History Project

Our history this year has included the time period of castles and knights.  It has been such fun!  Our activity book always has many ideas for projects, and DJ makes sure we always read through them.  I wish we had done more of them this year.  This was one project we managed to do...a rice krispie castle. 

As you can see...he was pleased with the results!

Bronco Riding at Bedtime

When I told DJ we had a surprise the next day, he was quite astonished when I told him it was a ride in an airplane.  On a beautiful April day we drove about 45 minutes to a small airport to enjoy a plane ride! The pilots from this club volunteer to take children from the ages of 8-17 on a free 20 minute ride.  This airplane wasn't the one they flew, but I liked it!

Here's the pilot with his excited passengers.

THE plane

Some spectators!

Travis held Kade quite a bit, and Kade warmed up quickly!  I just had to post this picture because of Kade's expression.  This is his classic, "Don't look to0 long at me.  I'm trying not to smile."

Harrison and DJ show-off their planes they put together. 

Fun stuff

I made my first hooded towel for a baby gift last month.  I received a big fluffy one when Levi was born and we LOVE it and keep using it.  This was fairly simple, so I think I'm going to make some more for some upcoming babies.  Picking out the ribbon is fun!

Kent's favorite cookies...oatmeal, walnut, chocolate chip.  I cut back on the sugar and use half whole wheat.  They're so yummy and I think I ate almost as many as Kent!

Our lilac bushes are right outside the kitchen window.  My boys are great at keeping me supplied with fresh flowers!  Love these!

Flowers from our trip to the conservatory at Como Zoo.  What a feast for the eyes!  Wow.

Kent decided to cook dinner one night while I made a quick trip to the store.  I was going to make spaghetti and this was his new twist.  It was good and he always enjoys "presentation" (which I find kind of cute...no same old boring for him) so I had to take a picture because he put it on my fancy platter.

DJ and I made this yummy, very rich chocolate mousse after learning about France during our history time.  This recipe was in the back of the book and DJ is always enthused to try projects!

Twenty-four weeks

You'd think it wouldn't be that hard to stop and say to someone, "Hey, can you take my picture?"  I keep meaning to do it... just because it's fun to look back and compare (and see how much bigger you were with your third than your first!), and remember.  But this is only my second picture of this pregnancy...late, late one night before bed!

I'm feeling more aches and pains, but I have to say, my energy is much better than even last month.  I can skip my afternoon 20 minute snooze and still make it through the evening.  There are some days, though, I just don't want to do anything. 

Still enjoying food, but not quite obsessed with it as I was the first weeks of pregnancy.  I'm enjoying beef, but couldn't stand the smell when pregnant with Levi.  I still want Reuben sandwiches but I'm not ordering them any chance I get like I did when pregnant with Kade.  Lately, though, I've been carrying around pistachios and finding them to be extremely yummy.  They're a treat anyway, but when a friend brought some over, I kept wanting them the following days until I actually bought some at Sam's Club.  Yeah, I used to laugh at all the pregnant stories about food, but now I believe they're true!

And if you're interested, I'm dreaming like crazy.  I have all sorts of people showing up in my dreams.  And I've been trying to plan our anniversary trip.  So one night, while dreaming all night long, or so it seemed, about my hair-brained idea to go camping for our trip this year, I actually woke Kent up and asked him if we could take an inflatable mattress with us if we did so choose to go tent-camping.  He assured me we could, and I promptly continued to sleep and dream about our plans.

So off I head to bed now to work out some more issues in my dreams and see what friend shows up!

Malia's 14th Birthday

Our Malia Joy celebrated her 14th birthday this month.  She started out the day requesting to sleep in.  I find it funny how they all get this desire to sleep more as they hit their teen years!  :)   Later that evening she had some friends over.  It was a fun, simple evening together.  They jumped on the trampoline, played Apples to Apples and had hamburgers on the grill, home fries, and corn for dinnner, eating it all out on the patio.  (Why, oh why, wasn't I taking pictures???  I think it has something to do with our busy little ones. :) 

Our main activity for the night was tye-dyeing.  I'm really not much of an expert, so they read the design ideas and went at it.  They turned out so pretty.  ( I don't have pictures of those either.)  They were pretty creative!

These pictures show how pretty the colors were.  Obviously, they turn out lighter after washing them.

Malia has to be one of the sweetest young ladies.  Can I brag on her?  God has blessed her with a tender heart and a desire to serve.  Inspite of the fact that she often has her mind cooking up some story she's writing, she manages to see ways to help so often.  I think moms find a special thrill to see their children doing work around the house without being asked.  This is Malia's specialty.  She frequently tells me I need to take a break or sit down.  Isn't that just amazing?   She also has become quite a nurturer to her little brothers.  She finds a unique joy in nature and has an amazing ability to create stories in a well-written style.  I am blessed to be a part of her life and am so glad she gave her life to Christ a couple years ago!

Our 18 month old Kade

I love overcast days outside.  It makes it so much easier to take a picture without the problems of sun glare.  These pictures of Kade do really represent a genuine aspect of his personality.  :)  He tends to be a bit serious, has some quirky expressions, and can frown like crazy. :)  His newest thing is to stick out his lips like a fish whenever he's a bit shy or uncomfortable.  And the sand...he really likes it.  I thought after a taste of two, he'd decide it wasn't worth it.  But no, he likes to go back for more.

Lately, we've had some grumpier days.  I'm not sure if he's teething more or what.  But when we get outside, it's as if the world is 10 times brighter from his persepective.  That does become challenging because he really can't go out there without me.  One day, though, he became engrossed in the sandbox in the back yard and I was able to get dinner ready and wash dishes while watching him from the window.  That was nice!

I had to throw this picture in because Kade has his silly moments.  He's learning to tease a bit, and he laughs the most with his two brothers.  They can be quite silly!

His vocabulary now:

ball, mommy, daddy, Malia, dropped, more, please, duck, doggy (everything with four legs is a doggy), bird, owie, swing, moon, balloon (oon), ice.  Can't think of any others right now, but he understands so much and I'm thinking that's nice for when this new baby arrives.