Week ending 9-29-19

We had a great week with nothing stressful or momentous. Instead we worked hard and played hard.

Tuesday: Nature school with the 5 littles. As soon as we got there these 3 sat down and ate their sandwiches. This freed Kait, Kenna and I to sketch and we had a great time until we went to eat our lunch and Kaitlyn found out Anderson ate her sandwich. Then she cried for 30 minutes until I got her to eat my fajita meat with me and cheer up. Then we played in the trees, finding a low branch that bounced like a trampoline and a high branch to swing from. 

Makenna doing her spelling. 

Kaitlyn doing her langugae arts. Sometimes they do official school work other times we just observe the bugs and birds, make nature sketches, run and play, float sticks down the river, etc. 

Our first base camp until we moved to a new spot that was quieter (further from the falls) and sunnier. 

Talea was so cute reading her book outloud. 

Andy drawing the river in his notebook. He's actually a very good artist. 

Playing cars in the dirt. 

Makenna found a rock that she pretended was her bed.  

Makenna and Samuel scooting across the river on the log. 

Andy carving a stick with his pocketknife. 

Makenna the sloth. 

This branch made the perfect bar to swing from. 

Talea wanted to be a sloth too. 

The kids were so cute walking back to the car. 

I wanted to savor the memory of them walking, skipping and running down the path. One of those times you wish time would stand still and there seems to be no other problems in the world. 

Kait and Kenna coming back to be in the picture. 

Two year-olds running are adorable. 

These two skipping while holding hands was precious too. 

I wanted a better picture but they went too fast and got too far ahead so I had to use my zoom. 

The kids eating 7 layer dip in the beautiful fall weather. I left them like this to rush to the school with Tilly to pick up Spencer and Alexis from rehearsal and do parent teacher conferences. 

Wednesday: Seeing the little colt on a walk. She came right over to us and wanted to be pet. 

This weekend was going to be rainy and cold so we picked a lot from our neighbors' gardens while the weather was nice. I love walking into my kitchen and seeing so much beautiful produce. I spent quite a bit of time washing, chopping, and freezing it for the winter as well as putting it in dinners this week. 

The 3 little girls decided to put curlers in their hair. 

Thursday: Kaitlyn at gymnastics. 

Friday: We had a great day! First we went to a big park with a nature trail where we learned the names of lots of trees and flowers, which we enjoyed sketching. We also went to the farmers market there. In the afternoon we cleaned and organized. The above picture is a pile of clothes from Tom's closet that had holes too big to repair. Why he's been keeping them, I don't know but now his closet is a lot cleaner. :) 

We had yummy black bean burgers for dinner and either put them on pita bread or nachos. The kids wanted a picture of their colorful plates with lots of lettuce, tomatoes and peaches from neighbors.

Starting a campfire. 

We ended the day with a fun campfire. Everyone was really happy, cooperative, and helpful so the evening was very pleasant. In fact while eating dinner at the picnic table I leaned back against the deck railing and thought, "This is the life." It's so wonderful when everyone is getting along and happy even if it's only for a short time.

A selfie we sent Madalyn. 

It's hard to see but Thomas threw the football and Spencer caught it in the air and then did a back flip. 

Tilly roasting her own marshmallow for the first time. I've raised her healthier than the others and she rarely eats a s'more and when she does she usually just takes a bite of someone else's.

She enjoyed rubbing her marshmallow in the coals, leaves, and pine needles and wanted no help. :) 

I roasted her another one and she had her very own s'more.  

Spencer and Thomas played football in the yard. I love hearing everyone so happy and relaxed. I'm so glad we didn't have places to go and could enjoy a Friday together. 

Andy and Tilly rough housing.

Saturday: The girls and I went to a service project at the stake center. 

Makenna made a little stuffed heart. 

Eating snacks and working. 

Making journals. 

A room full of busy workers. 

Spencer, Alexis and Thomas went to a friend's house to watch a movie and I put the 5 little kids to bed. Then I was able to have some alone time for the first time in a really long time. I wrote in my journal, tidied up and listened to some good talks on motherhood. Then I made popcorn and read my nature journaling book. At 11pm Spencer asked if they could stay a little longer and I texted him this selfie of my reading party. So I got another 30 minutes. :) They came home at 11:30 having had a fun time and we all chatted and went to bed at midnight. Nathan came home from work shortly after that.