skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Thursday was Christmas Eve. We always enjoy the fact that Christmas Eve is really one of the only days during the year that we don't have to wake up and go anywhere. We enjoy sleeping in and taking it easy. We always cook sausage balls and grits. It was nice to soak it in and enjoy the morning. Once we were all dressed we decorated Santa cookies. This was a fun new tradition. My mom had actually made some tea cake cookies and I asked her for some plain ones that we could decorate. This was the first time really doing this but the kids enjoyed it. Afterwards we took them on a walk. I couldn't believe all we accomplished before 11 am. The kids played outside with Austin awhile longer. We had a light lunch and then rested. We let the kids watch a movie since we were hoping for early bedtimes that night.
After naptime we went over to my parents. We got there around 5. We ate dinner with them and just enjoyed some good ole visiting and remembering Christmases past with them. We always also celebrate Jesus' birthday. Its a fun and special time. The kids were in rare form after dessert though. We sang some songs and ready the Christmas story. After that the kids were def needing to get home. We got home and things got a little testy due to Colby's attitude. It's the first Christmas Eve I recall getting truly mad at one of our children. It was a lesson though on how Christmas really isn't about perfection but about how Jesus came for the dirty, the sick, and the sinners. We ended on a good note. We set out cookies and reindeer food and read our Advent book. I always enjoy setting out Christmas for the kids once they go to bed. It didn't take us long at all this year since we scaled way back! We were finished and just enjoyed watching a movie before bed.
Christmas morning we were up bright and early. I had set my alarm for 6 since I had to shower and do my hair. The kids were up shortly after. They were excited about their toys! I think they really loved their Toy Story stuff best. We got dressed and went over to my parent's house for Christmas with them. Again another fun tradition. I know people love to stay home on Christmas but honestly I kind of like that we have a reason to dress up and go somewhere. We had breakfast then opened gifts over there. We did some more remembering and just visiting. I am so thankful we have family close by that we can make this happen. A new tradition added to this year was lunch at Randall and Elizabeth's house. We used to all do Christmas lunch with them and her family but since having kids we really haven't done it but a couple of times since they all usually go to the northshore. It was fun being at their house though and having that extended time together. The kids did really well and I think enjoyed themselves too! We had a yummy lunch of gumbo, salad, and dressing! By mid-afternoon we knew it was time to get the kids home. It had been a busy day and they were anxious to get home to their own toys. We got home and were able to relax for awhile. We took the kids on a walk and just enjoyed the rest of the day at home.
I cannot believe Christmas is over! Each year gets more fun! I cannot believe how fast they are growing up though! At 7 and 4 I just cannot believe how quickly time is going!! So thankful for this Christmas season though and that they are learning the true reason for it!
So we have been on Christmas break a few days now and we have still been pretty busy. On Monday Austin and Colby took a trip to Hattiesburg for the day. Austin has started a tradition of spending quality time with each child the week of Christmas. He also takes them shopping for the other. From what I understand they had a really fun day! They shopped, ate lunch at Cracker Barrel and enjoyed time with his parents and sister and the girls! I was glad they were able to do this. Since they were gone all day it meant a girls day for Lindsay and I. We grocery shopped then came home and quickly put it all away. We had a lunch playdate with her little friend Ebbie. It was nice to start off the week this way. It has been a rainy week so I was glad they both got fun days and time to play. She had a blast playing and eating at Chickfila. We enjoyed our quiet afternoon relaxing until the boys got home.
Tuesday was Lindsay's turn to go with daddy. We all slept in a little and enjoyed a slower paced morning before heading out in opposite directions. Colby and I mostly ran errands. It was nice to just soak up that time with him. Its amazing how their little personalities come out when they are alone. We had a nice quiet lunch as he kept saying. I love my time with him. Lindsay and Austin went to Lakeside then out to lunch as well. That afternoon we relaxed before bringing the kids over to my parents. We hadn't been able to go out for our anniversary yet due to the busyness of life with 2 kids so we decided to wait until Christmas week. They spent the night with my parents. We decided to go out to Des Families. We love eating there especially this time of year. It was nice to get out as a couple. We drove around and looked at lights before coming home and watching a Christmas movie and wrapping presents. It was like our married before kids days!
Wednesday morning ofcourse we were anxious to pick up the kids. We got there around 9:15 to get them. We promised them a fun NOLA day. This is kind of a tradition as well. We do either right before or after Christmas. They chose the Children's Museum since the weather was kind of yucky. They had a really good time. They are getting so big and our experiences at the museum are so different now! We stayed about 2 hours before they were ready to go. We decided lunch at Jimmy Johns would round out a good outting. Our kids love that place! We got in and relaxed that afternoon before heading out that night for a Christmas Eve service. Our church now doesn't do one but our old church always has a Candlelight Service on or around Christmas Eve. This year they did it on the 23rd. It was nice being back and seeing many old faces. The kids were exceptional at church too! I was so proud of them! I am so glad they got to experience church at night. It was a sweet and memorable time.
This past weekend was a whirlwind but such sweet memories were made I am so thankful for it! Austin was fortunate to take off an entire week leading up to Christmas. I love that he's able to do that! So Friday I posted about our Christmas party rounds that day. Once we left Colby's school we came home for some down time. It was really nice to have everyone home and be able to catch up on some much needed rest.
Friday night we had the kids Christmas party at church. We had all signed up to go. I was assigned the preschool. I was so thankful for Austin helping me as well. We ended up with 10 preschoolers. It was honestly the perfect number. The year before we had 20+ and it was crazy! 10 was manageable and we had 4 helpers. We got there early to get set up and allow our kids to eat since they don't eat pizza. From 6-6:30 the kids arrived and were served pizza in a classroom. It was just a time of visiting and getting to know the kids. We ofcourse knew most of them! Lindsay loved having her friends Ebbie, Mia, and Genevieve there. After they ate we went into Clubhouse. It was a neat time of storytelling and singing. They had an interactive nativity which was also neat. After clubhouse at 7 we went back to our room for crafts. We let them color a nativity color sheet while we set up the stuff for the edible Christmas trees. Once we got to that activity it kept the kids busy for quite some time! They ate and ate and ate! I thought we were going to run out of time for games. We were able to play a couple though. It was a fun night and just enough time. All the kids were picked up promptly by 8 so we were able to get out and get our kiddos home and into bed after a long day!
