The weather is doing it's typical spring thing of getting really warm and then getting cold again lately. We skipped right over the jeans, t-shirt, and flipflop weather and went straight to shorts and t-shirts. The jeans and t-shirt weather is my favorite! But now we are back to jeans and jacket weather. So many we can get back to the jeans and t-shirt weather soon.
But one of those warm nights we enjoyed dinner not he back porch. The wind wasn't so strong that it would blow the food off your plate so out we went! It was great! We ate outside a lot in HI and we all miss that.
The kids are loving playing outside with no jackets. Eric still prefers shorts and to not wear a jacket so he loves the warmer weather.
When they play so well together I just smile! Nevermind the fact that they are in the street!!
I was the sub for Caroline's teacher last Friday. She was thrilled to have me and it was a ton of fun! The 6th graders were in charge of the Earth Day assembly for the school that day. Part of the assembly was a trashy fashion show. Some 6th graders made outfits for other teachers out of reused materials (trash). Below is Caroline with her 2 best friends and the outfit they made for a 5th grade teacher. Caroline's group was also selected for a movie trailer they created for earth day that was then shown to the school.
If you didn't know, Justin is half way through his training program for a half ironman race. Race day if June 25th in ID. When he has long training runs Will goes with him. Will will carry extra water and food for his dad. Sunday I joined the boys because the day was just too pretty not to be outside. We rode 12 miles! In the picture Justin and Will were playing tag. Will is looking back to see if Justin is close to getting him!!
Some dinners are winners and some, well just check out that face!!! Everyone else loved the cheesy zucchini orzo but him. He made that face and then I had to get him to make it again so I could take a picture of it! Too funny! But he did eat it.
And we have a busy 2 months of baseball that we've started. So dinner was picnic style during Will's practice. Caroline is trying her hand at softball this year and is enjoying it so far. Will and Eric are both playing baseball, but not on the same teams. Eric is playing "up" so he is coach pitch and on a team with 1st and 2nd graders. Will is also playing "up" but kid pitch with 5th and 6th graders.
Our weeks are full until school ends and then it settles down. But right now I am so glad that Justin isn't traveling. Mondays/Wednesdays Eric has karate from 4:30-5 and Caroline has softball from 5-6. Tuesdays/Thursdays Eric has baseball from 5-6 and Will from 6-7 and Caroline has karate from 6-6:45. It made it tricky the week this all started and Justin was still gone! Thanks goodness for great neighbors and carpools!
Good Friday lived up to its name! We picked Justin up from the airport that morning after he had been away for 2 weeks. It was a rainy day so we just chilled and then had piano lessons that afternoon.
But on Saturday we headed to Lawrence to go to the spring KU game. And after the kids were participating in 'Train like a Jayhawk' event. The whole day was free which was even better! (pictures aren't in order)
The weather was perfect and we all enjoyed watching the game. I couldn't tell you which side won, the Jayhawks or KU. Will and Justin would pick out a defensive player and watch him during the play and analyze what he did and what he maybe should have done.
This is after the event and the boys were walking off the field.
Oh we (I should say the kids) dyed eggs on Friday. I set out the vinegar, measuring cup, and cloth and they did the rest. Read the directions and did all the measuring and pouring and dying. Nothing was spilled and only a couple of harsh words were spoken. Success!!
Lili, of course, was helping!
The kids were divided into different groups based off of their age. Then they rotated through different stations that were run by the players! They got to tackle, throw, catch, do agility drills and such. They all 3 loved it!! It was hard to keep up with 3 moving kids so we didn't get to see everything they did.
My kids are somewhere in that picture!
The video shows Will tackling and then below him Eric (wearing orange shorts) also tackling.
Justin and I went to walk Miles before another round of storms came through and this is what we came home to. Caroline had brushed and flossed Eric's teeth and was reading him a story. Be still my heart! And can I just say how much I am loving big kids!!
