Swimming success

We finished our Spring Break swimming lessons on Friday with great smiles. Hudson, Cooper, and Reagan all passed and will move onto the next level. Since this was the fourth time for Cooper and third time for Reagan in their levels we were all greatly relieved...and happy. Taggart, my little sea turtle, still needs a little extra practise before he becomes a salamander. And he'll get that practise starting tomorrow. I registered them all in again for another 4 weeks. Every Mon and Wed afterschool. With roller hockey starting next week every Thurs and Fri, I expect a very busy April.

Perler bead mania

About a year ago I discovered these little plastic beads at Ikea. I brought a tub home and a bead craze was born. Since then we have purchased many more beads in 'new' colors and more peg boards in all kinds of shapes. They all love getting them out on a cold & rainy day, (way too many of those lately) and sitting around the kitchen table creating. There's something about a big tub of these tiny plastic beads in all those colors that makes them sink into a different world - beyond gameboys and playstation. The only thing they need from me is an occasional search for the right color and of course the iron has to be hot and ready to melt the beads into the finished creation. And also keeping Tag away from works on progress - he has been known to "bump" a few too many arms. Another year and he think he'll be right in there beading with the best.

What do we do with all the finished creations? Well, they end up on the floor, under the bed, occasionally one gets a magnet and they make it to the fridge. But really it's all about the process... and the fun.

Girl stuff

Thank goodness for my little girl. If it were not for her who would I make these cute headbands for. Some fun fabric and a few buttons and doesn't she look lovely?

I figured the quilt shop we have here in town would be the best place to buy small amounts of fabric in lots of great patterns. I was right and she had fun choosing some out. The love I have for great patterned paper was re-emphasized when I saw all the beautiful fabric they had and I was almost inspired to try my hand at quilting. Almost. Just more headbands for now.

Pattern can be found here for anyone interested.

Easter pics

It was a lovely Easter weekend complete with egg hunts, chocolate, yummy ham dinner, chocolate, brunch with the Brauns, chocolate, and more chocolate.

The photos tell the whole story.

A little roller hockey with Jake on Saturday.Easter cupcakesA bike ride to the park Sunday afternoon during a break in the weather - Tag bringing up the rear.Tag when it was time to go home.Reagan was cold and tired. Tag again bringing up the rear.The sun did make it's appearance this weekend, between the rain, but it was cooold. So much so that when we took the kids to the park on Sunday Tag and Reagan were both crying on the way home because their hands were freezing. But when those rays pour in our back windows late in the day I love the way it warms up the house. I just need another 15 degrees or so outside.

Happy Easter

Just a quick post this morning before we start on all our Easter festivities.

The sun is out this morning and that is very promising for our egg hunt. Like Cooper says, and egg hunt inside is just not the same.

Jad a very busy day yesterday cleaning and baking and all that stuff and then I realized we still hadn't colored any eggs so that meant a late night dash to Walmart to get the tried and true Dudley egg dye. It wouldn't be Easter without it.

So that is on the agenda for this morning and also decorating the cupcakes and of course getting everyone looking lovely for the day.

Mary and the kids are arriving early this afternoon. Will be missing Olivia this year as she is on a school trip to France. Lucky girl.

Reagan is well on her way to beautiful as she slept in these last night. She doesn't look too happy about it though. I think she actually was because it was her idea to have curly hair today. But then, as we were taking them out, Taggart told her that she looked like Ariel (The Little Mermaid). Too bad I didn't get a picture of that smile.

We are officially into two weeks of Spring Break. I am hoping that the absolute downpour we are currently experiencing is not a sign of things to come. It's actually hailing now. Could be in for a serious case of cabin fever if we can't get outside during the next couple weeks. We are signed up for swimming lessons at 10am every morning so that should get rid of a little energy.

We've got plans to go out for dinner with some friends tonight but Tony was not feeling well last night and today he is at work. So we'll see if we actually make it out. Taggart is not feeling great either. He had a two hour nap this afternoon, which he never does anymore, and now he's lying under a blanket watching a movie. I'm beginning to wonder whether this dinner out is just not meant to be. I think this is the third weekend we have tried to do it with something always getting in the way. I hope it does - I could use some good adult conversation.

Now on a completely different note and because I think a blog post without a photo of daily life is just missing something.

Our house is constantly inundated with paper. Specifically school paper. Artwork, notices, projects, math and spelling quizzes. I would like to be that organized parent who keeps it all in some sort of portfolio or at least a box of some kind. But I have to confess that most of it goes in the garbage, but only when they are not looking of course. I'm sorry to say that I have been caught on many occasions and I'm even more sorry to say that I have been less than truthful in my reasons as to why it was in the garbage in the first place. I know, I know. But every once in a while something comes across the counter that makes me smile and it goes into the 'keep' pile. Here is one of those things.

Page 2 - Cooper, Hudson, Reagan, Taggart, Mommy, Daddy

Page 3 - Olivia, Rochelle

Page 4 - We like going to the beach

Page 5 - Peikac (pancakes)

Page 6 - We love echuler (eachother)

aaaaawwwwww!!

Lists

It has been so long since I blogged that everytime I thought of doing it there was just too much to say. So then I felt overwhelmed and found something else to do instead.

Have been in a bit of a funk all week long. Not sure why. Maybe getting over a cold, maybe the season, maybe...who knows.

Been feeling very busy with absolutely nothing to show for it.

Lots of things swimming in my head so I have been making lists.

This is what I do when life gets overwhelming. I make lists.

Lifts of all kinds and then I start to get ovewhelmed with all my lists.

But truly, the lists help and it's a such a great sense of satisfaction to put a big check mark beside something I've finally done. I think today I made 4 checkmarks, or was it 5?



Anyways, one thing on my list was to blog. I didn't update about all that I wanted, like Hudson and I both turning a year older last week. Or about the disappointment from both of us when I forgot the camera to his big birthday bash at the pool. Or that Tony is taking me away for a weekend as a birthday present (so, so excited about that).

Hey, look at that. There's the update. Short and sweet but still an update.

I think I will go make another checkmark.

Here's to lists.

A 'big brother' moment

This cold/flu/whatever I have took a stronger hold this evening. Cooper noticed and stepped up to the plate. Reading the little ones bedtime stories and then helping me tuck them both in. Thanks, Coop. You're a great big brother.

A little hockey + a little flu

This past week the flu has finally caught up with us all. Not too hard but it's definitley here. Everyone is coughing and laying pretty low. Lots of TV and blankets on the couch. And yesterday I could dodge it no longer. Feeling pretty lousy but still plugging along. Looking forward to getting Tony home for a full five days. It's a big birthday week around here and Tony definitely wants to be a part of it.

Tag managed to find some energy the other day for a game of mini hockey with Oma and Opa.

Thought that was worth capturing. Oma made some pretty good saves.