Saturday we had our annual Family Breakfast. We couldn't sleep in but that was ok. It was a beautiful day for it! We met my family at Parrot Pete's per tradition. It was fun visiting and just hanging out! The kids are getting easier and easier at these type events! I love that they now like sitting by other members of the family! We took our time and visited a lot even after we ate. Afterwards we did a family SAM's trip to shop for our adopted family. We then came home to spend the rest of the day in and relaxing. It was a great feeling to not have to run off anywhere that night!
Sunday was a busy day. We had to be at church at 8:15 b/c Colby had rehearsal for the little play he was in. I love church during hte Christmas season though. Having Colby perform in church the last 2 years has brought back so many memories to me as a child. I was always involved in little productions and loved every minute of it. I had to teach 1st service so I wasn't able to see them during that time. Luckily I had been to all the rehearsals though. It was crazy too 1st service. We had 12 kids...ofcourse the Sunday before Christmas we have a lot more kids! They were wound up too! We finally got out and were able to meet up with our adopted family. It was a crazy morning I felt so stretched. Finally we got to go in church with Lindsay and watch the first part of the service. The kids were so cute and did so well! After church we went to eat at Olive Branch. I just love eating out this time of year. I don't know something about it...just makes it more fun! We had a low key afternoon which was very nice. Another day of staying in and relaxing!
So this week has been a whirl wind of events and activities! Monday Austin was off which was nice. Its always nice to begin the week with him at home. It helps that he can pick the kids up from school and I get a little quiet time at home. That afternoon we brought Makyrin home. He wasn't here long so the boys really only had time to eat a snack and begin their math homework. We finished up homework then left. We had promised the kids a City Park outting. We try to go early and on a school night. Last year we made the mistake of going on a Saturday night and it was AWFUL! We will never do that again! It was nice to be together as a family of 4. This December has started off quite crazy so I really felt like we needed. It helped my mood so much! The kids really enjoyed the outting. Its so crazy how big they are getting! Lindsay didn't even need a stroller this year! We were able to ride the train and carousel. It was fun to be a kid that night! We spent a little time in Storyland then walked around the Botanical Gardens which usually is something we skip. The kids had a blast and so did we! It was a great way to start the week!
Tuesday Austin worked so it was me with mom duty. I kept Lindsay home from school. As I've mentioned I like to keep her out 1 day a week just so we can hang out. I wanted to go to Lakeside and do some Christmas shopping. we started this tradition last year and it was just a sweet time. We got there and started our morning with beignets and coffee. She got a Build A Bear gift card for her birthday so we went in there and Built A Bear. It was her first official one she made. She loved it too! She's still hanging out with that bear so it was a good choice! Afterwards we went to a couple more stores before coming home. We had to bake cookies so we spent the rest of the morning doing that! Again another sweet memory of her helping me! That afternoon was just our normal school afternoon and evening. We did bring Makyrin home again. Once again though the boys really only had time to do homework.
Wednesday everyone had school and Austin left to go out of town. It was a busy day for me! I left the house at 8 and didn't return until 12:30. I brought both kids to school then had a couple errands to run before meeting with Laekan about Friday night. I then had to go back up to Lindsay's school at 11 for the Parent Christmas Party. I think its neat they started doing this. It gives all the parents a time to just catch up and visit. Its also a cookie exchange. I loved visiting with friends and with some newer moms I don't know as well. Once I picked Lindsay up we came home to rest and eat lunch. I am always thankful my parents pick Colby up on Wednesdays. Especially this week since I was gone all morning. That afternoon we left our house at 5 and went to eat at Wendy's before Colby's drama rehearsal. Again another simple moment that is so sweet at the holidays just taking my sweet kids to eat. Rehearsal went really well. I am so excited and proud of the kids participating!
Thursday Lindsay had her Christmas party. We were all excited to have the end of the week in sight! I had a busy morning with a last minute trip to Target then picking up the kids. That night Colby had a Christmas party at Cubscouts. It was fun. The kids had a blast! I love this little group of friends we all have. I love that each boy has a younger sister too! They played games and decorated cookies!
Friday Hallelujah we made it!! It was the last day standing between us and Christmas break!! Colby had a party that day at school. Austin was off and all felt right with the world again. The weather was beautiful and it was just such a special day for our family. We got Colby settled at school and took Lindsay to pjs for coffee and a muffin. I am sure going to miss this tradition with her next year. I will still have to make time for it even after she is in big girl school. We then went to hear her sing at the nursing home. She did such a great job! I was proud of what a big girl she was! I think she enjoyed seeing her little group of friends one last time before the holidays. It was such a sweet time. This was our 3rd time to do that and oh how I will miss these sweet preschool days. It was nice visiting with other parents and their teachers. We finished there about 10:30 and headed to Colby's school to enjoy the last hour of his party. When we got there the kids were eating and watching a movie. It was nice to just visit with the teacher and his friends. Lindsay I think enjoyed it too! We have never all been able to be together as a family on the day of Christmas parties so this will forever be a sweet memory for me!!
We made it through the final week of crazy! It was nuts but I wouldn't trade this season of life! Our kids should have some awesome memories and I know we do as well! Now to enjoy the 2 weeks off and making more memories as a family!
Well this weekend was very low key compared to last. I was thankful b/c I think we all desperately needed the rest.
Friday the kids both went to school and I went to Target. It was a busy day with carpool trips but I was thankful to not have to go anywhere that night. We hung out at home and watched the Polar Express for our Friday night movie. Friday was also our anniversary. We will celebrate later in the month. We were both just so tired and felt we needed to spend the weekend at home with the kids. He picked up TX Roadhouse so we wouldn't have to cook that night.
Saturday morning we really didn't get to sleep in much. We had to get going b/c we had tickets for a Santa Breakfast at Lindsay's school. Its been tradition for us to go. We took Colby when he was 2, then Austin took Colby when he was 3 since Lindsay was less then a week old, the next year we missed b/c it fell on Lindsay's b-day, we all went the following year when they were 5 and 2. Last year at 6 and 3 my parents took them b/c we were out of town on our anniversary trip. Anyway its a sweet tradition and I looked forward to bringing them again. We enjoyed our breakfast and got to visit with a lot of people. Its almost like the entire city of Algiers comes to this event. The kids got to take a pic with Santa and make an ornament. I felt like we stayed longer this time. Afterwards the kids and I had one errand to go to Barnes and Noble. I was disappointed I really didn't find what I was looking for. The kids still had fun looking around. We would have done more shopping but I was so tired and ready to go home at that point. After such a busy week I felt we needed time at home. We enjoyed an afternoon of playing and relaxing!
