Cutest Kindergarten Work

I love opening Emily's backpack when we get home. Kindergarten always makes the cutest art projects and I love to see Emily's progression. She has come a long way this year. This week they celebrated Earth Day. For one day, they didn't use the trash can and threw their trash all over the floor. A good lesson on pollution. In art, they used recyclable goods to make robots.

They have also been studying poetry. Here is Emily's acoustic poem about her robot. I love here phonetic spelling.
My robot...
Rile hcine.
On the sad at the behc.
Big Robot
Opra si wut my Robot likes.
Talr si wt my Robot likes.

Really shiny.
On the sand at the beach.
Big Robot.
Opera is what my robot likes.
Taylor is what my Robot likes.

Here is Emily's habitat that she made for an elephant. She also made a poster about things she learned.

Occasionally I've helped out in the classroom this year. I feel at home here and miss teaching kindergarten.

Don't you love the expression on Emily's face in the photo above. She was working in a group making a poster of hot and cold foods. The two boys put a decorated cupcake on the hot side and she was telling them, "You are wrong! Cupcakes are not hot. They are cold."

I had so much fun watching her interact with others and Rachel loved being there as well.

2nd Grade Writing

One of Joshua's big school projects this year was a research report on Scorpion Fish.

All of this was done at school and his teacher did a great job of breaking down the project.

These pictures are of the rough draft. He carefully wrote everything into a hard bound book.

My favorite part of the book was about the author.

To end the project, there was an Author's Reception where we saw all of the kids books and signed them. Joshua was very proud of his work.

Easter Weekend Festivities

Saturday morning, we attended the best Easter Hunt ever at our local grocery store Kroger. Rachel's age group started first at 10:00 and there were only 4 other kids her age. She was able to see the Easter Bunny hiding candy in the grass so she finally understood. She filled her basket full and then Emily, Nathan, and Joshua were able to finish off the stuff left behind. We came home with too much candy!

Allan had another amazing football game this weekend. He has improved so much from last year and is much more consistent in his plays. He comes home so happy from each game.

The Easter Bunny challenged the kids this year to find 32 eggs of a certain color. The hunt lasted for about 25 minutes until all of the treats were found.

High(er) Expectations

As all moms, I worry. I worry about all of kinds of things but this week, I've wondered if I have done a good job teaching my kids how to work hard. I worry about whether they really know how to do hard things and roll up their sleeves and get to it. I think we live in a time where we give our kids too much. We are quick to help them with their homework or out of problems. I know I do sometimes. This week I cracked down on the kids and I shared my expectations. When we were doing the yard work, I wanted to see them work like the "Mexcians." Have you seen them do yard work? They breeze through yet it still looks good.

I wish I would have taken some before pictures. The yard looks much better.

Easter Egg Hunt for Rachel

Today I took Rachel to a playgroup Easter Egg Hunt with tons of friends from the ward. It was so much fun! I was so excited about it because now that she is 2 1/2, I knew that she really gets what it is all about. With an empty basket in hand she heard the words, "On your mark, get set, GO!" and she was off. She ran all over the park and slowed down occasionally and picked up an egg. I caught with her and peeked in her basket.
I laughed! Of course all of the eggs she picked up were pink and purple with the exception of an yellow sponge bob egg. She passed by hundreds of other eggs to get what she wanted.

Nathan is 11

To start off Nathan' special day, we ate some delicious bunny pancakes. So cute!

For lunch, we ate with him on the stage at school. We brought in pizza and cupcakes.

Allan joined us for lunch. He brought Rachel over to his lunch table. She was in the spotlight!

While Nathan was at piano lessons the day before, I had Johsua and Emily help me buy some things that Nathan LOVES. I made Nathan's favorite cake - Chocolate Mousse Cake. So delicious it can be addiciting.

Joshua and Allan were so kind this year and used their own money (This is a huge thing since they really have no way of earning money) to each buy him a present. It was a great day!!!

Spring Weekends

The weather was perfect for an Easter Hunt. The Spring Fest had a ton of fun carnival games and the kids came home with a ton of plastic egg filled with prize toys.

We also did some much needed weeding, pruning, and cleaning out the beds. Next weekend we will finish pruning and add new mulch. Allan has gotten so quick and efficient at mowing the lawn so we had Nathan take a turn.

Allan had an amazing football game and caught many passes. He played most of the game. They won 20 to 13.

It was a great weekend!

And last week, I discovered how seriously Joshua takes school assignments. He and a group had to write a dialogue to perform in front of his class that had a community worker. He said that he needed a shark and police uniform. Can I say he went the extra mile? His group was the only group with costumes!

TV and My Projects

It is sad for me to admit but, Rachel is addicted to tv. Yes. It is one of the only ways I can really get things done. She will not play by herself. I have to work really hard at getting her to do other things so I can get things done. So this past week, I have tried to keep her busy until 12:30 and then I let her watch until we leave at 2:35 to pick up the kids from school.

This is Rachel in her spot! She kicks her feet back in the recliner.

I still am continuing to work out at the gym. I do it because I love the way I feel in the end. When I am sweaty and tired, I'm left with the distance my legs carried me. And feelings of power and pride.

While getting things done, I've listened to the following things on the Mormon Channel.
Enduring it Well - Episode 09: Beauty’s True Depth - Meg Johnson
Conservations - Episode 04: Elder L. Tom Perry and Sister Perry
- Episode 01: Elder David A. Bednar and Sister Bednar
- Episode 10: Elder M. Russell Ballard and Sister Ballard
Conservations - Episode 15: Sister Beck

These episodes are all so inspiriational!

And to close this post, I have to share some tiny accomplishments. Here are a few tasks that have been weighing on me for anywhere from 2 to 6 months, and that I have finally checked off this week. This calls for celebration! Laundry Room Painted, Spices restocked and organized alphabetically, kids school work sorted, dated, and filed, and paint purchased for the master bath.

We are a Scouting Family

For our family, the scouting program is a big part of life. With three sons in scouts, (Joshua - Wolf, Nathan - Webelo, and Allan - Boy Scout,) and Jacob a Webelo leader and I a Bear leader, we definitely have our fair share of meetings.

Allan earned his First Class this week as well as 2 merit badges - Music and Family Life.

Rachel was so proud of her brother. She stood and clapped.

I love getting the Mother's Pin. I never been poked yet!

Nathan earned his Webeloes badge and will earn his Arrow of Light next month.