Sunday, April 26, 2009
Spring has Arrived
Spring is finally here in Lubbock! Usually when spring comes we think of beautiful flowers and green grass, but in Lubbock you know it is spring because the wind blows all of the time and there is a nice fine layer of dust everywhere. The grass is not green yet unless you are fortunate enough to have fescue, but the weeds are green and growing quite well. It was a beautiful day yesterday, other than the wind, so we decided to plant some flowers. I was amazed at all of the people at the nursery. I guess I don't usually go on Saturday to buy my flowers. We got a lot of the flowers planted, but I still need to plant the tomatoes and peppers we bought. Emily and her friend Landon knew Spring had come because they caught their first horny toads of the season. They were very excited because it had been a few years since they had caught ones that were so big. They only keep them long enough to show to everyone and take their picture, then they release them again.
Abigail's Temper Tantrum
Abigail's new thing is to throw herself on the ground and kick and scream when she gets mad over something. All of my children have done this, and I have learned just to let them do it. I am amazed at the looks other people give me when they see me not doing anything to help her while she is on the floor crying, I wonder, do other kids not do this?
Last Sunday Abigail didn't get a good nap because she fell asleep on the way home from church and did not stay asleep. Some kids function OK without a nap, but Abigail is not one of those kids. She got upset about something and did her normal temper tantrum on the floor. She cried for longer than normal, but then quickly stopped. When Jeff went in to pick her up this is what he found.
The funniest part is when I picked her up to put her in her crib, she woke up and picked up on the crying right where she had stopped.
Last Sunday Abigail didn't get a good nap because she fell asleep on the way home from church and did not stay asleep. Some kids function OK without a nap, but Abigail is not one of those kids. She got upset about something and did her normal temper tantrum on the floor. She cried for longer than normal, but then quickly stopped. When Jeff went in to pick her up this is what he found.
The funniest part is when I picked her up to put her in her crib, she woke up and picked up on the crying right where she had stopped.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The End of String Project
Emily had her last recital, or what they like to call "informance" in violin yesterday. She has been in a two year program at TTU where they teach you how to play the violin. It is twice a week for 45 minutes. She has come a very long ways since the beginning of it all. They have gotten the kids to the point that they could try out for the Lubbock Youth Symphony Orchestra, and all of the kids in her class except her did. She opted out of it since their only rehearsals are on Sunday. We are hoping we can get her into private lessons that are only once a week. It has been a little time consuming driving down to Tech twice a week. It is not close enough to go back home while she is at her lesson, but Abigail and Ryan are not quiet enough to sit in on the lesson, so we just had to sit in the Suburban and wait for her. The kids were thankful we have a DVD player in the car, but it wouldn't usually entertain Abigail for very long. It is all worth it to hear Emily play. We are so proud of her! She has worked hard and has stayed very self motivated. She gets up every morning on her own and practices violin and piano before school, and before even I get up. She is a great daughter to have!
These are some of the girls, and one of her teachers from String Projects.
Easter
We had a wonderful Easter. The week before Easter my Mom came out and visited. Everyone had a good time visiting with her. We spent a lot of time shopping during the day while the kids were at school. This is something I don't do too often anymore because Ryan and Abigail don't enjoy it and they do everything they can to help me not enjoy it, but it was good to get summer and Easter clothes for the kids. The highlight of Grandma's stay for the kids was the night before she left. We went out to eat, bowling, and then rented a video. They thought it was great the Grandma could beat me at bowling!
One Good Friday we spent a lot of the day weeding the bigger half of our garden. We were very thankful we did that since it got cold on Saturday. Saturday the kids went with Jeff to the movie, and then they decorated Easter eggs.
Easter morning the kids enjoyed doing an Easter egg hunt around the house before church. I enjoyed getting them all dressed in their Easter outfits. I don't know how much longer I will be able to make them coordinate for Easter and Christmas, but I enjoy being able to so far. I only have a one requirement from Tyson and Justin NO SWEATER VESTS!
This is not the best picture of them in their outfits, but we needed to get to church! I am planning on having a friend do some pictures of them in a few weeks so I will post them when I get them.
After church we went and visited with Lorel and Annabell. Annabell had just gotten out of the hospital, and we were all happy to see her doing so well. It was a great Easter!
One Good Friday we spent a lot of the day weeding the bigger half of our garden. We were very thankful we did that since it got cold on Saturday. Saturday the kids went with Jeff to the movie, and then they decorated Easter eggs.
Easter morning the kids enjoyed doing an Easter egg hunt around the house before church. I enjoyed getting them all dressed in their Easter outfits. I don't know how much longer I will be able to make them coordinate for Easter and Christmas, but I enjoy being able to so far. I only have a one requirement from Tyson and Justin NO SWEATER VESTS!
This is not the best picture of them in their outfits, but we needed to get to church! I am planning on having a friend do some pictures of them in a few weeks so I will post them when I get them.
After church we went and visited with Lorel and Annabell. Annabell had just gotten out of the hospital, and we were all happy to see her doing so well. It was a great Easter!
Emily's Projects
Emily had two big projects due right after Spring Break. They both kept her extremely busy! She had to make a life size person to use while she presented a report on ancient Rome. She chose to make a giant doll. I was glad a knew how to sew and had made several dresses in my life! I thought she did a good job.