Sunday Austin was off and we were all able to go to church together which was lovely. I taught...we had about 8 or 9 preschoolers. It was a good morning. Afterwards we had a birthday party to go to. It was for Callie a little girl who goes to school with Lindsay. We have known the family now for many years. I have known Katie since before Callie and Lindsay were born. It was at Chuck E. Cheese. The kids really had a good time. This was only Lindsay's 2nd time there. We played about an hour before coming home. It was nice to relax that afternoon and we even took a walk. That night Austin had a Christmas party so I tried to get the kids to bed early. This coming week is going to be super busy!
So Austin's parents were here for Lindsay's party and birthday weekend. Friday night we got together with them and had dinner. I noticed Mr. Jim seemed quiet and not quite himself. He's had stomach issues lately and I just kinda thought it might be that or just tired from the day of traveling and getting in late. They were ofcourse at Lindsay's party. Again I noticed he seemed a little quiet but I didn't interact with him much during the party since I was running around mostly. After the party when we were packing up and getting things ready to go Austin had mentioned Wendi and the girls wanting to see Lindsay open up her gift from them. We were headed out and I was lagging behind with the kids still talking to one of the mommas. I caught Austin running off and his sister out of the corner of my eye. I worried a bit if someone had gotten sick or gotten hurt. I thought maybe it was one of the girls or our parents had taken a tumble. I quickly moved the kids along so we could get out there and see what was the trouble. When I got there I noticed Austin's dad leaning out the car and he looked like he was going to throw up. I imagined that maybe he was getting sick to his stomach. I ushered the kids to the van. I didn't want them 1) to be in the way 2) to see their pawpaw in distress and 3) to get sick themselves.
Anyway I got them loaded in and really had no idea what was going on. Austin came to the car with tears and said his dad was really sick. I thought he was going to have to drive them to the hospital. Well after several minutes at their car he said they were going to go ahead and try to make it home. We even called as we were halfway home and they said he was feeling slightly better. We then hadn't been home 10 minutes when they said he was worse and they were going to the ER. Within minutes we learned he was having a heart attack and they had to shock him. Austin was hysterical. He knew right away he wanted to go be with them. I hated to see him drive over by himself especially if things were really bad with his dad. I couldn't bear for him to be on the road if he got really bad news. So I decided to go with him. We had to quickly get everyone dressed again and brought the kids to my parents house. Austin and I drove over. We got to the hospital early afternoon and his dad was in the cath lab waiting to get a stent put in. We waited for about 2 hours total. Once his dad got out and put in ICU and they were all able to see him Austin and I headed back home. I was very tired and not feeling well plus I wanted to get home to the kids and spend the last couple hours of Lindsay's b-day with her. The kids and I enjoyed a quiet night together. Austin drove back to Slidell to be with his mom. They were able to get a hotel room which I was glad though.
The next morning the kids and I went on to church. Colby was supposed to sing in church. We had thought he was going to miss most of it due to the cubscout outting but this way he got to go and sing both times. The kids did a beautiful job. Austin got home around the same time we did and we had lunch and rested. That afternoon we spent outside and playing with the kids. It was a much needed time after a very crazy start to the weekend! That next morning Austin went back up and his dad ended up getting released from the hospital. Thankfully Austin was able to come home that afternoon. We are so thankful his dad is going to be ok. He has to changed some lifestyle habits and things but with everyone's help he should make a full recovery!
I cannot believe my baby girl is 4! Its been a whirlwind weekend of celebrating so I will start at the beginning! Friday ofcourse both kids had school. She was also excited about spending the day with her friends and celebrating.
I dropped her off with her cupcakes and supplies and came home to rest and clean up the house some. That afternoon I tried to take it easy b/c I have had a cold come on. My parents got Colby from school. Lindsay and I had to go pick up her birthday cake. I thought everything looked good when they showed me the cake but I was looking at it upside down and trying to hold Lindsay in my arms so she could see it. We got home and I decided to sneak one more peek before we put it away. I opened and my heart sunk when I saw her name was spelled LINZSAY. I couldn't believe I didn't catch that while we were there. I called the bakery and they told me to come back that they would fix it. I waited on Colby to get home then we packed up and left. I wasn't very excited about getting out again but I knew it had to be done. Luckily we got it fixed with no issues. I tried to show my kids calmness and grace. Yea I was aggravated but I know the people didn't do it on purpose and we all make mistakes. We did get home with enough time to relax before going out that night. I was glad I was able to get myself re-focused.
That evening we went downtown to meet Austin's family. They were in for Lindsay's birthday and were staying at his hotel. We got there around 6. They met us in the lobby and we all went to eat at Oceania Grill. I really enjoyed the walk. it was cool and crisp and this time of year the scenery was just so pretty. We had to wait awhile for a table but once we got settled the evening was nice. I mostly visited with Austin's mom and Austin. Colby sat by Maggie and Lindsay sat by Wendi and Austin's dad. Its so funny how they are so big now and don't even need us at restaurants. So we all enjoyed a yummy supper and walked back to his hotel. We had the idea to walk over to the Ritz and check out their Christmas decorations. I remembered they had a life size gingerbread house. The kids all loved looking at it but especially Lindsay. She sat there and gazed at it for a good 10 min. This was truly a perfect start to her b-day weekend. We went out to the Courtyard for a bit to let the kids run around. It was such a beautiful night!
Saturday morning we were up early. We got ready for the party and headed out about 9. We got to the park and got things set up. It was a GORGEOUS Day. The kids enjoyed running around and playing. We had about 15 kids there. A few of Lindsay's school friends then several friends from church came. I thought Storyland was just the perfect birthday setting. I am so happy we settled on that! The kids could be free to play and the adults had a nice place to visit. Everyone seemed so happy and truly seemed to be enjoying the day! I enjoyed visiting with everyone and it was nice not having to worry about our house this b-day season. The day took a turn after but I will post about that later! I think our girl had a terrific birthday though. She enjoyed opening all her gifts at home.
The next day we played with more gifts and went to church. Colby sang in church so that also made for a sweet day!
