Spotify Fun

Nate has dreams.  He dreams of having his own band someday so he is totally engrossed in picking out songs for his band.  He asked me about an App on my I-pad when we were looking for things to delete to make room for a different game he wanted.  The App was Spotify and when I told him that he could create his own playlist and then it would play all the songs he wanted . .. well, he was hooked.   He made a playlist of 36 songs that his band is going to play someday and he will sit for a long time just listening to the music.  I love it on so many levels.  He loves music and he loves Christian Music.  There is nothing better than listening to your kids sing about Jesus! 

Well, he doesn't only have the latest Christian Hits, he also loves songs by Steven Curtis Chapman, Micheal W. Smith and Chris Rice so I thought I'd share an oldie but a goody with you today!   Enjoy this fun song!

Our Week in Photos #38

It's time to catch up!  Here's what we have been up to since Easter Week! 

 This train track has been on our floor for a few weeks (the boys play with it every single day) and it is the cats favorite place to lay.  He likes the enclosed spaces of the tracks I guess.

 Nate spent some time helping Darryl trim a tree.  Darryl would cut down the big branches and Nate would use the clippers to cut them down to place in the fire pit.

 We have something new in the neighborhood - boys.  Three boys moved in across the street and now they are always out playing with our boys.  It's fun to see the boys have friends in the neighborhood.

 Josh loves that the cat will lay on his lap now.  He is waited a long time for this to happen!  We've done a lot of school on the couch lately just so the cat will lay on him.  It's the little things in life that make a difference. 

 The boys set up the Dominos one day and played for quite awhile.  I've said it before but Nate loves to play games.  He'll pull out a stack of 4 or 5 games and ask everyone to play. 

 The trampoline is getting a lot of use this spring!!

 Then came the huge ice storm.  We were without power for basically two days the weekend of April 14-15.  The boys cheered when the consumers truck pulled in across the street.  They waved and blew kisses to the guys in the truck.

 Our neighbors did not lose power so they ran an extensive cord to us so we could have the basics - a light, the TV, and the heater.

 Throughout the week we ended up with several days of snow.  We were intriqued by the bird feet prints in the snow showing the confused Robins looking for food!

 My poor flowers are covered in snow!

 After a week of crazy weather, it was finally warming up enough to play outside again.  Nate invented Frisbee Basketball.

 On Friday the 20th, we had to make a store run.  The kids asked to eat at Meijer so that's what we did.  A few lunchables and everyone had fun!

 Our annual AWANA Fair was Friday night April 20th and the boys had so much fun.  They both earned unlimited play and food which makes it so much fun.  They both earned tons of tickets and ended up getting some really awesome stuff from the AWANA store.

 The neighborhood boys spend hours in our yard.  I pulled out a volcano that they set off.  They also set up a block town that was ruined by the volcanic ash! HA!

This was a true highlight for our family.  We went to a Zach Williams concert on the 22nd and were just overwhelmed with how fabulous it was.  The boys loved it - espeically Nate - and it was just an amazing night.  We ended the night by getting our photo with Carrollton who also performed and just blew me away with their music.

Weekly Menu - The one with my birthday!

This week brings my birthday and a few days without kids.  It also brings a semi-busy week where I need to be creative with meals to get us through the week! 

Friday - We are meeting my mom for dinner to celebrate my birthday!  My favorite Mexican place with some ice cream to follow will be a perfect night. 

Saturday - Darryl and I are heading out for the day.  I'm still tossing some ideas around in my head of what we are going to do but whatever we do will be fun! 

Sunday - I'm not sure - I won't be cooking! 

Monday - Tonight we are literally in three different directions.  Darryl has a meeting on one town, my mom is bringing the boys home from another and I have practice in another town.  So, everyone is eating somewhere and that is all that matters. 

Tuesday - Josh has state testing today so that will impact our day.  I plan on having tacos because I can actually prep everything on Monday so it's an easy dinner to put together after a long day. 

Wednesday - Another day of testing.  I'll probably cheat and grab something for dinner even though we are done with AWANA!  

Thursday - Baked Ziti, Salad, and Garlic bread.  

This and That

When I'm laying awake at night, drifting off to sleep, I write amazing blog posts.  Amazing.

All kinds of topics roll around in my brain and I have so much to say but then, I wake up and begin a busy day of homeschooling, keeping kids active, trying to stuff picked up, and all that fun stuff.  Life has a way of just moving forward and by the time I sit down at night, I have nothing left!

And then I find silly pictures of Blue Footed Boobies that make me wish I could own one and all rational thoughts are lost.  Maybe just a stuffed animal version would be nice.

I've missed my Saturday posts of photos the last two weeks - last week, I planned to post it on Saturday but we got an ice storm and lost power throughout a good portion of the weekend and today I just got busy doing stuff and never got a chance to upload the latest photos.  We have a busy Sunday so I'm not sure if I will get to it tomorrow or not! 

