2015 Week Seventeen - Nineteen | April 20 - May 10

As I started to work on week 17 for project life yesterday, I had a feeling of dread. I took a total of 3 pictures the entire week. And now that it's two months later, it's not like I can run and snap a few to add to it (motivator to stay current in PL perhaps...). Turns out, I didn't take that many more for weeks 18 or 19, so they actually all fit in a two page spread. Looking on the bright side, what normally would have filled three two-page spread takes only one, leaving more space in the album for other layouts, and allows me to get caught up that much faster.

Little Miss Annaliese had kindergarten round-up Friday afternoon.  She LOVED the two hours she spent with her future teachers and couldn't wait to share her projects with me. I sat through an hour parent meeting and thought to myself how much easier this is the second time around. How much I don't have to worry about things. How totally ready she is to go. 

I went mushroom hunting for the first time in my life that week. They were still pretty tiny, and blend in so well with the leaves. I was thinking there would just cover the ground, almost like plants in a garden. I didn't expect them to be so scattered and to really have to search for them. 

More mushroom hunting this week, only this time we got a haul and they're much bigger. Darrin breads them in saltines and cooks them in butter. I hate them (the texture is nasty and they're a fungus for goodness sake) and the kids taste for them depends on the day, so it's a lot for Darrin to eat on his own. 

Before shower shenanigans.

When not having screen time, and Ian's not busy reading, I can often find the kids sitting at their table playing UNO with TMNT cards. Just the two of them. They compare how many 'good cards' they got and often make up their own rules. Surprisingly, I don't hear arguing all that often. 

At the start of the week, the weather didn't look too promising, and it held true. We got some amount of rain each day.

Andrew Luck, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, held a Q&A session at Darrin's work. Darrin was then able to get his autograph and a picture with him (Darrin's work printed it there, and I'm too lazy to scan it. It will go in the album, though). 

2015 Week Sixteen | April 13 - 19

Often, they spend many mornings in their own rooms, doing their own things (Ian-reading, Annaliese-playing). But some mornings, when I step out of the shower, I can hear them playing and imagining together and it brings such a smile to my face. They are each other's best friends, even if they won't admit it. 

First spring in the new house and I welcomed it by putting window boxes on the front porch railing. I failed to water them before we left for vacation, though, and now I'm crossing my fingers the flowers rebound, because some are pretty brown... 

Ian had his scarf ceremony on Friday night. He moved from a wolf to a bear in cub scouts. You can tell we don't deal with flames much here; he struggled to light the candles. 

Darrin went on stage with him to give him his badges. When all was said and done, the yellow scarf was gone and a light blue one in its place.  

We joined the public library in our new hometown this week. Not sure why we waited so long. We shouldn't have waited so long because Ian is going through his books from there like crazy. Now that we're a few months away from this, I can say that we usually go every Saturday, Ian checking out 5 or 6 books, and having most of them read before we go again the following week. 

2015 Week Twelve | March 16 - March 22

Well today began the first day of summer vacation, and what better way to kick it off than by sharing pictures of the last half of spring break... I'm just a bit behind, if you can't tell (what's new?!).  

Spring break continued for Monday and Tuesday of this week, then we all headed back to school on Wednesday. Darrin headed back to work full time. I teased that since we were home all day, he decided he'd rather be at work.  At the end of the week, we celebrated a little guy's second birthday (and Annaliese got sick). 

Monday was spent exploring the botanical gardens.  They built a beautiful conservatory, which is very hot and humid inside due to the tropical plants growing there.  It was beautiful. The kids had fun exploring all it's hidden corners. 

But the real reason we went to the gardens was to check out the Lego sculptures. They had something similar several years ago, and a different set of sculptures were back this year.  

This rototiller was fun- chilling on a shelf above the blades was a Lego dude chilling and eating pizza.  

Gotta love photo ops. 

After the gardens, we headed to the zoo.  It took us an hour to get in, something unheard of, but we had to wait in a crazy long line to renew our membership (apparently the fact it was over 80 that day brought a lot of people out).  We were running short on time after that, so we had to hit our favorite spots. Top of the list- the aquarium. 

Another stop was the fossil dig, which is thankfully little tiny rubber pellets, so they don't have sand stuck to them all day long. 

And a stop to see the sea lions. Ian wants to grow up and be a zoologist, specifically he wants to train the sea lions to do tricks.  I think we need to go to Sea World...

Tuesday we were lazy enjoying the last day of break, except for Ian, who had to finish his spring break work packet.  No idea how that's comfortable, but apparently it gets the job done (note to self, we need to buy higher stools for this house). 

This big guy turned TWO and we celebrated on Saturday at his pigeon party.  Well, Ian and I did. Annaliese threw up over the night, so Darrin stayed home with her. 

Ian discovered what it's like to be the only kid over 4 at the party.  He was quite adept at the games, and I could usually find him in Walter's room reading books instead of playing with the kids. 

Speaking of Walter- Godmom Selfie! 

And that girl who was sick during the night, yeah, she probably could have gone to the party judging how good she felt while playing at home with Darrin. 

Selfie with Daddy :) 

2015 Week Eleven | March 9 - March 15

After a beginning of the week that was same-old, same-old, the second half of the week brought spring break.  