So this week has been a week full of busy! Christmas preparations and birthday celebrations are well under way. Monday we decorated and grocery shopped. Tuesday I went to Target and got some of my Christmas shopping done. Wednesday my mom and I had a lovely outting out to Lakeside together. It was fun to just go somewhere alone with my mom. Its rare we get that! We finished up the kids Christmas and Lindsay's birthday. That night Colby had rehearsal. The kids are singing on Sunday and then doing a skit later in the month. I am so thankful he gets to be involved in this type stuff. I loved children's choir when I was little! Lindsay and I hung out and watched. It was nice to watch and visit with other moms. I am kind of thankful my teaching is over for the semester. I love doing it but it also takes a lot out of me. And this winter I am trying to focus on resting a little more and less stress.
Thursday I kept Lindsay home from school. I keep her out 1 day a week mostly for my sanity. Doing the carpool thing 4 times a day is wearing on me. I love her little preschool so much and I would love to leave her there one more year but I just can't. I need to give myself more time. Anyway so I keep her home so we can hang out. Plus since she started the year at 3 I figure she doesn't necessarily need all 5 days! It was a sweet time baking cupcakes with her and just playing.
That evening Colby had Cubscouts. It was a Pack Meeting so we all went. It was neat to see his Den perform and share so many things for the group. I love that he's gotten so much more confident in just 1 year! They also discussed the evening on the ship. It was a great night!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. I felt like it was very relaxing and low key. Austin was off on Thanksgiving day which was nice. He's only been off maybe for 2-3 of our kids Thanksgiving Days. It was nice having him here and first of all being able to sleep in. It was also nice to be able to have the Macy's Day Parade on while we were all getting ready. He was frying the turkey this year so that consumed most of his time. I got things ready in the house and got the kids and I dressed.
We left for my parents house around 11. We got there and went to work getting food prepped. Randall, Elizabeth, and Mrs. Eva were already there. This was the only guests this year and honestly I enjoyed it. The only other small turkey day we have had was the one before Lindsay was born. The kids have gotten really good at letting us visit and participating in things like writing what they are thankful for and singing songs. We ate lunch and dessert and just enjoyed some good quality visiting. The kids were chomping at the bits though to get outdoors. We had a lovely day with highs in the 70s. We ended up spending about 2 hours in Brechtel park. It was so neat. The kids rode their bikes and we all talked and reminisced. I loved that this year we got outside and got active! It beat sitting inside watching football and yawning! I think it wore the kids out too. Once we got back it was time to start thinking about heading home. It had been a long and busy day! But such a sweet, wonderful day!! So thankful for the time together.
It has been so nice to have the kids out of school. We still have several days left of break I just wanted to stop and record what all we have done!
Friday- Colby had Grandparents Day and Lindsay had her Thanksgiving Feast. Both had a half day! Colby spent the afternoon with my parents and I enjoyed some quiet time with Lindsay. That evening we had a realtor come by. Yes we are thinking about buying a new house and selling this one! We had dinner and took a walk then had our usual movie night. This week we watched Inside Out.
Saturday- Austin was off but was going out of town for the USM football game. My parents were also going. I decided to make a trip to Lakeside with the kids. Our friends Ashleigh, Makyrin, and Makylee met us. It was a madhouse! It was the day the train opened and Santa arrived. We were able to do a little shopping and looking around though. The kids got some Christmas ideas. We ended the trip with lunch at the Food Court. It was fun just having that time with friends. The kids loved it! That afternoon we relaxed and watched football. I love our low key afternoons. It rained the rest of the day so we were inside but the kids did a great job keeping themselves busy.
Sunday- Austin was off and we all went to church. He helped me teach first service. We had about 8-9 kids. I had a few helpers too so it was a pretty good Sunday! We also loved the beautiful cool weather! We even got to enjoy being outside for a bit during class. We stayed for 2nd service as well so we could go to church as a family. This fall I haven't been to church since well like August. With football games and trips its just been so busy! So I was ready to be back in service and its always sweet to worship with the kids. They both did really well too! I am glad they get to sometimes experience big church. I love that our church does church on their level but I also think its important for them to sometimes be in church with us as well. That afternoon we hung out around the house.
Monday- Austin was back to work. I had to grocery shop. I always hate grocery shopping when the kids are off school. Not b/c I don't like taking them or that they are bad its just I hate to waste a day off with that. They were very well behaved and we had a planned a Thanksgiving playdate with their friend Ella. So after our shopping we went and picked her up then came home so I could put everything away and could cook. My mom also came over to help us. It was a sweet time. I picked up a rotisserie chicken, we had mac n cheese (their fav), green, beans, rolls, and cranberry sauce. We had a fun time and I think it made the kids feel special. I know most Thanksgivings are often more adult centered so I thought it was fun to have a kid centered day and lunch. We ate and talked about what we were thankful for and we sang a few songs. They didn't get much time to play b/c her mom had pick her up b/c her brother Eli had an appt. That afternoon the kids and I just rested and hung out.
Tuesday- I wanted to do something special with the kids. We decided to go to the Zoo. I had been since like July since we had been. We invited a few friends but no one could come. Honestly I kinda enjoyed just having the kids to myself. We had no agenda I just went where they led. They really enjoyed the animals and it was a beautiful day. We spent a lot of time in the new Frog area and the new orangutan and elephant exhibit. Colby really wanted to see the Jaguars. We went at a nice pace and again I just followed their lead. They were both so sweet! We packed our lunch and had a little picnic in the swamp area. I loved that time with them. I really feel like we are in a sweet spot of parenting. Having a 3 1/2 and 7 year old is pretty amazing! I've really loved having them home. We ate lunch and saw a few more areas before heading home. We relaxed that afternoon and just enjoyed the time together.
Wednesday- We had made plans with my parents. We went to first order Lindsay's cake as per tradition. We then went to Hobby Lobby. We went there a month ago and the kids had a fit so my mom wanted to bring them back at Christmas time! They had the best time. I think Colby and my mom could have bought the place out! Afterwards we ate Mexican with them. Again another holiday tradition. It was nice to enjoy this day before the holiday crazy really sets in. The kids and I made one last stop at Petsmart before coming home. As usual that afternoon we relaxed and hung out. We took a nice walk that evening.
Thursday was Thanksgiving!
Friday- We had an appointment for Oliver. I thought this would be easy peasy but the 10:00 appt took 2 hours. It was crazy. The kids were super well behaved though and we made the best of it. We dropped the cat off then met Austin for lunch at Jimmy John's. Another tradition! Its fun taking them downtown like that to see daddy in the middle of the week! We took it easy that afternoon after a busy morning!
