Spring Break Day6 - Planting/Gardening

We normally wait until Mother's Day to start planting but the Weathercaster's and the garden experts say before Easter this year. So we decided to get a start.

Grandma and Grandpa Witte did square foot gardening and had great success and my Cleverley friends have done it too, so we thought - it's time.

I had Nathan build our bed's bigger in the back because of the tomatoes.  

Just one box, 4x8.

32 squares.

We planted tomatoes, parsnips, spinach, corn, peas, watermelon, bell peppers,

carrots, brussel sprouts, and onions.

We hope to be more successful this year. We put more money into it, so here's hoping. :P

While Nathan worked on sawing logs...no really. :)

The kids danced, and I took on this project...

 Seriously, it is a jungle up front.

 I found a bunch of bulbs in my weed ripping stage.

This is not even 1/2 of what we bought. I think this was for the front.

So, we started planting bushes and such in the front, and Nathan came up to help.

 We rearranged the front rock formations. The kids had so many jobs. Some more important than others -

(thank you B for caring so much about ruining your pants)

 Juliet, laughed and laughed.

Lunch, nap, backyard time.

Oh wait! Here is the new front.

It doesn't look like I did that much, but I did! I need to take it from a different angle because it looks like a bunch of rocks instead of U's which is what it is.

In a few weeks it will be yellows, reds, pinks and purples!

Okay, now to the back.

Juliet woke up ready to work.

Or watch Lucas and Nathan work -- that is. :)

 Lucas is so much like his father. He needs to unwind his mind by working.

Mason could care less.

He looks huge here, until you see someone normal sized next to him...

Perspective is everything!

The girls pranced and played outside. 

Scarlett woke up with her "polka-dottie shoes with oriole socks"

Such a trend setter. Haha.

Then, it was planting time!

 I wrote on rocks so we knew what was planted.

So exciting.

the view from the 3rd floor.

Next weekend, rota tilling and re-sodding. F-U-N!

The kids fell asleep quickly and Nathan and I went shortly after. Whew!

Spring Break Day5 - Swimming

I promised we would go swimming as soon as Mason was born.

The day I got home from the hospital, the kids said "Yay! We can go swimming!"

I told them it would be better if we waited until Daddy could come and they agreed.

The clouds parted and Friday came and...it was time to go swimming!!!

They were so excited about it they told the Hampson's over and over about it.

(They were over in the morning for a playdate/babysitting practice)

So, we stopped at Target to buy Lucas new swim stuff because he is no longer a 4. 

Oy! How did that happen?

I bought him a 6/7 because for some reason no store carries a 5/6. They carry a 4/5 and a 6/7.

How stupid. Its the same as when you are looking for an odd size in women's. I had this problem the other day. The even size was too big and the next even size down was too small. ugh.

After I gave the cashier a piece of my mind, we headed off.

(in a nice way, of course.) :)

Mason was not approved for swim. Which is fine, he isn't 4 months yet and the new reg's say less than 4 months is not recommended. Easy.

 Juliet tried to walk on water. Hahaha.

 Then she tried to eat it. 

 The kids had a great time. It was nice seeing everyone playing and swimming without me or Nathan.

Nathan took the kids on the slides and I told Scarlett to stay on the bench. She didn't listen, and ventured into the deep deep part and almost drowned. The lifeguard even jumped in the water to save her. I got to her first, swooped her up, like only a mother (and former lifeguard) could and picked her up. She was startled and said "I couldn't kick myself up!"

There was a report filed. The head lifeguard asked how I got to her first and I simply told her, "I am her mother...THAT is how I got to her first." She can swim. I told her to stay on the bench and normally she does. We had a long talk about deep water and why the lifeguard had to jump in. What is funny (not that any part of that is funny) but..the lifeguard right by Scarlett didn't even see her. 

After that, we took the kids to Sonic. They got to eat in the car. IN THE CAR!

Then we took them to the nursery to pick up dirt for tomorrow...

Spring Break Day4 - A Suprise

I woke the kids up. I told them to hurry up and put their shoes on. They were so out of it still and putting shoes on over footed jammies is hard to do. I was rushing them and told them to get in the car quick.  They all had a stunned look on their face.

 They asked if they could come in, or if it was like the gas station where I leave them in the car. I told them they could come in - if we could take a quick picture.

 Lucas said, "d-I-ner, dinner? Where are we?" Bridget shouted "A restaurant!" 

I took them to Gunther Toody's

 It was a suprise to them! They never get to eat Breakfast out! AND in their jammies?!? I felt like I had won the cool mom award. My prize was everyone eating ALL of their breakfast. Seriously!

 Lucas ate all of his, and the rest of Juliet's.

