Go fly a kite

 Fortunately (or unfortunately...whichever way you look at it) it was a windy week...which allowed for a lot of kite flying!  We had fun each day taking the kite out for a bit and taking on the challenge of the often swirling wind...trying to figure out which direction to quickly go before it changed again!

My Happy Spot

We've been working on the wrap around porch this week. 

Jake and Joe helped a lot with drilling holes and screwing in screws.

So that was a big help!

 First lunch time on the porch...doubling as a lunch break, of course!

 A week later...the finished decking.

Now...onward to the rest of the deck and (hopefully) some landscaping! :)

My favorite time of the day...

I look forward to watching the sunrise (and the sunset) every day!  

Here are a few shots of the sunrise from this week!

First soccer game

 Joe was ready to go...kind of.  He had important questions, though!
1. Will they have snacks?
2. What will my number be?
3. When do we huddle?
4. I don't want to play. (Why?) Because I like to fall down when my legs get tired.
5. I don't want to go to my game.  (Why?) Because it will be hard and I will get tired!

However, Saturday morning...he woke up excited about his game...ready to run down the field and score a goal.

 There wasn't a lot of aggressive movements during his game. It is 4 and 5 year olds!  And Joe seemed unsure of taking the ball from others and unsure of how aggressive to be once he did have the ball.  So, hopefully as the season goes on, he'll get comfortable with playing and continue to enjoy it all.  He has several kids from church and two coaches from church.  So, for him, that helps a LOT!
  




  Jake says he likes soccer more than swimming.  I think he likes running...and soccer lets him do that a lot!  His game was much more movement (6 and 7 year olds).  But with only one practice under their belts, there wasn't much tactic to their play.  So, hopefully he can understand more and be able to stay aggressive. 
  Jake did a great job staying after the ball and running hard to get to the ball.  And he had good ball control with the ball, too.  So, I would say he will continue to gain confidence as he gets a feel for what his teammates are doing.

The girl behind Jake is Emaree.  Her dad and I worked at the jr high and his wife was pregnant when I was.  Josh now works with her dad at the high school.

 

   Both of the boys' teams lost (by like 4-0).  But the boys are excited to go to practice and work at it again. 

Easter Eggs

 The boys were very excited to color eggs again.  They enjoy crafts of all sorts.  And they are always creative in what they come up with.

Jake's work...

Joe's work...

 And they had to "taste test" one when they were done...!

Joe also wanted to dry out the play-doh version of the nativity that he made last week. 
(far left is manger, top left is Mary, bottom left is baby Jesus, middle is barn parts, and far right is Joseph;  Jake made the colorful heart at the bottom)

Oh...and if you'd like to taste test their hot chocolate and chocolate soup that they have slow cooked in the outdoor oven for a few weeks (down by the creek)...here ya go!

Cubs win...

  Since we know Josh has won the NCAA basketball brackets at this point...we're on to baseball.

Opening day is a big day in our house...

the pillow covers get changed to Cubs ones
breakfast pancakes have something to do with baseball shapes or Cubs
ballpark food is made for a meal
Cubs shirts are worn
and...we hope the Cubs win their first game!


Today...was good...they won...even though they almost blew it in the 9th!  One win...161 to go!

Maps

 Here are a couple views of the large map we made tracking the Israelites through the wilderness...