Spring Break for Collette- Can't stop won't stop

I went into Spring Break thinking of all the things I was going to get caught up on.   Then Emily brought out a present one of her friends had given her.  A 500 piece puzzle.  We sat down on a rainy Saturday and booked it through all of the puzzle except the puppies.  Then all we had left was the dang puppies that were all the same color.    It sat on the table most of the day Sunday with all of us figuring out a piece here and there but we weren't making progress.  Monday came along and it was far from being completed.   Something about me that I've known for a long time is I hate leaving things undone, incomplete, half finished.    It's one of the strengths can be your weaknesses.  Well with puzzles, especially this one it was a weakness thing.  For a couple of days I became so obsessed and stressed about it that was consuming all of my time.

I was so consumed with this darn thing I had no idea my picture was being taken

 I just had to have it done.  Bart helped a little with some begging and the kids were long gone with boredom.    So I worked and worked until around 12:30 at night and finally the last piece was placed.

I looked over my work and thought "What a waste of time,  how dumb am I too stay up this late to complete this puzzle that will only be destroyed."   

Total waste of time those dang puzzles, unless of course your trying to ward off Alzheimers.  My brain really hurt after I was done.  It was just like the time when I was young and we found minesweeper on the 1st computer my parents ever purchased.  Each time I would close my eyes I would see the box I should push that didn't have a mine.  I tried to sleep but each time I closed my eyes I saw a stupid puzzle piece that needed to be placed.  

I also regretted my decision to give Emily a Harry Potter 750 piece puzzle for her birthday.  (She told everyone all she wanted was a puzzle).   I made Emily hold her hand to the square and solemnly promise to not get out this puzzle until at least the end of the school year.  I'm sort of hoping it gets lost but then I'm sort of excited to start it too.  

P.S.  Stay tuned for Bart's Spring Break trip in May!!!

Spring Break for Spencer- maybe a little too much carting around

Spencer was so happy to have all of his favorite audience around for Spring Break.  His sisters were at his beckon call to hold him and cart him around all week.    He also loved having 2 girls practicing to become professional photographers at his beckon call.  They kept showing me all their pictures saying this one should go on the wall.

Spencer's hicup of Spring Break occurred when after church the doorbell rang and Jane while holding Spencer ran to get the door and snagged his poor little head on a stereo knob thing on the wall.    He cried for a second while the blood was gushing out of his head and then he stopped crying as if all was well in the world again. Unfortunately all was not well as he needed staples so it was off to the insta care.  Jane was the most traumatized by the event and kept whimpering sorry Spencer, oh Spencer I'm so sorry is he going to be ok.  She did this all the way to the insta care and while waiting for the doctor so  I finally told her to stop saying she's sorry it's driving me crazy because as you can tell by the pictures below he had obviously moved on.    

I asked Jane to take a couple of pictures of Spencer while we were waiting for the Dr.  I  tried to pull a so sorry my baby is hurt face but Spencer was a barrel of smiles the entire time we were waiting that I couldn't be anything but happy with him.  

The screaming only started while they were holding him down.  I wonder if it was more from being held down, which he hates with every bone in his body, than actual pain because as soon as they released him he happyed right up.

Even writing this I want to say "Poor baby" but it feels wrong considering he hasn't given any hint that he feels at all sorry for his mishap.  He is such a joy in our family.

Spring Break for Emily - It's my party!!!!

Emily, put all those you tube tutorial hours to use as she spent the entire week getting ready for her birthday party.     When she asked me if she could have a party I pretty much said "Sure if you plan it and do everything by yourself. "    She loves it when I give her the reins and stepped up and produced a fabulous party!!

She found this invitation on line and emailed it to Aunt Ally who did her magic and personalized it.

Sunday night Emily gave me a list of materials she needed so we got on walmart.com and placed a pick up grocery order and she took over from there.

She asked for some construction paper, craft sticks, glue gun and string and made a whole bunch of decorations.

She even made ice cream topping bowls out of melted white chocolate and sprinkles.

She found some cute printable "stickers" and made a gallon of fun for take home party favors.