Spring break began with Ian's first sleepover. I picked him and his best friend up after school and they had so much fun exploring the woods behind our house... 

playing X-BOX... 

and air hockey.  It was a success and I'm sure he'll be back a lot.  He's such a polite and loving kid; Ian couldn't have chosen a better one for his best friend.  

We met Ian's friend's mom at the school playground, and after playing outside for awhile, it was hot and, being the person that I am who never passes up a reason to have ice cream, we headed to DQ to cool down. 

The kids had fun at the school playground the day before (it's not the school Ian attends- he goes to one farther from home, but closer to where I work), so we decided to ride bikes to it the next day and play again.  I opted to "walk" so I could help Annaliese on the hills, but when she was on flats, I ended up running to keep up.  I think this will be a common thing this summer, and hopefully she won't need my help on the hills and I can ride my bike, too.

Having fun at the park swinging. 

That weekend there was a birthday party for my grandma.  In route, we realized Ian had forgotten his books at home. The kid reads three to four hundred pages a weekend, so this was a huge catastrophe.  Kindle, McDonald's wifi, and a public library that allows Kindle checkouts to the rescue.  He discovered the "Heroes in Training" series and was in heaven... once we constructed some shade so he could see the screen. 

The birthday girl's party was a luau theme at a hotel pool. Youngest 85-year-old I know.  She loved watching her great-grandchildren having fun in the pool 

The kids only got out to eat, and when my aunt we were supposed to stay with came down with the flu, the kids convinced me to stay at the hotel so they could swim in the morning. Hoping for some great weather this summer so we can enjoy our pool at home.  

On the drive home on Sunday, I may have planned it so that we left the motel at the perfect time to stop by Steak and Shake for lunch... just to make Darrin, who stayed home (something about a recently broken leg and a four-hour car ride...)  jealous.  The kids were complaining when we got there, and asking to stop the next time we drove by when we left.  Nothing beats their shakes and cheese fries.  YUM!

2014 Week 10 | March 3 - March 9

Let's celebrate Cinco de Mayo by taking a look back at what happened during the week that contained Cinco de Marzo.

After nearly a year's hiatus, the kids started back to swimming lessons on Saturday. It wasn't without some screaming, tears, and arms holding out to us from Annaliese, but once we went behind the observation wall, she was all smiles and loving every minute.

We grabbed dinner at my favorite restaurant in town, Lazlo's.  The kids always get ice cream with chocolate shell topping there for dessert, and Annaliese was sharing every other bite with Darrin or me.  She is like that with her desserts, always willing to share with us. Love her!

This weekend we broke out the short sleeves for the first time. Annaliese was super excited to wear this new outfit and give Baby Belle a ride on her bike.

They both brought their "babies" outside to play.

While Ian got some pointers on using a drill, Annaliese took Baby Belle for a ride in the stroller, and then asked me to snap a picture of them. 

Wednesday night Seekers started back up again, and with that, Ian had his first bell rehearsal. He's the youngest player. I'm helping out, and I never fully appreciated how hard this players and teachers have worked as I sat in the pews in years past.  Most of the students, much like Ian, have no idea how to read sheet music.  It is a lesson in patience!   On the photo on the right, the weather warmed up for the weekend, but even during the week when it was cooler, they were out enjoying the sunshine with their babies.  Ian is trying to stick Racky up in the tree...

No Hands!

That is, from Darrin and I.  The weather was beautiful tonight, so we loaded up the kids' bikes , and headed up to the church parking lot so Ian had a flat, straight stretch on which to practice.  We've done this once before, shortly after his birthday two months ago, but that's been it.  It was a rough start, and I thought it wasn't going as well as our first visit.  The next thing I know, I look up, and Darrin's running along side of him instead of holding on, and that scene was repeated over and over.  He freaked out initially when we'd let go, but when he realized he could make it more than a few seconds, that was all she wrote.

Ian wasn't the only one out there cruisin' tonight. Annaliese was flying on her bike and loving every minute of it.

 

Project Life 2013 | Week 18

Nothing like a bit of a hiatus. Last time I posted a project life spread, it was week nine's.  Nothing like skipping nine weeks. This isn't even the most current. Week 18 is the start of my second album for this year. As of today, I am entirely caught up- last week is even finished. Hopefully with summer vacation, it will continue, but this is the time I fell apart last year and really got behind. Trying hard not to have that happen this year.  Here's a look at these weeks:

Week 18: April 28-May 5


 

Highlights this week: We planted the garden, it snowed, made homemade pizza, spent the weekend scrapping for National Scrapbook Day, the kids played together like always.

On Monday, I planted peas, carrots, lettuce, spinach, and potatoes in our garden.

On Tuesday, I noticed our lilacs would be blooming soon.

On Thursday, May 2, we woke up to snow on the ground. It melted by the end of the day, but what a strange sight for May.

I love watching Ian independently read. He's learned so much in Kindergarten.  They're both great helpers in the kitchen. Here they helped roll dough for homemade pizza.

I'm so thankful I have two kids. They are great at playing together and entertaining each other. They love to run down the hill in the backyard.

Play castle/house/rescue workers, and Batman

Relax on the couch (I think they were pretending it was a Batmobile)

And they danced together like a princess and prince.