Spring Break

I'm definitely starting to looooove spring break! It somewhat takes me back to the before-school days where we could enjoy long days outside and making time for friends. This year's break was a great balance of to-dos and fun!

Loved another chance to wear her Merida dress!

Medieval Times
Brad and I really felt like this was the right timing for this bit of family fun. Both kids are at the right age, and Makin, especially, is into knights right now. We were so thankful we could make this happen for a little spring break splurge.

Learning about the falcon.
They had a flight of the falcon as part of the show but they liked seeing him up close pre-show.

Place Setting.
You eat everything with your fingers. :)

"Mama can we do this again? I love this!"

The kids both really enjoyed it and were so thankful for this. I helped us feel like we were on vacation for a couple of hours. :)

Down Time
One thing we loved about this week was just having extra down time. There is just something about not having to get into school mode, either home or GCA and just have time for little things.


The kids ask to see the Winter and Hope webcam, and we check it out maybe once a week or so.  This particular day we happened to catch a training/recess session.

Nerf Guns + Easter Eggs = Entertainment

Outdoors + Good Book = Happy Camper

And of course...more Lego building.
Built Item #3 from his Lego Boost kit.

Friend Time
I was thankful several friends were able to get together over the week.

Brittany, Savannah and Charlie met us at a park.

We caught up with Mary, Aubrey, Morgan and Kyle at lunch and the lake.
Miss seeing them every week!

Gorgeous Weather
I remember a couple of years ago it rained almost every day of break. I was so thankful this was not the case this spring. It was a bit on the chilly side, but warmed up nicely almost every afternoon, so we really loved getting some outdoor time over break!

Arbor Hills Afternoon 

Pi Day
What a fun holiday to celebrate! The pizza's were $3.14 each so we couldn't resist a fun night out!

St. Patrick's Day
We celebrated with green eggs (blender with spinach before cooking, thanks Heather!) and pancakes with non-dye green dye you cannot see. :)

In the afternoon we had our homemade Shamrock Shakes! So yummy!

I'm really sad to see the week end!

Makin at 7 1/2

You continue to grow and bless us each day, sweet boy. Speaking of growing, you were THRILLED that you grew 1 1/2 inches in the last six months. (You are really unhappy you don't grow as fast as your sister, so this was a pretty big deal!)

You are a leader and I have loved watching this in action. I love that you are able to feel confident in leading but also respectful when others want to chime in or have other ideas.

You are still sweet. You are so patient with all of us. You always come and give me a hug when you know I need one. You know how to ask for things super-sweetly as well...which makes it way harder to say no. (Coming to mind, staying in bed longer for extra cuddles type of things.) Mrs. White often mentions she is amazed at how sweetly you deliver anything you say to people. You also know to use the sweetness and smile in all your persuasive tactics.

You love to be funny and laugh. I love that you have your buddy Charlie who helps bring out your silly side. You now think gross stuff is funny, which I know is a boy thing, but I'm not a fan.

You especially love all things Legos and robots.

You like to blare music from your room and right now love techno, especially Crazy Frog.

You don't go off and read for fun most of the time, but are getting there. You are reading a couple levels above grade-level, but like to have me nearby to tell you if there is a word you don't know.

Quotable Moments:
(Makin rollerblading around the living room...I hear a thud...)
Me: Are you okay?
Makin: Barely.


(Reading the GPS)
"Edgewood Doctor" (Edgewood Dr)

"Its like I'm living on grapes, RX bars and goldfish."

Me: Are you just going to look at those books on the drive then?
Makin: Yeah. And look out the window. The old fashioned way.

Lorelei: They are lying!
Makin: It's called false advertising.

(Leaving chapel after they had to work together as a class to build the tallest Lego tower in 4 minutes...info passed along from Mrs. White...) "I wish we could do that every chapel, only for 1,000 minutes!"

Celebrating 7 1/2 by measuring (which we do each 6 months)
and elated to see he grew 1 1/2 inches!

Brad: If you work really hard maybe you can have a car like that someday.
Makin: You might have more money than me.
B: Why is that?
M: Because my robots have to SELL!

Me: I'm so glad I haven't been on my phone at all this morning. I worked extra hard on that today.
M: I feel the love.
(Disclaimer...My main distraction is texting...and what a great motivator to do better about keeping my phone out of sight all morning!!!)

"I'm gonna have good memories of me helping you cook while I drink my milk."

"Tomorrow is going to be such a great day. Just hanging out with you building Legos."

Lorelei at 9 1/2

How can this be possible? So close to those double digits! It certainly seems possible when you look how tall you are! That is a comment people always make about you. "She's so tall!" You aren't a huge fan of it, but embrace it ok. You are excited you are almost eye-level with your mom. :) You have grown another 1 1/2 inches in the last 6 months.

You love hula right now and love showing us how well you know the dance in preparation for your recital in May.

You continue to love reading. Pretty much anytime you get a spare moment you go off and read. Right now you are reading the Winnie The Horse Gentler series and Boxcar Children. If you get tired of reading usually some coloring (favorites right now are the super-thin colored Sharpies) is the next choice. You still do pretend to a puppy as well.

Anything outside is also at the top of the list, whether its drawing with chalk or playing in the mud...anytime the weather is looking good (and even when it isn't!) you want to head outside.

You are still a social butterfly.

You still talk constantly.

You cannot wait for our trip to go see Winter and talk about every. single. day.

You think the song "Shiny" from Moana is hilarious because it says "going to kick your hiney" in part of the song.