 She ate quite a bit. But, he didn't want to waste anything.

 Pascal, I mean Mason, was giving me this puppy dog face for a piece of bacon. :)

After breakfast we drove home and spent the rest of the day watching movies and eating crap.

Popcorn, Rolo's, and we made dessert for Nathan's work party for tomorrow.

It was a great lazy day, and they kept going on and on about their surprise breakfast. :)

Spring Break Day3 - Cooking

This day should be called "food appreciation" or "mom appreciation"

I really want my kids to love food, and love making food.

It is important to me that they get as much exposure in the kitchen as possible, and soon they will be in the dinner rotations at home. I want them to know what to do, and like doing it. 

Okay, off soapbox.

This morning we made bread together. This is the recipe I use when the kids "help."

The recipe I normally use makes 4 loaves, and takes some time. This recipe makes one quick wheat loaf and we are good to go. :)

After that, Scarlett drew the Breakfast card.

She picked Toasted Coconut Ebelskivers.

Juliet ate her fair share...

 She even snuck one off Nathan's plate!

After our morning routine it was time for Lucas to make dessert.

I let him pick something and he chose ice cream.

Lucky for us I found these awesome squeeze pops.

They are plastic and have lids and are dishwasher safe! I bought 24 of them for $18

Score!

So - Oprah.com has this link on Ice Pops and ratios.

Lucas made a plan and then did the rest on his own.

 Nathan liked it!

Scarlett couldn't eat it fast enough. :)

After nap, Bridget had a chance in the kitchen.

She had drawn the "snack card"

I used to make Granola Bars all the time, but stopped when I had kids. 

This is a great starter recipe: Granola Bars 

Again, Juliet acted as if this was her last meal.

Nathan was about to jump my bones! He loves homemade granola, gorilla bars, anything like that.

He was ready to go out and buy more ingredients so we could eat this stuff all of the time!

I had to break it to him that, this wasn't even my best stuff. Haha.

I love granola too. I have so many recipes from my friends that I still haven't tried.

Ryan O'B...I am making yours this weekend!

I really enjoyed how each kid gave and got their own time with me. There was no fighting or arguing.

They knew when it was their time, no one would bother them.

Even Mason chilled in the seat while we cooked.

I made the most delicious French Onion Soup ever.

It was so deep in flavor and it was healthy.

Lucas also mentioned to his Auntie that being a mom is hard work, there is so much preparation and reading to make sure our food is good and right! It kinda made me feel good that he correlated the two. :)

I love days like this. It makes me feel good to know that how we are raising our children is working for us, and that we are getting the results we want.

Spring Break Day2 - Go to the Zoo

We met up with some PB friends today. Dawn (Eva and Sophie)
and Lindsey (Paige and Finley) It was a last minute thing, but worked out. :) 

I was also lucky enough to run into my friend Mellisa Lubbick. I see her everywhere! Even at the Target I never go to - she somehow seems to be there too. :) It was really funny!

The zoo was crazy busy because of Spring Break. I asked the kids if they were sure they wanted to go since the elephants don't open up till June, but they wanted to see friends and see the "other" animals. So, we did.

 When did these 3 get so big?
I just can't believe it.

 Even though I said the zoo was busy, you would never guess with the backgrounds of these pics.
Hardly anyone back there.

Lucas really liked Eva listening to him.
He had everything planned out and just needed someone to follow his ideas.
Eva was so cute, nodding and listening. :)

Juliet really wanted out of that stroller.

 Paige, Finley, Bridget and Lucas enjoyed the sea lions.
This was the highlight of the day.
They were super active and wrestling and making sounds.

 We stopped to use the bathrooms and Dawn took the girls (thank you, thank you, thank you)
I watched the strollers and Lucas with the peacocks.

 Lucas named this one Maurice.
Maurice?

 Sophie was laughing until the peacock flew on the roof. She was so captivated by them.

We stopped for lunch. We had our traditional "mom made" lunchables - kids were happy.

 Mason needed to be changed and to stretch out. See that double chin? He is fattening up!!!

 Sophie and Juliet stretching out.

 3 cute 4 year olds. All with November birthdays!

 Eva, Bridget, Scarlett, Paige, Juliet, MEAN GIRL, and Finley.
This mean girl was being a punk to Juliet. Her mom was pregnant and just being mean herself. Juliet was just trying to stand there and that girl was pushing her off. Good luck with that new baby. haha.

We rode the carousel, then Paige and Finley left and Dawn and our crews continued on to the apes and monkeys.

Eva and Scarlett on the drums.

It was a fun day. We were there 4 hours.
The kids were done, and on the way home we stopped for a slushee.