comes up with. Granted the flip side is that she can throw really impressive fits. She might even be turning it into an art form. But luckily I know that age and gender play a large part in that.



She loves to talk. We are starting to understand more and communicate better as she is starting to have a vocabulary. This has been a process of patience. She continues to tell her animated stories (in Finish) with serious facial expression and large hand motions. Sunday night at Grandma Cindy's she thought there were monsters in the basement (probably because Austin scared her as she was coming up the stairs.) She cried and was very upset about it for 20 minutes. We were back at Grandma's house the next day. She would peek around the corner and look down the stairs real fast. Then run to us in the kitchen and tell us about the monsters downstairs (well at least that's what Grandma and I thought she was telling us about!) And then she would go peek again, come back and tell us ALL about it. This process happened probably 30 times. Each time has dramatic and lively as the last. Ahhh, she makes me happy!

Words she uses often:
Mommmmmmmmmmmmmmm-e (said over and over even after I respond and then she starts singing it.)
Daddy
No
Yes
Brother
Sister
Book
I want candy
I don't want to
I don't want it
water (for every drink)
bunny
more
Shoes
what's that
so funny
Thank you
Coat on
please
Emma
Austin (although she doesn't use this one very much)

I have established that she likes to talk but she is a very vocal about it. The endless chatter is usually at a loud decibel and repeated 48 times. This is only difficult when you are trying to teach or talk on the phone or she is throwing a fit. Other than that we gets lots of laughs.


Random gymnastics show

She loves her bunny. A few weeks ago the bunny became the favorite in her world. {The treasured items have always had a rattle inside...} But what makes it cute is that she can say bunny and talks about it. Bunny is sad when she's crying. Bunny is silly when she's laughing. Bunny gives hugs when she's happy.

She still has a thing for fashion except now it's completely insane. Her way or no way. I lift her up to see the clothes options in her drawer and let her pick out what she going to wear (this includes jammies at bedtime.) She is always disatified with her choice and we go back 3-4 times to look again. She has a pair of jammies that have bunnies all over them. They are her favorite. She is always looking for them. "Bunnies, bunnies, bunnies!" Inventiably it always ends in a wrestling match to get her into the clothes she picked out.

She loves preschool. I joke that I have to start training her now since Emma Lynn is leaving me this fall (sob!) But it's not far from the truth. She does most art projects with us. She is learning to cut. She cleans up after everyone without being asked (seriously? so sweet!!) She can sing and keep a steady beat. The only challenge comes when Miss Personality gets really vocal and puts on a show for her adoring audience.


She had a balloon tied on her wrist from the ward RS dinner. When we came home she promptly went to the scissor basket and pulled out a pair of scissors to cut it off. Check out the scissors in her hand. Personally, I'm more comfortable with her cutting paper.

She loves phones. I rarely know where my cell phone is. But either find Rooster and she's "talking" on it or ask her where it is and she knows exactly. House phones are just as great.

She loves her siblings and is ADORED by them. She really is ruling the roost around here. And we're pretty content to keep it like that. All 4 of the kids play well together. A favorite pastime is trying to get Rooster to laugh - once she does, Rooster starts the show and they sit back and laugh (and laugh.)



She loves to tease her daddy. And he teases right back (I'm pretty the love of teasing came from him!)

Her favorite Primary songs are Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam, Teach me to walk in the light and I am a Child of God.

She does this super cheese smile with nose and eyes completely wrinkled up. It is used daily. I love when both hands fly over her mouth when she is overcome with excitement. I love her display of emotions.

She's full of it. She asked me for some cheese so I came upstairs to get her some and this is what I found.

Look at her smirk!



She sleeps through the night now. By rocking her to sleep at bedtime we eliminated her sippy cup all together. Now it's time to start the dental work on her rotting teeth.

She really isn't a baby anymore. [sigh.] I watch her run around this place and can't believe how independent she is. Fine. I guess she is officially a toddler.

A New Season

One month ago when our bishop was called into the Stake Presidency we knew that change was coming.

It came today. Kurt was called to be the 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric.

It has been an interesting month since we knew the change was coming. The spirit has been working on me, on Kurt, on both of us individually and together. It has been a very humbling experience as we look at the type of people we want to become and the process it will take to get there. It is a daily improvement process. I'm grateful for the enlightenment I've received and the peace that came as I aligned my will with the Lord.

I am so excited for Kurt! This will be such a wonderful opportunity to serve and grow. He will do such an amazing job.

He is serving with Bishop Ron Froerer and Scott Lamb. They were all set apart after church. Bill ordained Kurt has a High Priest first and then President Peterson set him apart. One of the sweetest experiences was during his setting apart as I looked at my kids (to check on their behavior) and watched Austin sit more still than I ever thought he could with his eyes closed and ears perked. You could see him listening intently. He understood the importance of this experience. He wrote this card for Kurt:

"Dear Dad,
I love you so much. I'm excited you get to sit on the stand thingy. I will be a helper at church. From Austin."

