Pancakes

Today was Pancakes with Parents at Jake's school.  Its just something special the second grade does to make you slow down and enjoy time with these little individuals who will be moving on to the big, scary elementary school next year!!

This Girl

I have never been that parent that dreams of dressing her daughters in matching outfits.   Coordinating - sure.  But matchy-matchy?  Not so much.  Not to mention I'm quite certain my children would have fought against me with every fiber of their being if I tried to dress them alike.

Well...  I stand corrected.

  

I bought Holly's emoji shirt at Goodwill in our hometown months ago.  This past weekend in a different city, in a different Goodwill, we ran across a Bree sized emoji shirt and she just had to have it.

"We can be matching!" she excitedly exclaims.  

Brother Noah built the Ark

Holly's preschool put on a Noah's Ark performance.

Holly is the piggy in the front row with the pink pants.

It was simple, pure, and very entertaining.  You just gotta love preschoolers who can't stop waving to their families.  

Of course, as a parent, I naturally have to say I'm proud of my child and her hardwork, blah, blah, blah.  But honestly, truly, I am so beyond proud of her being on that stage in front of a very packed audience and speaking clearly into the microphone.

And a performance like that deserves a 9pm McDonalds treat.

Side By Side

It was finally time to pull the old camper out of storage.  We need to get it home in order to clean our belongings out and prep it for selling.  Although we love the Mallard and it served our family well for three glorious summers, seeing them in the driveway together is proof positive we made the right choice in buying the new one.  

More windows...  Bigger awning...  Aerodynamic design...

Yes, I am thankful we were in the right place at the right time and found our new Summerland.

And in the Mario Kondo spirit let me just say...

Tiny Mallard, you were a small blessing to our family.  You kept our family warm on Fall camping nights and wonderfully cool on the stifling hot Summer days.  Your walls were filled with the laughter of cousins and a source of comfort when not feeling well.  Our first true family camping memories will forever belong to you.  

Thank you for your service.

Physical

Yesterday Holly went to work with Jim.  I had almost 7 hours at home alone.  I worked hard on digital clutter, updating photos, uploading/developing pictures, blogging.  

It felt freeing.  I felt accomplished.

Until I woke up the next day and saw all the physical clutter happening in my kitchen/dining room.  Physical or digital, clutter bogs the mind and zaps motivation to do anything.  I must fix this.

So much better.  

Resemblance

How many times have you heard someone say "You look like your mom!"  or "You look like your dad!" ?

I was never one to hear it.  I just assumed I was a perfect blend of them both.  

Until recently.

Now I see it.  Spittin' image of my dad.

Legacy of Laughter

Life handed him a few hard knocks;

Sometimes his luck was bad.

He had the usual ups and downs

As most of us have had.

Grief had its day along his way,

Great fortune passed him by,

But he always came out a winner

With a twinkle in his eye.

This legacy of laughter

A gift from some forbearer,

Was all the weapon that he had

To fight life's pain and care.

But he kept his sense of humor

And he laughed away the tears,

And he went on spreading chuckles

All around him down the years.

And I know I'll find him waiting,

When I join him by and by,

Likely joshing with the angels,

With that twinkle in his eye.

Jacob's Rocks Rox

2nd Grade Consumer Fair

Second Grade consumer fair is kinda a neat thing our school does.  In class, they learn about goods and services and marketing.  In order to help drill the lesson home, the students put on a consumer fair for the entire school and their families.  Each student creates a good of their choosing, put a price of $.50 - $2.00 on it, and sells it to earn money for their May field trip, a pizza party (for each classroom), and graduation supplies.  

Like I said - its pretty darn neat.

As a family, we really like to go hiking or walking at local parks. Our eyes are always peeled looking for Kindness Rocks.  So for Jacob's consumer fair good, he wanted to take a joy of his and spread it to others.  

I am happy to report he sold out!

Work

There are some years that I cannot contain all the excitement Spring brings.  I eagerly await the hum of mowers and the smell of fresh cut grass wafting in through the open windows.  

However.  This year, today.

  There is no excitement. 

 It just looks like work.  Lots and lots of work.  

At least the sun is shining and my ipod is charged.  

Off to work I go. 

Easter Pinata

Easter Egg Hunts are a thing of the past!

This year we moved on to an 

Easter Egg Pinata!!

The kids had a blast with the Pinata.  It was something they had never done before and the fun lasted quite some time as the Pinata was very well built (good job, Walmart).   After the Pinata was busted open and all the goodies picked out of the plants, they kids sat and traded each other for all their favorite items.  I think this is a tradition we'll keep around for another two or three years.  Maybe next year we'll blindfold them!

Its the Beginning

It's Good Friday and a table that looks like this can only mean one thing.  

It's the start of an excellent holiday weekend.  

