beautiful weather, walks, park playing, a little surprise and more...

The is my birthday present. I have been wanting one for awhile and I was excited when my hubby actually remembered and surprised me with it for my birthday. It weighs a ton and is fun to cook in.

The kids with whip cream sprayed into their mouths. 

My birthday candles. 

I have never liked cake and as a little girl would always ask for strawberry pie. The last few years I have asked for strawberry shortcake. And boy was this good!!

Daddy reading to Mac. 

Oak after a bath. 

Daddy reading to Oak. I love seeing moments when daddy takes the time to read to the kids before bed. 

This girl can make some silly faces. 

Mac drew these birds. Although I don't think he drew the big one. I think daddy did at one time and Mac copied and did the rest. But I was still impressed with Mac's drawings. 

This girl wins pretty much every game of Memory we play. 

Mac loves to play Chess. Good thing daddy likes to because I don't.

The middle of february we found a cacoon in the field next to our house. We decided to bring it home and put it in a jar. After a bit of research I thought that maybe it was a moth. I actually thought that maybe it was dead and nothing would come of it. Then this last week I looked at it and saw some little bugs. Then looked closer and it was baby praying mantises. We were so excited! We started researching them and figuring out what to do to take care of them. And because we live in a small community with the next biggest place being and hour and a half away, we couldn't find any supplies to take care of them and they were starting to die. So we took them back out to the field. 

We took an awesome evening walk along the path behind our house. The sunset was beautiful and the kids were tired enough to fall asleep the instant their heads hit the pillow. 

Grandma (who lives with us) left on the train and will be gone for at least a month while she travels the US with her siblings. So fun for her! Oak keeps saying, "It just doesn't feel the same here without grandma."

I hate Chess and I have NO interest in learning or playing it. But Mac is always begging to teach me. He loves to teach people everything he knows. So one day this week I dug deep inside of me for the patience to let him teach me. 

We got this cool magnetic sand. And Mac mad a creature out of some and as a last minute  thought told him to write a short story about it. Just to try to sneak in some writing. 

His little story. 

Oak wanted to write her own. So she told me what she wanted it to say and I would write it down for her to copy. 

Some pre quiet time snuggles and giggles.

And Mac throwing a fit because I asked him to help with some chores before he went outside to play. He ended up throwing a fit the whole time and didn't help so he had to stay in the house.

We started a read-a-loud book with the kids. Daddy always has one going with them, but I rarely do. Trying to be better about it. Because these kids of mine could sit and listen to someone read a book to them for hours. Seriously!

One evening it was too nice to be at home so as soon as dad got home, we ate quickly then hurried to the park. It was awesome. And they put the swings back up. They take them down during the winter and its annoying.

Mac had spent a few days having a bad attitude when he didn't have enough. Like wanting more donuts after having two for breakfast instead of enjoying the rare treat. Or getting to play on the iPad for 30 minutes and not thinking that was enough because once again it is a rare treat. So we had a little heart to heart about people who have very little and the little things they would be grateful to have. Then I had him write down ten things he was grateful for. 

A little reading before heading to the park to play with friends. 

Cute, silly girl. 

We went on a field trip to a wildlife area. The parking lot had some huge MUD puddles. And my kids were playing near them with all the other kids before we got started on the tour. I know my kids well enough to know that if there is water or mud or anything like that, that they will end up in it. I warned my kids and then Mac comes up to me with an entire leg and both feet covered in MUD. Ugh! I told him he couldn't go back over and play near the mud puddles with the other kids. And then he through a fit. (Does anyone else see a pattern here? He is going through quite the stage lately) Thankfully the tour started not long after and then he forgot about it. 

It was so beautiful there. You can't see it because it is covered in snow and because of how the light is for the picture but Mt. Shasta is right behind those dark hills. 

There were thousands of geese there. We learned all about them. 

Then when the trip was over the kids played red rover. So cute and fun. 

So the kids earned a trip to jump n jax for reading 25 books. We just now got to it and Mac is half way done with another reading log. 

We dyed easter eggs which is my least favorite holiday tradition. But the kids actually did really well this year with it. 

Sunday morning we had dad all to our selves and everyone was dressed and ready for church early so we this was the scene I caught of these two. Daddy holding and trying to put Oak's bear to sleep and them making goofy faces at each other. They were like this for 30 minutes. 

Then I got a turn. Mac was busy playing with a new lego set he got as a gift. 

Palm Sunday Gratitude...thirteen...

I am grateful...

...for the opportunity this week gives me to reflect on our Savior. And to be able to teach my children of the importance of the first Easter.

...for prayer and the strength it gives me to get through the HARD parenting moments.

...that Mac was so well behaved all day today (minus the hour and a half before bed). Sunday's are usually his hardest days. 

...for Heavenly Father's timing. He knows us and what we need way better than we know ourselves. 

...for the relationships we have with our kids' birth families. 

