My Boy!

Ah, the Lego creation of the week:  a cherry picker.  As far as I can tell he made this contraption all on his own!  I'd say that it's the most elaborate of all his thus far.  It comes complete with a moveable bucket and chainsaw.

A neighbor brought over some fabric that she had lying around.  I requested one piece that would be more boy-friendly so that Mn could make something.  He's been wanting me to make him a cape for some time and so after the fabric was quarantined for several days we lay it all out and he chose his piece and decided what to do with it!  He had a plan:  cut here, put button here and hole there.  I helped him fine-tune it and then we got out his little sewing kit.  He stitched around the collar and then added buttons on the shoulders as well as the button that would be used for a closure.

Mid-week, daddy got off work an hour early and we packed a picnic and went hiking.  It was a much needed unwind!  This week has been the hardest of all the quarantine weeks we've experienced.  Not that it was different from any other, but...we're breathing easier and interacting better after some time in God's beautiful creation!

We played a game of Carcassonne and afterwards were putting things away and enjoyed a good laugh setting up this photo for Grandma..."Your red meeples and your Mn are missing you today."  ;)

Thursday, during my supper prep hour the rest of the crew went on a 6 mile bike ride!  They came back warm, tired and happy!

This morning Mn finished his cape and showed it off for the camera and sharing.  He's worn it most of the day so far.  He only took it off when he realized that he was rubbing his lunch pb on it.

The writing/drawing assignment today for school was to write about something you did this week or what you want to do next week.  L was writing about taking the bus to Grandma's and Nana's and making a plan for that in her journal.  They then decided that they should pack...it was all-inclusive packing...undies, pjs, swimsuits, a few books and activities... Then, they headed out to the bus-stop (the swing in the driveway).  I looked out a bit later and they were GONE!!  Gazed out a little longer and saw that they were coming back from the corner.  They are now spending some time moving L's mattress into Mn's room.  We'll finish up our school reading...later.  We'll savor this excitement.

Mn's plan of what he wants to do next week:

Mid-Week Retreat

This particular Wednesday was a hard one for our family...mostly this mama... Kevin took off work an hour early and we packed a picnic.  There are 2 state parks quite near to each other and we frequent one and only go to the other every few years.  We thought we'd try the less frequently visited one.  We did find a quiet parking lot to picnic near, but the hiking areas were packed.  So, we started at one park and headed to the other.

Forgot to get a pic of our picnic view until we were in the van about to head to the next park...

Off the main trail hiking has been our specialty before the mosquitos reign.  :)  Found some trees to climb in and hills to roll with.

Just before we returned to our van, we pulled off the trail for others to pass.  Then we decided to stay a while and draw in our nature journals.  It was a lovely evening.  Yes, it took the whole of it for this mama to lighten up, but it worked!  God is good!!

Saturday...But Sunday is Coming!

Spring is a wonderful time to go hiking here!  No ticks or mosquitoes, still get to wear jackets...  Taking the less traveled paths also seemed appropriate for this "shelter at home" or "quarantine" time.  These paths through the ravine to the river we wouldn't have found on a summer or fall day.  It was lovely.  

 

Found 2 sets of tracks by the river's edge!

We've been bringing a small nature journal backpack along on our hikes and taking a little break to draw a little.  Ly and I did this time, while Kevin, Kj, and Mn climbed a hillside on a fallen tree.

Kj discovered this really cool looking thing.  We weren't sure what it was, but she found it on a juniper tree.  The following pictures are of it broken open and then pinched between my fingers...maybe not smart, but I didn't think of that until midway through the pinching.  I looked it up this evening and found that it is a gall.  A growth, a disease.  Thankfully, it was really hard to find another one...feeling like we should go back and dispose of others though.

Returned home for lunch and work on our garden beds.  The biggest in the forefront we put together last week.  Today we made the 3-section compost area and the tiny garden bed in the middle of them.  It's been fun over the years in our house to add improvements to the yard and garden.  The boards over the top are basically to keep the straw from blowing away until we get the plants and such in.

The finale of the day was "nice cream" and the 2nd half of Mary Martin as Peter Pan.  Even Kevin was able to have it!  Just didn't add any m&ms to his portion.  This batch was salted caramel nice cream with caramel sauce.  Mmm!  Kj eats "nice cream".  If you know Kj she WILL NOT eat bananas, she tastes them in everything that their put in, but for some reason this works. She won't have seconds, but will eat a full portion!  Win-win here!

But Sunday is Coming!!

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!