Their first meeting was 3 1/2 hours long. He is feeling slightly overwhelmed. There is definitely a learning curve. Kurt is over Young Women so I'm excited to work with him! :D Inside contection to the Bishopric, sweet!

And now it's official. It is time to get busy.

I will miss Kurt as I know our life has just changed dramatically but I also know our family will be blessed for his service. President Peterson's words to me pretty much summed it up, "Welcome to 30 years of sitting by yourself in church."

Bad, bad mommy

The kids wanted to look through their baby scrapbooks tonight. It's been about forever and then some since we've done that. One by one each child came to me and asked for their book. And when Rooster put her little hand on my leg, "Book." my heart broke. I had nothing to give her but a binder. Not one picture has been scrapbooked in her wonderful, fun and memorable TWO years of life. I gave her our wedding book and she was happy.

I am not. The guilt is tearing me up.

We had such a FUN time walking down memory lane. I remember why documenting is so important. I've been telling myself that my blog is a fabulous way to keep our journal. But maybe not enough. Looks like I need to make some time to repent.

**Lucky**

Some leprechauns tampered with our breakfast yesterday.


The kids and I tried to make a trap to catch 'em. We put some Halloween sprinkles in the bottom of a large empty hot chocolate tin. Then transformed it into a leprechaun hat. We cut an X in the top of the lid so he'd fall in but couldn't get out. A set of stairs was constructed out of twigs.



The best part was decorating the hat.




The kids made pots (hoping they would be filled with gold) from egg cartons and pipe cleaners.

Spencer wanted to make sure they knew which pot was his so he glued it to the rim of the hat and then wrote his name with an arrow pointing to his pot. Austin used Legos (of course) to build a platform/castle for his pot.

The girls and I enjoyed a nice Mutual with the Laurels at our house. We had a Lucky dinner (green fajitas, mmmmmmm!) I feel so **LUCKY** to work with, serve and love those girls. It's been so rewarding and life changing.



In the end we didn't catch a leprechaun. But he did fill the pots with pieces of the rainbow. Sneaky little devil. Guess we'll have to try again next year! I feel so **LUCKY** my kids like to play with me! They are my gold.

Dust 'em Off!

Sandals season hit today. The afternoon temp at 67 degrees. AAhhhh, I love it!

We finally made it over to Vale's new play ground after Emma's art lesson today. YAY for Vale!!! It is dangerously close to the skate park but I just kept reminding myself that the middle schoolers need a safe place to hang too.

It was definitely a WIN for the kids. I have no doubt that we'll be spending lots more time there in the days to come.


When did Rooster get so big?









It's a good thing Spring Break is official in a just a few days. It's impossible to keep them inside with Spring Fever!

Cousins

Sorry we messed up the picture by not being prepared with our striped sweaters. But we feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family. WE LOVE OUR COUSINS!

Weekend Guests

Elaine, Ben and their cute kids came to visit this weekend on their way to California for spring break. It was a very fun treat for us. We might have even convinced them that country life is a good life (especially if they were our neighbors!)

They got in Friday night around 10 pm (I don't know the time for sure b/c I fell asleep waiting for them. This getting old thing is hard!)


The cousins reunited early Saturday morning. Notice the ultra cute bed head.

We hung out and visited until it was time to go to the temple. Grandpa Ken was being sealed to his parents that evening. Ben and Elaine came over to Boise with us so they could watch the kids while we were in the temple then we all went out to eat after wards. It was such a special experience in the temple. This was a moment Grandpa had been waiting for his whole life. The spirit was so sweet and so pure. What a blessing to have moments when the veil is thin.

{Donkey basketball was also happening in Vale at the same time. Kurt's RPM team is the undefeated champion 2 years in a row. Sadly they lost so the winning streak is over. Maybe next year team RPM.}

Sunday Elaine and Ben made us a delicious dinner after church. {I'm not sure how the guests ended up treating the hosts. Just another tribute to Elaine's amazing generosity.)

Under pressure Elaine was using the construction utensils that Spencer got for his birthday from Grandma Richards. Elaine is such a good sport!


Ethan has gotten so BIG!




The very silly Richards' cousins


And even sillier girls!


It was such a gorgeous day that we went on a creation walk. ALL the Farnsworths were passed out {it might have had something to do with the fact they didn't realize it was the spring ahead time change and the Harry Potter marathon they had Saturday night. Just a wild guess.} I didn't have the heart to wake them.


This kid is currently cheesin' out any time you look at her. Soooo adorable!


Daddy's Diva




Our scientist. He brought along a journal so he could log all his findings complete with diagrams. Documenting the badger hole.

Waking the hibernating red ants was the best finding of the day. {this is why I love my camera!}




Don't worry we did come back to spend the evening with our guests! We all adore Ethan.




Thanks for a wonderful weekend. I'm ready for summer! :D