Saturday- We had pictures scheduled at 8:30 so we had to wake up and hustle. They were out at Laffrinere park. The kids were well behaved and cooperative so it went really quick. Its amazing the difference a year makes! We came home for a potty stop then went to the movies. We met Ashleigh, Makyrin, and Makylee there. We saw the movie The Good Dinosaur. It was really cute! The kids loved it and loved being with their friends. We came home after to watch football and rest.
Sunday- A busy day! We had church..I taught in the early service and we left after that. Our little class had 11 this week so it was quite busy. Luckily I had enough help though so I didn't feel stressed or crazy after ;) We left church and went out to eat. Now that the kids are getting older its a little bit more of a pleasant experience. For awhile we just picked up food b/c trying to wrangle 2 young kids in a restaurant just wasn't worth it. After that we got our tree. It was in the upper 70s and we were all in short sleeves! AGH NOLA Christmas! We got it though. It was a busy afternoon of trying to clean up the house and drag out Christmas stuff. The kids loved each moment of it though and loved helping out!
This Thanksgiving break was so much fun! We were all well and I was thankful for that and the kids are just at such perfect ages we can do so much! I love that the holidays are so magical and exciting for them! I tried my best to make this a fun and exciting break! I think we succeeded. They got to do something fun every single day! i will miss them greatly while they are at school but it will be a little nice to get life back to normal and be able to have a few hours alone. Also knowing we only have 3 weeks until Christmas break also makes that easier to bear =)
So another year of having 2 kids at 2 different schools means a busy mama. I am so thankful though for in town grandparents. We dropped Colby off at carpool and my parents planned to spend the day with him for Grandparents Day. I have never been able to see what all they do at Grandparents Day b/c I have always been with Lindsay at her school. I spent the morning helping set up for the Thanksgiving Feast. I did this last year and enjoyed it plus since I stay home I figure its a good party day for me to contribute since more work is involved.
I always have fun hanging out around there too b/c i just love all the teachers. We got everything organized and set up and I was able to visit with the teachers and other moms. The kids mostly just played outside that morning. I love her sweet little preschool and that they are allowing the children to actually be kids.
The actual Feast started at 11. The kids came in and did their little singing time. it was SO cute! This year Lindsay actually sang! She didn't get into it quite like some of the others but atleast she was participating! They were adorable! I am going to miss this school so much. Afterwards they sit down and eat together. Again so cute! During the week they help make the food which I think is so neat too! Lindsay actually ate more of the food then I thought she would. She pretty much tried it all except the green beans. After they ate the kids just enjoyed running around like crazy people! I let her do that for awhile while I visited with some other parents. Then it was finally time to head home. We came home and had lunch and rested. Colby had a great time at Grandparent's Day from what I hear too. We are all excited now about a week off of school and family time together!
So our weekend was very low key. I love low key weekends if you haven't figured that out by now. I love just hanging out with the kids and letting them play. Saturday morning we had to get going though b/c we were going up to the church for the Thankful to Serve Day. I think its important not only for myself to serve and give back to our church and school but also for our children to grow up doing that. Colby got to be in on a lot of my mom and me cleaning and doing stuff at Metairie when we were over the nursery. Last year they were able to help out at the same event. The kids did really great! There were 5 total so I was glad they had some friends. We put them in charge of wiping down toys. Lindsay had a great time with Ebbie and Makylee. Colby and Makyrin also had a blast. Different parents took turns bringing them outside so they could get a fresh air break as well.
We worked until about 11:30. We then came home and had lunch and just relaxed and watched football. We were all thankful for a quiet afternoon.
Sunday Austin was working so the kids and I just went to 1st service. I taught and it was a nice Sunday. I had 7 or 8 kids. I was by myself though so I was thankful they were all well behaved. I love my little class though and getting to work with them. I also love that Lindsay has so many little friends. Again that afternoon we rested. I was thankful for a weekend with a lot of downtime. This season of fall is so busy so we try to enjoy the time we have at home.
The first blessing this week came in an interesting way. So Wednesday was like any other day...I had spent the morning at home while the kids were at school. I was on my way to get Lindsay when I got a phone call from Colby's school. I always cringe at those phonecalls b/c I never know what the news will be. Needless to say it was the dreaded...your child puked at school call!
I rushed and scooped up Lindsay from recess and high tailed it to Calvary. Visions of a week of puke filled my head! I got there and he was pale but other then that he seemed fine. The secretary explained that she felt he got nauseous when his friend Makyrin lost a tooth and a lot of blood came out. We got home and I fixed lunch and I could tell he was completely fine and I was so THANKFUL! We cancelled our plans for church and honestly I was relieved for a free afternoon at home with my littles. We relaxed and they played outside. It was wonderful! We even got to take a walk that night. We did a little math review as well. Its days like that I long to homeschool atleast part time. Although extended breaks make me question that too. I really wish he had 1 half day a week even! That would be great! I just enjoyed that time of having no where to be and them just getting to play and relax. I think we all needed the break that night. i think sometimes God just allows these circumstances to make us rest. I think he was already getting tired from the trip and the time change so he might not have made it through the week if not.
Friday was another sweet day. I try to keep Lindsay home one day a week and usually it happens to fall on Thursday or Friday. This week it was Friday. We haven't been able to have a playdate in awhile though b/c life has just been busy! So finally we had a free day and I was keeping her home! We met a friend and her son at the park. It was fun just to visit with my friend and let her play. I know these days are short b/c she will be in full time prek next year. I want to soak it up!
The weekend was slow for the most part and that was also nice. We spent a lot of time relaxing and watching football and playing outside. The perfect weekend in my opinion. I used to feel guilty about not going anywhere fabulous or taking it easy but I think God intended for us to just rest sometimes. We feel refreshed and ready to take on the week! This is the final week before Thanksgiving break and we are all excited!
This weekend we were able to go to our 4th Barton Family Reunion. As you recall the first one was in Austin, TX. We attended that one with Colby when he was 15 months old. The next was in Pensacola, Florida and he was 3 years old and I was pregnant with Lindsay. The last one was held here at my parent's house and we had Colby who was 5 and Lindsay was 1 1/2.
This one was in Mississippi at Lake Tiak 'O Kata.
We planned to check Colby out at lunch and we kept Lindsay home from preschool. We spent the morning loading the van up and getting things ready. We picked Colby up at 11:30. We decided to drive to Slidell before stopping for lunch. We stopped at a Panera Bread. I think the kids were happy to stop there and we all enjoyed our lunch. Lindsay slept from NOLA to Slidell. I was glad she got a nap but had wished it would have been AFTER lunch not before.