The second big project Emily had was to design and build a house out of Popsicle sticks. She was very excited about this project. Her art teacher encouraged them to be creative when designing their houses. After eight weeks of working on them at school they brought them home over Spring Break to complete. By the time the project came home Emily was not near as excited about it. She had the roof, flooring, and landscaping left to complete at home. After a lot of hard work it was complete and she got a 100% on the project. We were all impressed and proud of her hard work. We also learned if our other kids take art not to be quite so creative in the shape. Emily said she wished she wasn't the one who always had to figure these things out for everyone else!
The outside of her house
The inside of her house
The second big project Emily had was to design and build a house out of Popsicle sticks. She was very excited about this project. Her art teacher encouraged them to be creative when designing their houses. After eight weeks of working on them at school they brought them home over Spring Break to complete. By the time the project came home Emily was not near as excited about it. She had the roof, flooring, and landscaping left to complete at home. After a lot of hard work it was complete and she got a 100% on the project. We were all impressed and proud of her hard work. We also learned if our other kids take art not to be quite so creative in the shape. Emily said she wished she wasn't the one who always had to figure these things out for everyone else!
The outside of her house
The inside of her house
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Spring Break
We had Spring Break this past week. We didn't go any where, but we had a lot of fun around here! The highlight of the week was our annual trip to Palo Duro Canyon. We go every year with our friends the Hardy's since their dad always has to work too and they don't ever go anywhere either. The kids have more fun doing this than I think they would doing anything else.
This is at the turn around point of our hike. I must say this hike is a lot easier when I am not pregnant!
Once our hike is over we always let them go play in the water. We have learned from past experience to bring extra clothes. The first few times we didn't expect them to get in the water. We haven't had much rain so the water was extra muddy and their was hardly any current. The boys made a mud slide to go down. Emily would have nothing to do with it (I don't blame her!). I am happy to say no one got sick from being in the dirty water!
Abigail loved to throw rocks into the water. Once when she was bending forward to get a rock she slipped and fell in face first. She didn't enjoy this very much, but once she got wiped off she went right back to throwing rocks in.
While we were having fun, Jeff was busy at work. That day he had left at 5:30 in the morning to catch a flight, and didn't get back home until 10:30 at night. This is how I found him when I went to say goodnight. He is a heavy sleeper and spent the whole night like this. It is times like this I wish I was strong enough to carry him to bed, but I have learned if I wake him it is very hard for him to get back to sleep.
The kids also enjoyed each getting to go on a date of their choice this week with Jeff and I. We usually do one child each month, but we have gotten behind so this was an easy way to catch up. Ryan started out by choosing to go eat pizza and then go to the mall and get a gumball. He also enjoyed riding up and down the escalator (usually I have a stroller so we always take the elevator). Justin chose to go out to eat at a Mexican restaurant and then play miniature golf. Tyson chose to go to Dave's Need for Speed where we played lazer tag and drove go-carts. Emily chose to go to the movie "The Search for Witch Mountain." Jeff and I always enjoy taking each child out individually. We had a wonderful time. We have never taken them all out back to back like this. You can really see a difference in each of their personalities. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful children!
This is at the turn around point of our hike. I must say this hike is a lot easier when I am not pregnant!
Once our hike is over we always let them go play in the water. We have learned from past experience to bring extra clothes. The first few times we didn't expect them to get in the water. We haven't had much rain so the water was extra muddy and their was hardly any current. The boys made a mud slide to go down. Emily would have nothing to do with it (I don't blame her!). I am happy to say no one got sick from being in the dirty water!
Abigail loved to throw rocks into the water. Once when she was bending forward to get a rock she slipped and fell in face first. She didn't enjoy this very much, but once she got wiped off she went right back to throwing rocks in.
While we were having fun, Jeff was busy at work. That day he had left at 5:30 in the morning to catch a flight, and didn't get back home until 10:30 at night. This is how I found him when I went to say goodnight. He is a heavy sleeper and spent the whole night like this. It is times like this I wish I was strong enough to carry him to bed, but I have learned if I wake him it is very hard for him to get back to sleep.
The kids also enjoyed each getting to go on a date of their choice this week with Jeff and I. We usually do one child each month, but we have gotten behind so this was an easy way to catch up. Ryan started out by choosing to go eat pizza and then go to the mall and get a gumball. He also enjoyed riding up and down the escalator (usually I have a stroller so we always take the elevator). Justin chose to go out to eat at a Mexican restaurant and then play miniature golf. Tyson chose to go to Dave's Need for Speed where we played lazer tag and drove go-carts. Emily chose to go to the movie "The Search for Witch Mountain." Jeff and I always enjoy taking each child out individually. We had a wonderful time. We have never taken them all out back to back like this. You can really see a difference in each of their personalities. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful children!
Tyson's Creation
Tyson has just learned how to make his own pancakes, and now makes them all of the time. He likes to make them without me around so he can add "extra" chocolate chips. I walked into the kitchen the other day and this is what he had in the pan. 
I don't know if you can tell by the picture, but there were so many chocolate chips in them they wouln't even stick together! He couldn't eat it all because of how rich it was!
I don't know if you can tell by the picture, but there were so many chocolate chips in them they wouln't even stick together! He couldn't eat it all because of how rich it was!
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