Random Photos

Another lunch walk in the wagon with Adelaide. She loves saying hi to the cows. 

For lunch she wanted a carrot for her vegetable - I laughed when she didn't want it cut up, just a whole carrot like this. 

I made sugar cookies for our piano recital. 

I didn't get a group picture of the piano recital so we snapped a few when we got home. Adelaide asked if she could sing a song at the recital. She didn't participate this time, but when the time is right, she'll be playing the piano in no time. 

Eleanor played her first duet with me - "A Ten Second Song." She had it memorized! 

Austin memorized "Waltzing Elephants" and then we played a duet together - "Star Wars."

Eli played "Heart and Soul" and the memorized "Fur Elise." 

Piano recitals are so great for kids. When I started teaching piano lessons 2 years ago, I had my own children in mind. Although my plan is to be cutting back soon, I love how my own children have been inspired to practice more for the recitals. 

On Saturday morning, Aaron had a seminary meeting at the church. He took the boys with them so they could play basketball and hang out while Aaron was in his meeting. The girls and I cleaned at home. Eleanor made up the best Cinderella song as she mopped the kitchen flower. "Cinderallaaaaaa come and mop the floor!!"

I found these cute pink cowgirl boots for Eleanor for a few dollars. She couldn't wait to wear them to church. The girls had a birthday party and got kitty ears. Adelaide wore them into church, but then took them off when she gave her first prayer in primary! She spoke so clearly into the microphone. 

Have you heard of Geocaching? Using an app, you locate the area where people have hidden geocaches at specific locations marked with coordinates all over the world. Eli found this one in a tree outside our neighborhood. It's pretty exciting when you find it!

After school, these kids set up an art room on the porch where they colored and painted in the beautiful spring weather. Eleanor is my little creator. I can't keep enough paper and tape on hand for her creativity. 

Last minute, I decided to buy $5 tickets to the big 12 basketball championship that took place in KC. BYU was playing Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. I picked up the kids from school at 10 a.m. and we ate lunch in the car as we drove down to the city. We parked and walked to the T-mobil center just in time for the game to start. We saw other friends from the stake at the game. BYU won! I love moments like this when I'm reminded how great my job is as a full-time mom. I can just pull my kids out of school for a basketball game in the middle of the week. 

Aaron took the boys camping so the girls and I got another girls' night. This time we had dinner at Chipotle followed by shopping at Ross. The girls did help me make these General Conference books for the primary kids. We have 80 kids in our primary. It's huge!! On Easter Sunday we only have sacrament meeting, so we made these books early so we can get them to the kids before conference in a few weeks. 

After Eli's basketball games, Adelaide loves to lay on this cute soft circle rug.

Instead of parent teacher conferences this spring, the school had a showcase where the kids show us all their work from the past semester. These kids love school. 

The kids and I volunteered to help the PTA set up the book fair. When we finished, I found Gracie, a girl in our ward, reading a book to these happy listeners. 

Eli thought he was hilarious and clever by writing jokes on our toilet paper. I'll admit it did make me laugh. 

 

Austin is 9!!

The girls have a picture of Great Grandma Volk in their room on their dresser. They both wanted to give her a good morning hug when they woke up. 

I found these beads at the Dollar Tree. Adelaide made me a necklace while I folded laundry. 

Saturday morning: After everyone finished their chores, we walked to the temple. Aaron took the boys and Eleanor to a help load a moving truck for a lady moving out of her grandparents' home. Adelaide and I changed our clothes at the church so I could play the piano for a baptism. We all met up after the move and baptism and walked home together. Yay for a temple walk!

Eli played his last basketball game. These two sisters are the best cheerleaders (sometimes...they do get rambunctious during the game.) This moment of them holding hands was so cute. 

On the weekend before Austin's birthday, Aaron took the boys and Duane to an indoor soccer game. We scored some free tickets through the military. The team won in overtime! 

While the boys were at the soccer game, we had a girls night. We went to Claires where Eleanor spent some of her birthday money from items on the clearance rack. We ended the evening with a mini-ice cream cone.

A friend asked if we wanted this wagon. I took Adelaide on a lunch walk - she eats her lunch while I pull her around the neighborhood. 

On March 5, Austin woke up and turned 9! We love birthdays at our house! We talked about how Austin was baptized a year ago. Sometimes when I see him with a group of his friends, I realized how tall he's grown. People ask me all the time if Eli and Austin are twins. 

I pull out the birthday kid's baby book and we reminisce about how cute our babies were! We had eggs and homemade donuts followed by presents before Austin hopped on the bus. 

Austin asked for a chicken sandwich from McDonald's for lunch. I snuck his lunch into a brown paper bag and we enjoyed a nice lunch date together. 

Austin's birthday fell on a Tuesday this year. I rearranged my piano lesson schedule so Austin could invite a few friends from school to our house. They played indoor basketball and then soccer outside followed by snacks, cupcakes and presents. Austin has a fun group of boys. I love seeing him form friendships. 

I did put together a quick scavenger hunt together where the kids found a treasure box full of candy and Pokémon toys. 

Austin prayers for kindness in every prayer he offers. He offers to help Adelaide eat when she's struggling with dinner. He says the funniest phrases on repeat throughout the day. His handwriting has improved so much this year. Austin has struggled with attending PEAK sometimes (the gifted program) because he doesn't want to leave his friends. PEAK pushes him. Although he says he wishes I didn't sign him up for it, (I didn't actually - his test scores were flagged and the district said he qualified for the program) his teacher told us at conferences that he's doing great in the class. We love Austin for the young man he is becoming. He still gives me a kiss on the cheek every time I tuck him into bed and at the bus stop before he leaves for school. He isn't competitive, but likes group sports if he can play with his friends on his team. He's constantly making us laugh and also strengthening our testimonies as he asks questions and thinks deeply about the gospel. 

I was so happy when I found out Austin was a little boy so that Eli and Austin could experience the joy of siblings. The two boys fight at times, but then wrestle and laugh together often. They share a room and they can't fall asleep if one of them isn't home. 

Happy 9th Birthday, Austin! I hope you felt so loved today and every day!