We got back on the road and drove straight on to the cabin. We arrived around 4:30. We unpacked and checked out our cabin for a bit. The kids were in overdrive and super excited about their room and the cabin. We soon went to check out my parent's cabin. We visited with them and Randall and Lizzie for a bit before heading to the Reunion Cabin. Once we arrived there people were slowly getting there also. We all sat around and visited for quite sometime. They were late serving dinner and the kids were getting quite restless and hungry. Lindsay behaved the worst. She refused to eat the food but wanted dessert. We finally told everyone good night and went back to our cabin. We all slept good which was wonderful!
Saturday the kids were up bright and early. Around 6:30 I think...we woke up to rain. We had a little bit of relaxing time around the cabin before starting to stir and get ready for the day. It was a lovely view to wake up to and nice to just sit back and appreciate the moment and nature. We got dressed and headed to my parents cabin around 9. We visited for a bit there with them before once again heading to the Reunion Cabin. They were having a brunch around 10:30. Once again the kids were restless and hungry and not totally crazy about the food. That's the hard part at these mostly adult gatherings. They were going stir crazy by 1 so we decided it was best for everyone's sanity to get them out for awhile. They really did behave well but since it RAINED the entire day it was hard for them to burn their energy. We went back to our cabin and freshened up then took a drive. We ended up driving into Starkville. We figured we could see some sights and Lindsay could get a much needed nap...which she did ;). We drove around the campus of MS State for awhile before stopping for coffee and a snack at Chickfila. We figured this way the kids wouldn't be STARVING at dinner that night. Plus they enjoyed running around and playing with other kids for awhile. We headed back and rested for a bit at our cabin. That evening we had a BBQ dinner in the big cabin. It was fun to visit with everyone. That night though Colby got really tired and grumpy. I think he was also hungry. It had been such a busy week and he just fell apart. I felt bad for him but luckily after a little pouting he got happy again. We watched the first half of the LSU/Alabama game then we went back to get the kids to bed after a long day. Once again we all slept great.
We were up bright and early again on Sunday. We got ready and told everyone goodbye then headed home. We didn't stay for breakfast b/c it didn't really look like anything the kids would eat plus we were anxious to get on the road. We stopped for gas and they had a little donut shop attached so we just let the kids pick one thing from there. We knew we would be stopping for a big lunch. The timing ended up to where we would stop for lunch in Hattiesburg so we met Austin's parents there. It was a good ending for the trip. It was good to catch up with them and the kids were excited to see them as well!
We had a great weekend! I am so thankful we have been able to make all these reunions even with little kids. I think its important for them to know where they came from. We are now all ready to face another week!
So we just added another member to our family!! A KITTEN! So I have been talking about it for the last 2 months that maybe we should get the kids a kitten for Christmas. They have been asking for a new cat since Bailey died. Austin wasn't quite ready though. Last Friday at Farm day they were giving away kittens and they were oh so cute! I texted Austin with a picture and told him we should get one! I knew it wouldn't work though b/c I wasn't going straight home plus I just didn't feel like it was the "right" cat. Well anyway I guess it got Austin thinking so he decided to google Maine Coon cats in NOLA and came up with this little kitten that looks just like Bailey. It was in Metairie and he said we could go check it out on Sunday.
We went over after church on Sunday. We all immediately fell in love. He was only 8 weeks old but the lady said we could take him if we wanted. We brought him home and our other animals are slowly adjusting to him.
He's so sweet and cuddly. Right now we are keeping him mostly in a kennel until he gets bigger. Right now I am nervous about him getting loose in the house and us not being able to find him. We let him out and put him mostly on the couch b/c the house is just too overwhelming for him. He's slowly exploring but mostly staying close. He fits in great and its so fun having a little kitten in the house even though he is a bit of work. He's very well behaved and loves his kennel.
Halloween 2015 has come and gone. We had a great and busy weekend filled with many fun activities! On Friday Lindsay had her Halloween Party. She brought cookies to share with her friends. I didn't sign up for her party so I wasn't obligated to be there for that one. Which was good b/c I was helping Colby's school at FARM Day. Luckily her little best friend's mom took lots of pictures for me. She got a lot of treats and from the looks of the pictures she had a great time.
I stayed at Colby's school from 9:15-11:30 for his Farm Day. I had signed up to just help with the class since I knew I would be arriving late and leaving early. I enjoyed visiting with his teacher and getting to hang out with him. When I got there they were out on the playground. I missed their pumpkin patch time and at that point they were just playing. I was glad they had some free time to begin the morning. Next they had games. Again the kids mostly had the choice of doing what game they wanted. I mostly just followed Colby around and assisted with whatever game he was playing at the time. Their next event was Trunk or Treat. I was truly impressed with the amount of cars they had this year. It was nice to not only see school families and staff but to also have church members involved as well. The kids got a lot of great stuff and I enjoyed seeing everyone! The next activity was chapel. I love that they incorporate this into a fun day! This year Mr. Ryan is the one who did it. It was a lot like last year but its just so special that even on Farm day the Gospel can be shared. The last rotation was the Barn. The kids were SO excited about this! I was honestly glad they saved the best until last. Colby and I fell in love with the kittens. I was so ready to take one home...more on that later. Colby loved on the kittens, puppies, and chicks. He had a blast! I also got to visit with some of the moms during this part so that was cool too. Around 11:30 the kids were finishing up and heading off to lunch. It was also the time I had to leave to get Lindsay. Colby was going home with Makyrin from school so it was helpful that I didn't have to drag him with me.
I picked up lunch for Lindsay and I and headed to her school. I arrived while they were still on the playground so I got to see her and her friends for a short while. We gathered up her stuff then headed to the pumpkin patch. I had signed up for that day to run the pumpkin patch. I was kind of dreading it but ended up really enjoying it and Lindsay was really good. She got antsy at times but for the most part was great considering the long day. We had to be there until 2. We visited with the other ladies and just had a good time. We sold a decent amount of pumpkins as well. When we finished our shift we had to go pick Colby up. We didn't stay and visit really I just scooped him up and headed out.
We came home to relax and unwind for a bit before I had to straighten up my house and get ready for last minute Trick or Treating. The weather was forecasted to be rainy and bad on Halloween (saturday). The city of New Orleans ended up recommending that people go Friday instead.