Anyway, I'm still here.  Wishing I had more time to sit and think and write but now that my kids don't go to bed until 9:30 (Lets keep it real, they go to bed at 9:30, get up to get drinks and go to the bathroom and tell me one more thing THEN lay down by 10:00  . .. and then one gets up at 10;30 to sit with me because he can't sleep . . .I just give up at that point and go to bed HA!) I struggle to have time to get things done that I want to get done in the evenings.  Each season in life brings a new challenge in figuring out a schedule and that's where I'm at right now.  It's all good, though, because in a few more weeks, school will be done and summer fun will start which will bring a whole new schedule!!! 

Weekly Menu

Our week did not go as planned!  A ice storm came in this weekend and we lost power both on Saturday and Sunday.  It threw off my whole plan!  So, this week will see some repeats that's for sure!

Friday - It's the annual AWANA fair.  They serve food but the boys are so busy playing games to earn tickets to buy stuff that they don't eat much.  So, I'll make something simple like chicken nuggets for them to eat before we go and then they can get something there when they have time. 

Saturday - Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese, Roasted Zucchini, and Garlic Bread.  This is a new recipe I've had my eye on for awhile so I hope it's really good

Sunday - Today we are headed to a Christian Concert - the first one for the boys. It's kind of a weird time because of traveling to the concert and it starts at 6:00 (How do you do dinner? HA!)  So I think after church everyone can snack and I'll make a late lunch at around 3:00 of Sloppy Joes and Chips.  I'm sure we will have to grab a late night snack after the concert for the hour drive home.

Monday - I saw another new recipe that look good - Pasta Pizza Bake.  I love pizza so I figured this was worth a try. 

Tuesday - It's time to go back to "safe" food (what I know everyone likes HA!)  So, Sausage Gravy and Biscuits, Tator Tots, and some fruit.

Wednesday - Tonight is AWANA awards so dinner needs to be another easy choice.  Pork Chops in the Crock pot with Fried Rice is easy :-)

Thursday - Tonight begins my Birthday Celebration HA!  My birthday is on Friday and we are meeting my mom for dinner so I thought I'd have Darryl make me something good tonight.  I want Hamburgers on the grill with homemade Daddy Fries.  Since we are eating out on Friday, I think we'll have my cake tonight too :-)  Yeah!

Weekly Menu

I've been really lacking motivation and the desire to plan a manu lately.  My husband is still going through dental challenges so my list of recipes is much smaller than normal which makes it less exciting to cook!  So, I recently pulled out all of the recipes I have that I can cook and am just looking at those instead of all of the other stuff I'm missing HA!

Here's the plan for the coming week.

Friday - Baked potatoes with fun toppings and Wendy's Chili (I make the potatoes and Darryl picks up the Chili! )

Saturday - Tacos!  It's easy and we all love them

Sunday - Lemon Barbecued Meatlaoves, Stuffing, Mac and Cheese and Corn

Monday - Chili and French Bread.

Tuesday - Biscuits and Gravy, Eggs, and Tator Tots

Wednesday - AWANA is almost done so it is time for one more night out!

Thursday - It's grocery shopping Day and, I hate to cook after spending hours at the store so my new favorite meal to make is . . .. French Toast Sticks, Tator Tots, and Sausage Balls (or patties if the Sausage Balls I make for breakfast are gone).  Super easy and super tasty! 

Our Week in Photos #37

This past week was Spring Break.  Well, actually our spring break started just over a week ago so I decided not to post last week and just put it all into one post today.  Enjoy!

Spring Break started on Thursday, March 29th  with a trip to our Christian Bookstore to hear an author read her books.  I like exposing my kids to literature when I can and, in this case, the author is from England so I knew they would love her accent.  (And they did!)  I wish I had taken my good camera instead of the little one . .. the photos would have been better!

After the book signing, we headed to lunch at Culvers.  We haven't been in a long time and it sure tasted good.  There is something about their greasy, buttery, burgers and fabulous onion rings!

 Josh

Nate

On Friday the 30th, my mom arrived for the weekend.  Josh had asked her to go bowling on Friday so that's what we did.  Two and half hours later we finished two games.  The lane was slow, the scoring system kept messing up, and we had 6 of us on one lane.  BUT it was fun.  I did take photos of my mom bowling but she would probably shoot me if I posted them here HA!

Friday evening we attended the Good Friday service at our church.  It was time to sit and reflect on the seriousness of the weekend; to focus on what Jesus did for each of us.  The program was great - a mixture of scripture reading and songs.

 On Saturday the 31st, we started out by go to the annual Easter Egg "Hunt" at another local church.  This year, due to the weather, they just put them all in the church basement.  I didn't get any pictures since the kids were just picking up eggs.  They still had fun.  We then enjoyed a Hot Dog lunch at the church as well.

 Once Darryl got home, the boys dyed eggs.  They are getting older so we tried a few new things (which none of them worked HA!).  But, after the eggs were dyed, they took a few outside and smashed them just for fun (yes, hard boiled).