Best of Times

Our Spring Break week has been filled with appointments and rain, rain, and more rain.  Many of our outdoor hopes and plans have fallen through such as joining Jim at the lake for work or visiting the zoo or even simply playing at the park.  So instead of sitting inside pouting about the weather and doing nothing, we made the most of our day doing some good old bowling!

She looks like she has such great form, but don't be fooled...

Jacob always gives it all he's got too.

And Holly?  Oh that Holly....

I think my favorite part is when they work together.

Little More Behind

Normally I am on top of the holidays.  It doesn't matter how big or small, I know when the season begins and I kick it off by doing whatever festive thing there is to do.  But some how this Easter season got away from me.  Decorations were put up late this year and today, with only 4 days to go, we are just now coloring eggs.  Better late than never!

Rocket Peds

Holly had her routine cardiologist appointment today and I can honestly say I was beyond excited for it!!!  I loved Holly's first cardiologist.  He was kind and caring and gentle.  He spoke to her at her level.  He spoke to us at our level.  He has called us personally on our phone.  Loved, loved, loved him.  And then he left...  My heart was broken and I felt our level of care dropped.  So imagine my elation when I discovered he didn't leave the state or the country or something.  He just switched hospitals!!!  YAAAYY!!

In the doctor's office, Holly had her annual EKG.

After the exam and reviewing the EKG, the doctor explained that all is looking and sounding well.  She does have to have an Echo done to check on the Pulmonary Valve Stenosis (which is the main item of concern at this point).   If the results of the Echo are great enough, she does not have to go back for three years!!!  

At that point, all tests will be repeated and, if the results are just as good, then she won't have to be seen for four years!!!  Then everything will be repeated with hopes of not being seen for another five years!!  Which, fingers crossed, she'll be released out of cardiac care.  

Now to get home and get that scheduled!

Finally Halloween

Easter is on it's way, but its time for a little Halloween.  

I always think I'm going to go to the movie theater when movies I love hit the big screen, but I rarely do.  If I'm going to be scared, might as well be in the comfort of my own home with the sweet silence of time alone during broad daylight months after its release.  Its better that way.  

Big Girl

I don't know what to say.  

She went to bed and the tooth was in her mouth.  

She woke up and it was gone.

Kind of a lack-luster way to loose your first tooth, don'tcha think?

I mean, no Nerf gun was involved?  Booorrringgg.

In the morning, before we realized what had happened, I was in the living room and I overheard Holly ask Jacob 

"My mouth feels weird.  Did my tooth move over?"

Before it could click in my head what she said, Jacob was already under the sink trying to find the flashlight to go help look in her bed for the missing tooth.  We never did recover the tooth, but the Tooth Fairy delivered all the same.

Then and Now

I just love these 'Then and Now' pictures.  

First trip to local Goll Woods in 2015

Unknown number of trips later to Goll Woods in 2019.

Even though things change, kids get bigger, life becomes more complicated, I would like to point out that Holly still makes the same face in the 2015 picture.

Homemade Goodness

Years and years ago I owned a bread machine.  My husband loving purchased it for me and I dreamed of all the homemade goodness I would make with it.  The problem was no one else owned one.  When I ran into problems or had questions or wanted new recipes, no one could help me.  Simply put - those were the day before Pinterest.  So I sold the bread machine and never gave it another thought.  Until now.

My neighbor and fellow SAHM owns a bread machine and has multiple recipes AND is very excited to assist me in this new (again) adventure.  Lucky for me, I was able to get my hands on a great used bread machine for under $10 and the goodness has already began.  

Coupons

A spontaneous date night and BOGO free coupons make for a very satisfying evening.  

Childhood

I have very vivid memories of using this sandwich maker as a child: 

When I was growing up, our family this as a "fancy" grilled cheese maker.  Always with chopped ham.  Now as an adult with kids of my own, we use it as a "fancy" pizza pudgie pie maker.

The problem is....  It doesn't get sandwiches as crispy as they used to... or as crispy as I demand these days.  Guess that's a hazard of growing up.  Your texture taste buds change.

Seasons

Our Parks and Rec division offered a fundamental, lets teach these kids right, its not all about the games, but instead how you play the sport Spring Soccer Season.  Jacob was all excited about it.  Soccer is his thang.  Holly wasn't so certain, but I didn't really give her a choice.  Sometimes you need to stop giving into the fear and try something new.

It was fun watching them play together before Holly's practice Jacob trying to coach her....

...Or maybe he was just teasing, taunting, tormenting her by never letting her have the ball....

For her first year out, for her first time ever playing soccer let alone any organized sport, I am really darn impressed with her.  No hesitations of heading out onto the field, listened to her coaches, and demonstrated some impressive coordination skills I didn't know she had!

Good job, baby girl! Can't wait to see what you can do on the baseball field!