My parents and Randall and Elizabeth wanted to come over and see the kids Trick or Treat. I had to gt the house semi ready for company. they got here around 5 and we ate pizza then headed out. The kids had a blast trick or treating. This was the first time its just been them though...usually we have a friend. Its so funny b/c I think Lindsay gets WAY more into it then Colby. She has a blast and loves collecting all the candy. We went to as many houses as normal I feel like. We got home around 7:30. The kids were pretty tired after such a busy day. We luckily had them in bed around 8.
Saturday was really Halloween. The kids and I were excited to have a Saturday with no real plans or places to rush off too! We had a laid back morning around the house and hte kids watched a movie. We made a quick run to the grocery but otherwise stayed home. I really think they liked the down time and time to relax and play with their toys. That afternoon Austin got home early and we got the house ready for more company. We had decided to keep our Halloween party scheduled. We got a last minute text saying Colby's friend Makyrin couldn't make it but my parents and Nijel, Mia, and Melody all came. It was nice to have some time with friends and family. The kids all get along great! Two 7 year olds and a 4 and 3 year old make for a wild night. They had fun though and that's all that matters!
Well, Saturday was a whirlwind day for us! We began the day bright and early. Ella (Colby's friend) came over around 7am. Her parents were going out of town for a wedding and she really wanted to attend Deanna's (Another school friend) birthday party. We worked it out with her parents that she could just stay with us all day. We were invited to the same wedding and I sure hated to miss it but with all of our other travels Austin just couldn't take off and plus the kids had a lot going on here that I wanted them to be able to attend. So when Ella arrived my kids were just waking up. I started breakfast for them while they played. For the next 2 hours they just played and watched a movie while I worked around the house. It was nice not having to rush out the house even though we had to wake up early.
At 10 we left to go vote. Yes I took all 3 with me to go vote! I always bring my own so I figured what's one more?!? They were really good and we didn't have to wait long! Afterwards it was time to head to Lindsay's school for Family Day at the Pumpkin Patch. We got there a few minutes early so I let them have a quick snack in the car. We got there and there wasn't many people at first so the kids just meandered around and Ella got her face painted. It was nice to soak it up before it got crazy crowded. They jumped in the bounce house and played a few games. They started getting restless though and wanted to paint a pumpkin. By that time my parents had gotten there. They all 3 loved painting pumpkins. After that it was Lindsay's turn to sing with her school. They did a great job and she really sang her little heart out. Afterwards it was time to get them some food. They sat down to rest and eat. By that time the patch was getting super busy and crowded. Colby had spilled ketchup all over his clothes so I gathered the kids up and we came home to do a wardrobe change before the party. We got to the party just a few minutes late. They had a big bouncy thing there and a tent set up with chairs for the adults. At first I was a little worried that with it being an outdoor party I would be hot and worn out. Luckily they had it set up nice and there was a breeze. I was also thankful that my kids were old enough to play by themselves. I was able to spend the time visiting! The kids had a blast! The b-day party was 3 hours long and they played hard the whole 3 hours! I love how close his little class is and even how they love on the little siblings! Lindsay loved hanging out with the older girls!
When we left the party it was already approaching 5 so I picked up Wendy's and we came in and ate. After dinner I promised them play time outside. They were riding bikes and playing when Ella's parents came to get her. All the kids were so sad. I love that even after being together all day they were still having so much fun! She was a great house guest and the kids got along so great! She's so easy going! I was tired that night and quite ready to get my kids and myself to bed!
The next day was more continued fun at church! The kids were allowed to wear costumes as we wrapped up our October series on being Super Heroes. Colby and I went as Saints Fans aka Aunt Lizzie and Lindsay went as Rapunzel. It was a really fun day! One of those days I loved teaching! We had 8 kids despite the rain. Honestly that's a perfect number. I left though really feeling like it had been a great morning! I love when God blesses me like that after teaching. Some weeks are hard but I love when there are weeks where the kids really seem to get it and I just love what I am doing! The rest of the day was pretty low key. We watched the Saints and hung out at home.
This was a busy week for us with many special things going on for both kiddos!
Thursday night we had our first Pack meeting for this year! I just love Cubscouts and so glad we chose to make this a part of Colby's life. During the Pack meetings each Den gets up and presents what they have been working on and also earns their awards for the last few weeks. Colby's group earned their Duty to God belt loop. I love this time that he gets to be with other boys of various ages and we enjoy the fellowship the other parents. And as luck would have it most of the boys have little sisters in our group so Lindsay also has a blast!
Friday I decided to take Lindsay on a little girl outting! The aquarium had mermaids last weekend and this weekend so I really wanted to take her! Friday she was missing school since she had gone the other 4 days so I thought it was a good opportunity. We first met a friend for coffee and breakfast. I enjoyed the visit time. Lindsay did pretty well...she mostly ate her muffin and played games on my phone. We met her little friend Ebbie at the aquarium. She was excited to have a friend to run around with. She wasn't quite as impressed with the mermaids as I thought she would be but I think she liked it. She also wanted to snack the whole time which was a little annoying. We saw most of the aquarium but kinda let the girls go at their own pace and see what they wanted to see. We had no real agenda. It was nice again to visit with another mom. I felt a little stressed by the time we got out of their and Lindsay was having a meltdown. We got home and had lunch and a nap and felt much better!
That afternoon when I picked Colby up from school we had to go to Hobby Lobby to get craft supplies for Colby's pumpkin book report. The kids loved that store! We will for sure have to go back before the holidays! We also picked up Chickfila. We had a nice low key evening and watched Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin for movie night!
Wednesday Lindsay had her field trip to the Pumpkin Patch. I love that her school does this! This was my 4th and perhaps final field trip. So bittersweet! It started at 10 so I started my day with coffee with one of Lindsay's little friends moms Cindy. It was nice to visit before going back for the field trip. We got there and the kids were lining up and Mrs. Shelly was going over with them what to expect during the morning. They first just got to explore and check out the pumpkin patch. Its always fun to observe her in her school surroundings. She was way more independent then the year before. I really didn't have to stay with her much at all. Her group then went to the story blanket. They do fall themed stories under the trees. I was proud of how well she listened and participated. Afterwards they made a craft. She wanted my help but seemed to enjoy making something. We took a few pictures after the craft while they set up for snack time. They gave them a snack of apple cider and donuts. Lindsay ofcourse LOVED this! They then got to pick out a pumpkin and went back to class. I decided to take Lindsay home after the field trip. Our day is always short enough with going back to church on Wednesdays so I wanted to get home early and get her down for a nap. I think she had a really great time! I am so thankful I get to join in these things with the kids.