She spent so much time cleaning our house to get it ready and would often capitalize on Aaron's friends being on spring break and whenever the doorbell would ring would say "Aaron your friends are here why don't you all ride your bikes around"  Just to get him out of her clean house.  She knows Aaron well.

We served sloppy joes, chips, carrots and cream soda.

Then Emily brought out a couple fun games she had planned.

One was a game where you had to "add more scoops to the ice cream"  Basically your challenge was to stack these blocks 6 high using 2 ice cream scoops before someone else could roll a six.  If you could do that you got to eat an M&M out of the bowl and the first person with all of their M&M's gone won the game.

The girls had a blast with this fast pace game.

Emily then gave them each a piece of paper and a pen.  She had previously written 25 different flavors of ice cream on her paper.  There challenge was to write down what they thought were her 25 different flavors and for each flavor that was the same as Emily's they got a point.  The person with the most points win.

While Emily was opening her presents she played a game where she closed her eyes and each girl came up and told Emily Happy Birthday in a crazy voice and Emily tried to guess whose voice that was.  If she guessed it right she could open the present and if she guessed it wrong they hid the present somewhere and she had to search to find it.

Finally we brought out the ice cream with waffle cones and all the fixins for an ice cream Sundae!!

I told Emily she's a natural at creating the perfect party.  I'm looking forward to many more great parties planned by her.  

Spring Break for Aaron- Take your kids to work day

This cute boy loved all the extra time he was able to play with his best brother Spencer as well as his friends since most of them are kindergarteners and were home all day to roam the neighborhood.   

He also has been asking for weeks if he could come to school at my school.  So for a couple of days we had a bring your kids to work.   I'm pretty sure I'd win the best place to bring your 4 year old to work considering I work in a preschool.  He got to spend his day with the kids I work with exploring the classroom,  listening to stories, singing at music time and sitting up to a great snack of goldfish.    He did earn his keep that day as he did what Aaron does best interacting with other kids and getting them to talk just a little more.  

Spring Break for Jane- Binge worthy

 My girls and I most often have different Spring Breaks.  This creates rather boring breaks because we can never go anywhere.  This year I felt like each of my kids had their own different experiences during the week.
For instance take Jane...

The day before the break started her friend and neighbor Sofia introduced her to to a T.V. series "Hunter Street" (a kids mystery show).      After watching the first episode Jane was hooked.   Other than an unexpected trip to fix a tooth at the dentist and the list she had to complete everyday, she became a different child for a few days as she  binge watched an entire season.   She told me she wanted to have every day a Pajama day since we didn't have a lot going on.  She took that very seriously.    I'd come home from work and she would still be in her pajamas glued to the TV trying to figure out who kidnapped the kids parents.    One night she came down saying she couldn't fall asleep because all she could think about was Saginash (the villain of the show).   The season Finale aired on Friday and thankfully she turned back into my busy productive Jane again.

Yesterday when we were browsing through RC Wiley Jane wanted me to take her picture in this recliner.  Pretty much sums up Jane's Spring Break.

Emily age 11

 Like it or not  Emily is 11.

I couldn't be happier with such a fine girl she is.  She's continually striving to accomplish extra things such as memorizing things like the Declaration of Independence or being chosen for a solo performance with her schools orchestra.  She's creative, talented and a hard worker but most important she continues to have a kind heart.  She's often the one in the family when there is contention between siblings to give extra comfort to one who needs it.   She came back from Viola lessons a few weeks ago and said "Mom when we got off the freeway I saw a homeless man standing there with a sign.  I was thinking maybe there is something we could do for him like when we did the lemonade stand for the boy with cancer"

How lucky I am that Emily is in my family.  

Piano Recital 2017

Emily and Jane rocked their piano recital this year.  Since my mom was in town for Grandparent's Day she stayed over a night and went to their recital.    My mom is such an inspiration to my girls to keep practicing because they've seen all the many adventures and service my mom is able to perform with her gift.

Jane played Take me out to the Ballgame as well as the Minute

Emily played Allegro and Fur Elise