Easter morning pictures.
Trying to get Miles in the picture and facing the right way was a challenge.
Just some random goings on around spring break time.
Eric was watching a movie and Lili decided that she would make herself at home. For the whole movie! Eric didn't mind at all.
Mellow mushroom for the road trip dinner win! Not much can beat finding one on your route, ordering ahead, and then eating in the car. Would have been better as a picnic but it was late and dark. They have a vegan cheese option so Will can have his own pizza. We then throw them for a loop by ordering a vegan pizza with bacon!!
Another road trip favorite...Cracker Barrel! I mean who doesn't love biscuits and apple butter!
Lili helping me with a project for Caroline's teacher.
Miles and Lili sharing bowls! I love that they are almost exactly the same color.
I subbed in a kindergarten class a few weeks ago (not my favorite and I try not to accept those jobs). The teacher had the following hanging in the room. So cute!
The kids trying out their sleeping bags in anticipation of our 2 week camping trip this summer. Caroline got a new one at Christmas, Will's had just come in the mail, and Eric gets Justin's older one. The kids (not Eric) had outgrown their kid sized sleeping bags!
Miles doesn't sleep in the bed with us. But occasionally he will "ask" to get up and snuggle for a bit. And that face below is his, "may I get in bed with you" face. How can you resist?! He's so sweet.
Two weeks ago, after Justin left for his work trip, I took the kids to see the Berenstain Bears live here on post. It was almost the same exact one we saw the last time we were in KS. Eric was 2 and didn't remember it and the bigs wanted to go too. We all left with a free book that was signed by the cast. They had a great time!
Thursday of that week we headed east to the Kennedy Space Center. It rained all the way there and for a few minutes when we first got there but then cleared up. There was so much to see and we really enjoyed it. I really liked how they talked/showed the past programs, the shuttle programs, and then now what the future is holding and going to Mars.
Will trying out the capsule.
The rocket garden.
I always love seeing a space shuttle!
The shuttle came in for a landing at a 30 degree slope (or something really really steep). They had a slide at that angle so you could feel it. It was fast! And fun! The kids went down it several times. One little girl ended up doing a head first tumble.
After KSC we went to Port Canaveral to have dinner at a place called Fish Lips.
We could see dolphins playing in the water right out of those windows while we ate. Eric ate a huge dinner then his kids meal also came with dessert. He says his dessert belly is always empty!!
Earlier in the week Justin and I went to Tampa, ate at a really cool Columbian restaurant, rode our bikes on the river walk, and watched dolphins play. It was a great day!
Then we also had a chill-at-the-resort-day too. It was marvelous and kid-free!!
This is at the resort. There was a pond in the middle.
We really enjoyed FL. All the sun and warm weather was wonderful. Just so you know, driving from the south-east side of Atlanta to the north west side of Kansas City in 1 day is a LONG day! Don't recommend it especially in rainy weather.
(I started this blog over a week ago!) We went to Orlando for Spring Break this year. We needed to use our Hilton points and I wanted to go somewhere warm and sunny. Nana and Papa bought a house in the fall and it was ready the week before we got there. So the kids stayed with them at their house and Justin and I had a week of hotel life own our own!! Woohoo!
Justin and I spend a lazy day hanging around the pool, enjoying the warm sunshine. We also went to Tampa and rode bike on the river walk area of town. It was a great day.
The kids went to Universal for 2 days (we joined them for their second day). Caroline is a HUGE Harry Potter fan and now that Will was in 4th grade (my requirement to start reading) and has almost finished the series they were both thrilled beyond belief that they were going! And Will was sure to let us know that Eric should NOT go as it will just ruin the books for him!! We assured him that Eric still has plenty of years to wait until he's allowed to read the books and it wouldn't ruin it for him. Mumblings of "it's not fair" were definitely heard.
Hogwarts Castle
Eric making goofy faces. He's in that stage now of picture taking.