You have somewhat given up on asking me for a dog each day because you and your brother came to the conclusion that you would have better luck convincing me of getting a cat. (I'm pretty sure this is because my main issue with a dog is that I don't want to clean up after it and you think the litter box and hypoallergenic cat seem more clean-up-able.) So now you ask for a cat every day.

Quotable Moments:
(After getting the side-bangs she requested.) "It's like I'm brand new!"

L: I'm gonna teach you Shurley English.
B: I really don't want to learn Shurley English right now.
L; You have to! You are 34 and you don't know what an adjective is!!!

"I'm one big ball of goof!"

"Stuff is way more expensive in Kansas!!!" (Looking at the Canadian..."Can" price on a box.)

(Tired of studying for a Science test...so whining/crying tone goes with this one...) "You mean I have to study till I KNOW it!?!"  (We quote this back to her all. the. time.)

For the play in DI one of the kiddos told a joke. "What do grapes sing at Christmas?...'tis the season to be JELLY!" After hearing the joke at home L said, "Tis the season to be wi-ine!"

"She's pretty hilarious when she calls a grown woman like you "Sweetie"!"

Celebrating 9 1/2 with cheesecake!

February Fun

Girl Time
I had two Friday nights in a row out. It was definitely a change for this mom! We had a Mom's Night "In" at Courtney's house, where we had appetizers and desserts and played a game of Taboo.









The following Friday didn't quite go as we had hoped. We had already ordered tickets to the school fundraiser event before finding out our sitter situation was not going to work out, so it turned out to be another night out for me while Brad took care of the kids at home.

Sidenote: Brad working hard on the video for the gala. I shot the footage of the students and he edited the videos and put them all together. It was a bit hit that night! So thankful for his willingness to help the school

So thankful I get to spend time with these ladies every week! Sonya, Brittany, Mrs. White

1st Grade Moms (7 out of 12 of us anyway!)

Creativity

It must have warmed up just a day or two (it has been mostly cold and rainy this month) and the kids enjoyed a chance to turn the patio into a Lego City. This was their compromise when two (Lexi was over) wanted to play Legos and one wanted to go outside! :)

Art Field Trip
Our beloved Mrs. Britton was willing to come back and have an "art day" field trip for us at school. The kids were so excited to see her and loved having a Friday afternoon to work on a special art project with friends.

Olympics
We did watch some of the Olympics, but not as much as Brad and the kids would have liked. The kids had a couple of Olympic competitions at school that were fun.

Reading Olympics for 1st Grade (This boy doesn't just go off and read for fun at this point, but anytime there is a challenge like this he hits his minutes goal as quickly as possible.)

P.E. Olympics

Dates

It basically hit the last Saturday of the month and I thought...oh we need February dates! So, Makin opted for an at-home Wii date with Brad, while Lorelei and I headed out for ice cream. :)



The Cold
Well I was quite proud we made it through this crazy flu season without the flu OR a cold. until about a week into February...then my pride was cut down when I (the one who rarely gets sick!) was the first one to catch the worst cold I can remember having, at least in quite a while! Brad and Makin were next. (As in at least a couple of days of being super tired/body hurting...yes, I went to a quick care and the doctor said it wasn't the flu!) Lorelei stayed strong...an apple a day really does seem to keep the doctor away! She is eating like the rest of us and drinking our vitamin drink but somehow she stayed strong...the only known difference...she eats an apple almost every day!!! :)

Destination Imagination

Brad and I definitely had a learning curve on this first year of DI. We got a late start and then we realized that we just would not have the 3rd and 4th group ready to compete mid-February. This wasn't a huge deal for my K-2nd group because I had already decided not to compete, but it was a tough decision for Brad and Courtney to make for the older kids. I think they made the right call. We didn't want our group going in unprepared, so we decided to just present this year's DI project to the parents. Next year we plan to get started the first week of Sept and should be ready to compete by February!

That being said, the kids have really enjoyed meeting each Tuesday. At each meeting (K-2 meets in a diff room than 3-4) they complete an instant challenge. My group always did one task-based and one performance based challenge. This works on their creativity, quick thinking skills, ability to work as a team...we are happy to have the program going and our kiddos have really loved it. I will say that the Sr. Stahls will be happy to know Brad commented to me the other day, "Man I didn't really realize how much time my parents put into this..."

Speaking from getting to observe my own kiddo...I love getting to see him in action with his peers and see what a leader he is of the group. (My apologies on there being way more pics from Makin's group...Brad doesn't think to take pictures as much as I do!!!)

Leaders learning to share ideas. :)

Reverse Charades

Building a bridge that needed to hold golf balls.

Group Huddle

Proud of their creation which was strong enough to hold all the marbles I brought!

Performance Instant Challenge

DI work day at our house...
working on the maze traveler proved a little harder than they thought when they chose this challenge!

Practicing his maze driving skills at home.

Brad and the kids went to the DI competition in Frisco.
They were able to watch Karsyn (friend from gymnastics/church connection, now family friend) compete!

Makin drove his Lego robot through the maze for his team.
This is at the presentation for the parents. A few families from school came to watch too.

Lorelei was a sand unicorn who helped Brody escape "The Land Of Sand".
(Parent Presentation)

3rd/4th Group
Nayeli, Lorelei, Becket, Cooper, Savannah, Shaeden and Jaedynnn

Valentine's Day

We covered the doors with hearts again this year, which the kiddos always appreciate. This year even Brad's office door got covered with hearts as well. :) The kids were also reminded how much they are loved with mail from both amazing grandparents!

We baked cookies...

And enjoyed class parties...

And overindulged all day with too much sugar. We had our home-made Red Lobster meal and had to finish off our day with our tradition (4 years strong) of chocolate covered strawberries. :)