...to be able to be out and enjoy the beautiful weather this last week. 

...to homeschool my kids. Sometimes it is discouraging but it also brings me such joy to be able to teach my kids and see them learn. And that I am the one who gets to be the greatest influence on them. What a privilege.

Sunday Gratitude...twelve...

I am grateful...

...for healthy kids. They may be sick right now, but they just have coughs. No major disease or disability. 

...to be 36. Although I am now closer to being 40 than 30, I am happy to be 36. It just seems like a great age.

...that my Hubs made it a special day. I love simple and thoughtful and that is exactly what my day was.

...for date nights. On Friday we just went to a movie and out to dinner, but it was so wonderful.

...for Sunday birthdays because it is the only day of the week Hubs doesn't work during tax season. 

...for strawberry shortcake. Besides brownies it is as close to cake that I like. And it was delish!

...for the beautiful life I have. I have felt kindof mopey lately but today I could really feel and see what a beautiful like I truly have. 

school, st. patricks day, cinderella and sick AGAIN...

For a Sunday night treat the kids got root beer floats. 

Oak working on her phonics book (Get Ready For The Code A)

(I know some of these "school" pics look the same week after week, but I like to document every week what we have done. )

A found a fun math project that the kids really liked doing. 

It was just applying numbers to things about them. 

They turned out really cute!

I was so excited to get back on a somewhat normal school routine for us. We were able to get all of our morning chores done, breakfast and school done before 10:30 most days. I love that schedule because it leaves the rest of the day free for other things we would like to do. 

Oak and Mac both got to do some iPad educational games this week. 

After folding their clothes we had lunch. Hence the underwear as a hat on Oak. Silly kids.

When ever Mac turns on the Pirates Of The Caribbean station on Pandora they end up playing pirates. Happens every time! :)

We pulled out the trains this week. They caused a lot of problems with sharing and being kind. But by the end of the week, the kids did better and are now tired of playing with them. So I will put them back in the garage for a bit. 

We had foil dinners for dinner one night this week. We haven't done that in a long time. They were so good!

Wearing green for St. Patricks Day.

So I have never really talked to my kids about this holiday. I don't have one single decoration for it either. I would rather teach them about the real St. Patrick rather than just tell them this is what we do so I didn't really plan on saying anything to them about it. We ended up talking a bit about wearing green and Mac was not happy about wearing green because it is a "Duck" color. haha. 

Playing a math game.

I was trying to keep her busy while I helped Mac with something so last second I said she could practice writing our last name. She loved that idea, thankfully. And worked really hard. And little girls look extra cute doing things when they have knobs in their hair. 

She was so proud!

Mac is a math lover and a list maker. And this was totally his idea. He wrote out from 1 to 1000 counting by 10s. 

Cutie!

They helped me clean out the van. I can't get enough of how cute she is!

She randomly picked up the remote to use as a microphone and pretended to be a news caster. She talked about the traffic on the railways. It was hilarious.

I little math fun with skip bo cards. 

Mac practicing writing his first and last name. 

So my kids love our neighbor and especially love their dog Baxter. One day we were getting home from the store and our neighbor told us that Baxter was really sick and not doing good. It made my kids so sad and they both, on their own, came right in and said a prayer for Baxter. Last we talked to our neighbor, Baxter was doing a little bit better. 

Oak asked Master Church if she could lead warm ups. She is a go-getter. He let her and she did great with a little bit of help.

Oak had to make Baxter some pictures.

Playing dolls with her neighbor friend.

On his own he got out his animals and started separating them. Love when he does things like this.

So I had planned on taking the kids to see Cinderella on Friday, but Mac was sick so I decided that we would go yet. But Hubs offered to let Mac come sit in his office while we took Oak. So last minute we decided to go and last minute I asked Oak if she wanted to dress up. Best decision EVER. She was so excited to be all dressed up. 

It was the BEST movie! We loved it! My cheeks hurt from smiling so much during it!

That night Hubs and I went out to dinner and another movie. And while we were gone Oak started complaining about her ear hurting. And that turned into her not sleeping for the entire night. We just pushed the couches together and watched movies all night to distract her from the pain. She finally fell asleep after giving her some ibuprofen, at 6am and we both slept until 10:30am. 

The this is what we did the entire next day. Both kids were sick. Mac was still coughing with a fever. 

Oak's attempt at cursive. I think that's pretty good for a four year old. 

Oak is in quite the independent mood this morning and really wanted to paint her nails herself. love it!

Today is my birthday. 36! My hubby was so good to make it special. He took me out on such a great date the other night. Out to a movie and then a fancy, yummy restaurant. Then this morning I woke to breakfast in bed and a big, heavy gift. He got me something I have been wanting for awhile. And enamel covered dutch oven! The day is not over yet, and Hubs has made bread in it and pork chops and veggies. YUM!

Mac doing his snap circuit car on his own.