Visitors

We got to have two sweet visitors - Symone came in town from Pennsylvania for an appointment and squeezed in a visit.

 My dad,Troy, came and spent Saturday with us and treated us all to pizza.

It has been over a year since the kids had seen my dad so it was super special. He had lots of listening and watching (fancy tricks) to do. 

 

Sunday!

We headed to church this week and heard great news the kids will get to have a shortened socially distanced masked Primary but we are all super excited. I cannot wait to have 2nd hour church again! Getting closer to normal...

 

Mink

This beautiful creature decided to kill 24 chickens while we were on vacation.

 

Babysitting Night

 We traded the Askeroth family for dates and we got their crew on Friday night. I LOVE date night trade offs. So Fun for Everyone. 

The Wheel on the School

Yesterday, we had our monthly bookclub and it was perfect as usual. Since Covid just being in someone else house seems more special. I definitely do not take it for granite anymore or think it’s a standard. We went over to the Neulieb house and when we were pulling up I said to the kids this may be the last time we come to this house - they are moving. 

It was extra special for everyone. 

The Wheel on the School was our first book that really talked about wonder and seeing where it leads you. 

  Its about kids in school, storks, water, town life, and using old farm wheels for their nest. 

Little girls playing with Lyla. 

Clairana's drawing. 

 

Nephi led the craft - origami storks.  

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Little people playing dominoes and of course popcorn. 

Snack Time - Maybe half the crew. 

I love that Andon has his arm around Nephi  - our family has learned lots this year about Down Syndrome and the kids have done oh so well in loving him so much.  He spends our CC days with us and Levi has brought him home to play during the Essentials class. 

We will miss him when he returns back to Millie's parents in May. 

Clarinet and Clairana

 

We were driving home the other day and Clairana whipped out her clarinet and starting playing for all of us. We both have pretty much completely fallen in love with this instrument - I have to say that it helps that C is such a natural with it. She enjoys it so much and has almost past up my knowledge at this point -  Nephi and I have started learning from her. 

We have tried string instruments and the piano but it is obvious she loves this instrument and it makes it so much easier for all of us. 

She has weekly lessons at the local Christian private school but I have messages into most of the principals in the area to see if we can tour their facilities and sign her up for band. We shall see. 

Big 6th grade/middle school next year! 

Spring!

My recent bookclub book that I finished. The value of paying attention to old books. 

Perfect timing for right now. 

                     Buddy & Benji 

 

We snuck over to our neighbor's house and stole the pond for an afternoon this past week 

(it is Levi's grandparents home)

Coraline caught a fish! It was dead and she nicely scooped it up to show us and then she decided to bury it. 

Showing the three little girls how to kayak. 

Levi took Nephi down the Wildcat yesterday and Clairana down the Wildcat today so I took the little girls to the pond to do some kayaking. Thankfully, we did not get wet. 

Clairana with Levi floating down the creek!

They saw an eagle and a painted turtle. 

 

Our Week

Cecily and Lyla

Clairana and I on our double date with the boys. 

Cecily refused to take a nap and ended up asleep on the kitchen table. 

Friends and Gator Rides. 

This week Levi and Nephi stayed to watch how the Essentials class went - Grammar/Math/Writing 

Aunt Woody volunteered to watch the little girls and even offered to come early so we could go to lunch with just the olders. It was SUPER SPECIAL and EASY.