OK Land Run

A piece of OK history.  Brayden had a small land run in Kindergarten and I was at a little loss why it was such a big deal.  This year I was ready for it...although the two sided note that came home with instructions on appropriate dress and food still was a little overwhelming!  What I have realized is that no matter what the parents do...the kids have fun regardless.  I didn't go and watch but from the pictures I saw they all had huge smiles.  I was just happy the rain held off and they could have it outside.  Brayden wasn't a "sooner"  yes, I now know what that means,  but he did run like mad and stake his claim and then register it at the claims office.  The kids played some prairie day games:  marbles, and a game similar to duck duck goose but with a handkerchief.  They all brought lunches in tin pails with tin cups for water. The thing most interesting to Brayden was a button on a string that would spin, now if only that would take his interest off video games!  No plastic, so things were wrapped in paper or cloth...it took a little longer to make Braydens lunch yesterday morning!

They all had burlap sacks with their lunch, a flag, and hammer for staking their claim.

A Visit from Family

With my sister living in WI she actually has the option of driving to visit.  This past week was her kids spring break and they decided to drive to OK and spend the week with us!  Sad thing was that we were having 80 degree temps the day before she arrived and she literally pulled into our driveway with the cold front...including the big storm that came with it (Emily asked Sharon if they were going to die when she saw the storm clouds as they drove).  Even with colder weather we all had a great week full of fun.  The kids loved playing upstairs and outside on the tramp...so nice for them to always be busy.  My kids still had a school week so while my kids were at school we kept busy with Sharon and her kids.  I think James thought he was having the best week ever!!  We visited the aquarium, made a trip to the donut shop, headed out to the zoo and tagged along on Andrea's Easter Party.  It was quite a week.  The kids played hard and thankfully slept hard.  Kevin made it into town Thursday evening just in time for warmer weather and a round of golf....on a very busy golf course.  How special to have them around to celebrate Brayden's Birthday and then Easter.  Thanks to Sharon for getting her camera out!!

 Sharon's kids are about the only kids who have visited to love our dogs.  Ephie got so much attention and was so sweet to Emily, she was always looking for her in the morning if I didn't let her out of her crate...or if she didn't make it up the stairs.  We were all able to make it to Chapel Wed to see a nice presentation of all the Metro kids who worked on a project to pass on God's love to someone-very special to all be there.

Metro Video Link

 We all managed to stay up and awake for the fireworks at the drillers game Friday night...after our Good Friday service ( a little odd going off to baseball after worshiping our Lords death, but....)

Andrea's Easter party was at a friends house who has lots of animals-a huge hit for the kids.

He Has Risen!!

What a beautiful day to celebrate with family.

Total Lunar Eclipse

The blood moon....in case you missed it there was a lunar Eclipse this week.  Ron was determine to time lapse photo the entire event, without staying up all night.  Turned out we were up most of the night but he did get a program on the camera to work so it would take pictures throughout the evening on its own.  It was pretty neat seeing the different colors throughout the night.

Total Lunar Eclipse Video

More Birthday

Brayden is 10!! What a celebration.  He was all smiles today and would beam when the other kids told him Happy Birthday.  It was a "fluffy" egg for breakfast and then off to school.  Sharon and kids helped wish him a happy birthday by bringing him lunch and donuts to pass to his class...once again big smiles.  I don't know what made him happier, having lunch brought to him or just seeing us there.  I love that he still gives hugs-so much so that he still ran out and gave me a big hug and kiss as I was walking out of school.

He had just finished a huge dodgeball game between the third and fourth graders...they were all really sweaty!

After school he could hardly wait for his party.  We had friends over for Burger and fries....the food requested by Brayden.  It is amazing how many burgers even little ones can eat!  We kept on with the celebration with card/gifts followed by cake and ice-cream.

Brayden recieved a lot of special cards...thanks to all how sent him cards-the kids love reading them.

Braydens gift this year was a lego MindStorm EV3 set.  He is loving how it combines computer, legos and programing all in one project.  I think he could talk your ear for over an hour telling you about it.  Thanks to Ron for discovering this for him.

The party wouldn't be complete without silly string and a pinata....and no Brayden was not given any cans of silly string.  Somehow he managed to get them away from the younger kids.

A Big Birthday

So all birthday's are special but you turning double digits is a special one.  Yesterday the kids had off from school so we decided to invite some boys over and have a fun evening.  Brayden has been hounding us to take him to the new indoor tramp place called SkyZone, so we took him and some friends so check it out.  They had such a great time.  Dodge ball was the HUGE hit, especially when more boys showed up-what a crazy place.

                                                                   THE BOYS!

                                           NO, REALLY.....THESE ARE THE BOYS!!