The night ended with us all just hanging out.  We all enjoy having Nana around :-)

 April 1st - Easter! (No Foolin'!)  We woke up bright and early (there were a lot of groans in this house when I woke people up HA!) To head to my in-laws for the day.  We started at their church for Breakfast and Easter Service.  Then we went back to their house for the afternoon.  The boys picked out their own Easter "Outfits" this year - They both picked out their shirts and then said, we will just wear them with our blank pants.  Easiest Easter outfits ever.  It's not what I had in mind but they have their own opinions now so I tried to be flexible.

 This is a priceless photo.  Why?  Because the boys are sitting between their two Grandmas.  I might just have to frame this photo.

 Easter dinner was ham and rolls (for sandwiches) and lots of salads.  Followed by some wonderful pies for dessert!

Darryl's mom put together a fun little Easter Egg hunt for the boys - inside because it was chilly outside (we even had snow on the ground when we got up and snow flurries while driving to church!)

 We ended the day back at home where the Easter Bunny had arrived while we were away.  The boys got their Easter gifts and we had an Egg hunt (indoors - it is so hard to photos of them hunting inside!)

I found these really neat Bubble Mits for $2.00 at Meijer.  The boys had some fun with them later in the evening.

We really had a very enjoyable day and I'm thankful for such great memories!

 April 2nd - Our day started with a trip to get Haircuts.  Nate is working on a very specific hair style that is reflective of a you tuber he watches.  I'm ok with that because hair is hair - it can be cut and it can grow so lets have fun with it !

 Next, we took advantage of FREE PIZZA!  Little Ceasers was doing a March Madness Free Pizza reward so we went and stood in line!  This guy had been counting down the days for the big day and didn't even take off his coat before enjoying his pizza.

 The best part was that every person in line got a free pizza so we ended up bringing home five lunch combos :-)  It was a fun experience to say the least.  (And free is always good!)

We ended the evening with getting out the slime kits the boys got for Christmas.  We did not have much success making slime, to be honest, but it was fun trying. 

 April 3rd - the boys wanted me to do Easter Activities with the kids that hang out with us each day.  Tuesday was the perfect day because it was cold and rainy (we even got some really strong thunderstorms that made us all jump with the first clap of thunder!) 

 We started by painting these wooded Easter baskets using Q Tip painting designs.  One benefit of doing this after Easter was I got everything Easter related for 50% off! 

 Later in the afternoon we painted relief paintings with bunnies.

 Our last event was Easter Bingo!  It was a lot of fun :-)

 These canvas paintings turned out totally different than I thought they would.  I thought they would draw stripes or swirls all over the back ground but all 4 kids painted a scene around the bunny HA! 

Q tips painting!! 

 April 4th, Wednesday, brought snow.  Yes. snow.  We love snow though so this was a great spring break surprise. 

 The boys wanted to step in it for fun :-)

We then dragged out all of the Snow stuff that I packed away a week ago (I know, it's all my fault) so the boys could play outside in the snow for awhile.  Funny story - all the winter coats were in the truck . .. which Darryl took to work!  So, Josh had to wear my winter coat (yes, I actually have one) and Nate's coat from last year was still in the basement.  Whew!

 Thursday, April 5th dawned bright and beautiful!  The snow was gone and the sun was shining so we took off for the day.  We started at a place called "The Critter Barn" where the boys got to feed baby goats.

 Feed grown up goats. (And watch them poop  . . .What, they ARE boys HA!

 Joshua

 Nathan

 They got to pet rabbits of all sizes. 

And hold chicks.  Not to mention the cat room.  Yes, a cat room.  There were 16 fabulous cats all in one room that we got to pet and play with!  It was awesome.  I want to say one simple truth - I'm a total city girl so I love that there are little farms like this where the boys can hold animals :-)

From there, we headed to Red Robin for lunch.  My burger was fabulous and that's all that matters.  Oh wait, there's one other thing - Nate loved their Mac and Cheese AND we learned that you can get free refills on it which made. his. day! 

We ended our day at the Annual Rock and Mineral show.  Let me tell you the truth, I wanted to poke my eye with a dull stick but these two boys absolutely loved it.  They picked out 4 egg cartons of little stones and gems (only $0.50 each carton!) and a few other treasures too.  They could have spent all day there.  I could not. HA!  Darryl even surprised us by showing up when he got out of work. 

 Friday, April 6th started with McDonald's breakfast !  (Well, it actually started with more snow but it melted very quickly!) Then, we were lazy most of the day.

I may or may not have snuggled with this cute cat in the chair with my book for a few hours :-)

And then I played some a game of Battleship with this sweet boy. 

When ended our Friday by going to see Sherlock Gnomes.  It was a cute movie and we enjoyed it but it wasn't the best movie I've ever seen either!

All in all, I think we had a pretty good week.  We had a few days where we stuck close to home and relaxed in our PJ's most of the day and a few days where we took off and had fun elsewhere!