Park Day

Saturday we decided to head to a nature conservation area.  Like a previous time, with Grandma, it was already mid-afternoon and a 20 minute drive to this new-to-us area.  So, we packed up some good food, drove through Wendy's for a burger to supplement and headed out.  What we forgot was that the prairie is much windier than in town and so, we were all a bit wind-whipped when we were done.  Also, forgot the pacifier for Miss T and she didn't want to be carried faced in and so she cried through most of the trail.  Consequently, Mama walked faster and kids got tireder...well, lesson learned.  Bring ear-gear, snacks for all and try again later.  It was a beautiful place and Kevin found the spot he would have settled if he had been a pioneer.  ;)  Here are some pictures of some wildlife and some sister love!  Enjoy!

My Own Hair

After watching several youtube videos that all told me to do the exact same thing, I decided that I'd give it a try.  What could I lose?  Nothing, is what I figured.  I'd either: cut my own hair for free and save $15-$40 or have to go in to get it fixed.  Kj was around to capture it on "film".  She's practicing using her camera for her upcoming trip to see her cousin.  So, here it is:

Make a ponytail at the center of your forehead.  Make sure to smooth out your hair around your head.  Someone with not very many waves said to straighten it, but that was a bit much for me.

Then from your forehead, you pull your hair straight down to where you want your first layer to start.  Typically, I'm not much for layering, but I went with it this time.  I expect it is possible that I will have years of experimenting in this...and on multiple girl heads!

Then start cutting, slowly and carefully, as straight as you can.

Check your progress from different angles and snip a little more.  ;)

Take out that rubber band and do some smoothing and separating.  Then taking smaller portions you do some snipping to make the edges seem less abrupt.  I even used the thinning scissors as suggested by one lady.  This is my kind of project...not too precise.  

Concentration!

Ok, seriously, this computer and the formatting on here is really getting the best of me right now!  But I did want to show you the final product and the final figures on amount saved that day.  5 heads home-cut = approximately $100 savings!!!  Winning!!

My Newest Voracious Reader

Guess what I did on Valentine's day!!  I got to stay in bed all day and people came to bring me food and they took care of the kids and I just relaxed all day...  Haha.  Yeah, for the most part that was true.  I had a fever all night the night before and my ears hurt so bad that I was a bit tipsy in the morning.  So, yep, I stayed in bed and rested and slept most of the day.  At one point I told Mn to bring a couple books and I'd read to him, but then I was beat!  I did come downstairs for supper to this lovely site...  L reading!  Oh, she's been reading for a bit, but this last month or so it is voracious!!  Multiple books at a time.  "L put your book away, it's suppertime," was heard that evening.  ;)  It's been a struggle, but like Leo the Late Bloomer, she made it!!

Richard Scarry and Legos

...what a great combination!!  These 2 had a great time building their own fire trucks.  Long explanations were give as to what each part was, but I'm sorry, that was days ago and I can't remember it all.  Kj is holding in her hand the fire hydrant and the black hoses hook up to them.  Mn has a fancy ladder in his - the pole with all the yellow circles on it.

Finally, the fire station...

Any Day Now

I'm finding treasures while organizing.

I saw a stack of books that were my dad's, that we haven't shelved yet...yes, it's been a while...  Looking through one, I found a cropped photo copy of a hymn.  I don't have the same hymnal, so, I found it in what I did have.  I decided to trace the note that my dad wrote on the hymn into my hymnal for safe keeping.  (You never know when I might recycle random loose papers!)

Melody: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE4DJtd-ihE

Formula Feeding Tip

Two weeks ago we welcomed a babe into our lives.  Middle of the night formula feedings were inevitable, and here is what's working...

We have a water bottle that keeps it's contents hot or cold.  In the evening, we rinse it with hot water and then fill it with water the temperature that the formula should be.  As long as we close the lid all the way, the water stays just right to prepare bottles all night long!  No waiting for the water to warm up or having a bottle warmer or however we've previously gotten it just right!  Ah, such a pleasant discovery!

Legos

There was getting to be some possessiveness and fighting over different Lego pieces.  So, we made an agreement...they'd finish up what they were building and then get pictures taken.  After that, I'd post the pictures with their explanations.  Here are their pieces.  Mn's wasn't the full and final, but was what he wanted posted.

Mn:  I built a farm and I made 2 cars. That's all.

Kj:  I have a house and a stagecoach. The stagecoach has a barrel on top. There is a man driving and a  man riding. The clear thing behind the man is a suitcase.  

My house has a coat closet, a bathroom with a shower, a kitchen with a stove and sink, a living room with a fireplace, and a dining room. The man is eating salad. In the coat closet, there are skis that fit the Lego man.

L:  I made a Ice Cream shop, a House, and a Dock with a Boat. The Ice Cream shop also sold smoothies, and the Boat was a ferry.