Dodge ball paradise!!

After getting good a sweaty we took the boys to a park and had a little scavenger hunt...clues that led them around the park hunting for pieces to a rocket set.  It took the boys a while to figure out what the pieces were and none of them could figure out what was 10 feet tall!

After getting all the pieces we headed to a fields and shot off the rocket...thankfully it worked and lasted for each boy to press the ignition button.

James covered his ears for about an hour straight!  He still hates any loud sound.  We headed back to the house for pizza and movie....although I think the boys would have enjoyed just ramming and playing for another couple hours.  They have so much crazy energy-burping, wrestling, giggling, laughing, and always all talking over each other.  A fun day and night!

How are things going?

People love to ask this question, and I am not sure they are really wanting a true answer.  Most times the classic response is great, or things are going well...just more of the same.  At this point, I am not sure I can hold it all in, so I will post instead of talking off someones ear off (another idiom, which is another conversation in itself).  You would think things would be going smoothly by this time in our school year.  I could only wish.  This month once again we are late in our book report...in fact Becca couldn't even find her book for a week and finally informed me she discovered it next to her bed ( the pile of clutter I would rather just trash!)  Now that we have the book we no longer have the instructional sheet for the book report!  Brayden is still wearing dress pants due to colder weather and now both pair have huge grass and dirt stains and I know will not last even though I just bought them last week.  Uniforms are great but for some reason he is adamant about wearing a blue uniform shirt leaving him dig in the laundry, which this week is not getting done  Actually it is done it just doesn't get put away...if you need clothes at our house just check the mounting pile of laundry on the washer and in the dryer  Yesterday his homework folder was left on the table, following a  nice bright red note from his teacher asking where his homework was??  Andrea is a classic girl basket case most mornings, whining and crying about most everything.  Most mornings it is hair-which I am about to chop off.  Today was spring pics which caused our morning to explode-trying to find dresses that didn't rub just impossible.  Maybe they should just where a big t-shirt and call it good.  Shoes are a pain-either too loose or they rub.  Today their were five pairs of dress sandals for Andrea to wear...all resulting in tears.  Both girls left with socks and shoes in their backpack, after I about kicked them out the door.  Whose idea is spring pics anyway-does anyone really order those pictures with that fake backdrop!!  To top it off it was Andrea's snack day-gluten free snacks are just a pain and would you know the grapes looked horrible last night, at the store.  Yes, last night at the store, even though I was there Monday returning a redbox a day late.  The teacher requests they be individually packaged and not sugar...she got a bag of cookies today, I almost sent a box of fruit snacks.
  Okay, life isn't so bad, although my watch did die yesterday and I am so sick of looking at my wrist!  Making James and I 10min late for a 30min speach class....what is the point??  if I could just hang out with the kids and not have to be a responsible parent it just might be a little more fun.  Someone mentioned the responsibilities of a wife to me and how much work it took to do everything we need to do....they suggested it might be a whole lot easier if we hired a wife to help the wives.  Sounds pretty good to me. Then I might have someone to run all the errands I need to do today so we can enjoy our life at home.  There are moments which I love, seeing the girls play in a closet for two hours with such imagination is so fun. Picking up Andrea from school and her greeting me with a toothless grin because her beyond lose tooth finally fell out.   Listening to Brayden work on a song much harder than he can play but is determined to learn it because it is by Beethoven, a composer he learned about at school.  Having James tell me his Bible story about Jesus dying on the cross, and then looking at me to tell me that his isn't dead-he is alive.
         "Like that song mommy, God's not dead he's surely alive, he's living on the inside...."  Picture him singing in a rock and roll voice.  These are the things that make me happy-not if the house is clean or laundry done-this is what I need to remember when things get a little crazy or the house and animals are just driving me nuts.

Fun Times

This time of year always seems to get a little busy.  I really can't complain except that lately it seems that the kids are just growing up way to fast.  It hit me that since we had babies they have gradually been working on independence in some sort of fashion. Seeing them run off with friends and not need me by their side is so freeing for them, and a bit unnerving for me...although it makes me smile to see them so happy. I love seeing them so free from worry and loving life.  I just wish I could have some of their endless energy!

Andrea's Pink Patriots Soccer team.  She loves playing and learning the game

These were from last Sat.  She was determined to score for Daddy's birthday!

 This is what girls do doing their breaks.

Even though we spend a seemingly amount of time at practices I am finding they are so good in many ways.  It helps me connect with moms I might not see or talk to, and the kids even the ones along to watch get some play time with other siblings along for that hour.  Yesterday Brayden was out on an empty soccer field during Andrea's game with about five kids warming them up for their game...and loving it.