Week ending 2-23-20

We had a normal week. Weather has been sunny and mild--40's. We've been playing outside more and getting lots of school done, music practicing, and making healthy meals. 

Last Sunday: Eating popcorn and chocolates and hanging out. We took this to send to Madalyn to bribe her to come home. She did come home on Thursday. I think she's having a good break and I don't even want to think about April when she has to go back to BYU-I. I love having her home. 

Thomas eating all the cookies my ministering sister gave me, 

texting Maddy to hurry home and get one. :)

Doing a blood typing kit for science. It was super fun! 

I love seeing kids engrossed in a book. 

Wednesday: Kaitlyn and I were bored so I gave her an hour long flute lesson and we had a great time. 

Thursday: I thought of updating my google photo so Alexis took this but I'm not sure I like it. 

Samuel and Anderson made peanut butter sandwich cookies all by themselves with me only coming to help at the end. It was really fun and I love how big and capable they're getting. 

Watching Relative Race for our movie party. 

Everyone waving good night to Talea who I'm holding.

Friday: I did a drop-in daycare on Friday night and got 3 families to come. Alaia was super cute playing with a bunch of junk like my toddlers have always done. 

The rest of the kids slid down the stairs on the mattress. 

Saturday: Talea is a great bathroom cleaner. Everyone cleans the 4 bathrooms in groups of 2. Talea is my buddy and is so much fun to work with. She's really good at it too. 

Andy came to help us too. 

Talea's first hair cut. It was really long in the back so I evened it out a bit.

Sam and Andy eating apples and caramel.

Week ending 2-16-20

Last Sunday: My little nursery class. 

Grandma and Grandpa (nursery grandparents--their real calling) come in and read to the kids and pass out suckers. The kids love them and I do too. 

Monday: Makenna reading the book Andy wrote called, "Gables." 

Monday night we went to the play Frozen Jr put on by the Summerday Theater. Aka Summers and Holladay families. Lydia sat here and passed out programs as we arrived. Luke made the program.

Elsa lying in bed.

"Let the Sun Shine On." 

"Let It Go" right before Kait threw off her coronation dress to reveal the Elsa dress.

Tuesday: I always love seeing my kids happily laying around reading. We didn't have plans all week so we got a lot of reading, puzzles, and outside play in. 

Madalyn and I went to the RS progressive dinner which was really fun. I forgot to get pictures at the other houses, but here is the dessert house (Bishop's.) 

Wednesday: Kait and Andy shared a plate of nachos for lunch. 

Makenna and Samuel shared a bowl of yogurt. I love how my kids sometimes pair off and are best friends for the day, dressing alike, sharing meals, or just playing together. I'm glad I have so many children so that there are lots of different combinations. 

Wednesday night movie party! We watched some reruns that had Valentine's Day in them. I took this to show Madalyn she was missing out (she was at Sara's.) I made a taco casserole out of leftovers and we ate the leftover cookies from Tom's half birthday, Frozen refreshments and RS party.

Puzzle night after the movie. I did more puzzles this week than I have in years. I'm not a puzzle enthusiast when there's so much to do around the house but I enjoyed them this week. I love spending time with my kids. 

Thursday: Makenna paired off with Tilly for school and settled themselves (and the baby doll) on the couch with a warm blanket, school books and stickers. They stayed there all morning. 

The youngest 5 kids played outside all afternoon. Samuel and Anderson played a rock climbing game where they tied themselves to each other and pulled each other up the slide. 

Kaitlyn and Makenna playing on the wall and surveying all the art work they did on the pavement in the back yard. 

Friday: I found Thomas reading to a few of the younger kids. 

Andy had a fever for a few hours and read to himself.

More reading on this couch. 

Tilly and Andy (with his new funny faces he's been doing lately.) 

Look what my ministering sister brought me!! She's the best one I've ever had. She regularly runs errands for me and asks if she can do anything else for me. 

Afternoon nap time. Since Christmas I haven't had any kids napping but with this short fever running through the family (~12 hours) Andy and Talea both napped while I went walking. 

We got another letter from Todd!! We sent him birthday cards and the picture of us having a birthday party for him on Jan. 24 and he already wrote back!  

I love this tiny bouquet of flower in my bathroom. Makes me so happy every time I see it. I'm a little person and love all things little. The pictures don't look great, but it's the cutest little bouquet. 

These pictures are also confusing. I set out to make a vision board with a real stick frame. I cut these sticks in the yard and am peeling them. 

They peel super easy. 

It's hard to see but Sam is pulling the bark off as I hold it and try to hold the camera too. I'll have to show the finished project, but it was exciting to work on.