That night we got back to church after missing the week before. As always the kids LOVE it! They love hanging out with friends and playing. We had 11 kids in my class again! This is the second time this semester that we have had that many! It sure is tiring but its awesome we have so many young families coming to church on Wednesday! Lindsay was so happy to have her friend Ebbie back and Genevieve and Mia! I love her little group of girl friends!
So Monday was Columbus day and Lindsay was off school. We had contemplated doing a big, fun day with her but then I remembered we had Parent/Teacher conference so I knew it would be busy day. We still wanted to do something special though just on a smaller scale. We ended up going to breakfast at Another Broken Egg Cafe. It was yummy and fun just to spend time with our girl. Afterwards we went to Lakeside to walk around and let her see the train. I usually try to get out there with both kids during the fall season but this October has been so busy I didn't know when else we might go? We were shocked b/c she wanted to and rode the train all by herself! She had never actually ridden the holiday train before! We were proud of her! I guess Disney World gave her some extra courage. We went in the Disney Store and got her and Colby both a small toy. We also went into Macy's to try and by a wedding gift but that was a total bust!
It was a nice little outting with our girl! I am sure going to miss those when she starts full day school!
That afternoon was busy b/c we had Parent/Teacher Conference with Colby's teacher. The conference went well. She said he's really sweet and smart. We went over his grades. He had his first ever D on a report card. I nor his teacher though are too worried b/c she thinks a lot is a maturity problem and not an academic problem. We both think he rushes to finish or he gets test anxiety. Both of these we hope will improve with time. His D was in Language. Language/Phonics he has struggled with since he started kindergarten. I am going to really work with him this next quarter to hopefully get it up to a B. I really love his teacher and believe she will do everything in her power as well to help him. It worked out well with Austin being off that he was able to care for the kids outside while I did the conference. We had a nice evening but I woke up that night running fever. I had felt a cold coming on so I knew at this point it was going to be a bad week.
I ended up with a sinus cold and its Sunday and I am still recovering. This past week we had to miss a lot but I always say God sends sickness when we need rest. This fall has already been busy and the rest of the month and November will also be busy so this week forced me to rest. I had to miss Bible Study, church, and cubscouts with Colby. It was hard saying no to a lot but I know I needed to heal plus not get anyone else sick.
This weekend was a nice one. Friday we had a low key night at home and watched USM play. Saturday I took the kids to the park. That's what they always wanted to do on Saturday and I really believe in just free play on Saturdays. They had a great time and the weather was perfect. There were a lot of people out so it was nice that there were other kids out there! We ate lunch at Chickfila. I like treating them to lunch also on Saturday's. Its become our little tradition. The rest of the day we relaxed and watched college football. The kids have also gotten into riding their bikes so we did that that evening.
Sunday was a crazy day. I woke up not feeling well. I guess I have the cold/allergy stuff that's going around. I also had to teach. We had 11 kids. They were pretty good except for 1 or 2 of the little boys that are just a little wild. I had 2 helpers so that helped. Service went long though and I was in there until 11. And no other teachers showed up so i finally just had to walk my kids next door to the 2 year room and bolt! I felt bad but I had been there since 9 and my kids were ready to go plus we had to go to the grocery store after. I hate grocery shopping on Sundays. We don't do it often but because Lindsay had off on Monday and Austin I really didn't want to spend our holiday in the grocery store.
The kids were very patient and we finally made it back from the grocery. We had lunch and watched the Saints game and relaxed. That evening Austin got home and we did our usual bikeride/walk.
I am thankful for these low key weekends b/c our mid-week is so busy! Sadly this is the last one for awhile so we will really be head on into fall madness but that's ok lots of fun things to look forward to!
So as you recall we started our weekend with Lindsay being sick. Friday she stayed home from school. I was thankful Austin could bring Colby and my parents could pick her up so she and I didn't have to leave the house at all. In this busy season of life that is a rarity. I always say I think when we get sick its a way of God telling us to slow down. I kind of enjoyed my day with her. We took a walk and watched a lot of tv. That night we had our movie night.
Saturday we left like she was feeling good enough that we could hit up a local pumpkin patch at City Park. Austin was leaving later in the day for the USM football game but I wanted to get out with the kids b/c I knew we would be in all that evening. Oh and let me also mention how great it was Saturday that we all slept until 8! Anyway we all enjoyed the leisurely morning then going out to the pumpkin patch. Last year we did the big one across the lake. I would love to go this year but our fall just got so busy so quick! This was much smaller but the kids still enjoyed it. They were able to play in bounce houses while we waited for the hay ride. The hay ride was neat. Afterwards we picked our pumpkins then headed to lunch. Like I mentioned the rest of the day we stayed home. We watched football and played outside. The kids are really into riding their bikes right now so that is what we did.
Sunday morning we actually had plans of attending both services at church. I haven't been able to go into church in awhile plus with a late Saints game we knew this would be a good opportunity plus Austin wouldn't have to leave as early from Hattiesburg. Anyway Lindsay got up and still wasn't her self at all. I figured by this point she was no longer running fever it was probably more due to the lack of not eating. I decided to skip church and let her heal. My kids are not ones to lay around ever and so I knew she needed the day at home! Colby actually wasn't upset about staying home either. I don't want my kids to ever get in the practice of just skipping church on Sundays but he's gone all week up there so I knew and understood that maybe we all needed a home day. We lazed around and watched tv and the church service on tv. Around the time Austin got home I had convinced Lindsay to eat some fruit snacks. Once she ate those it seemed to give her enough energy and pep to get going. She finally wanted to get dressed and play outside. We enjoyed just hanging outside as a family. We also got our fall stuff put up...FINALLY! We came in around lunch and just enjoyed a relaxful afternoon. We rode bikes that evening and watched the SAINTS game. Even though the weekend didn't turn out like I had thought or planned it ended up being better and we had a blast! I was thankful for the rest especially while we are in this busy season of life!
This week has been a nice one. It has been fairly low key and the kids have had fun times at school. On Wednesday Lindsay had the Aquarium come visit her school. They got to see several different types of animals. She seemed to really enjoy this!
That night we had church...it went well again and we had 8 kids. Each week our number gets lower but I think that's pretty typical as we enter the fall and kids start getting sick and families get busy with other things. They are a busy group but a sweet group. Lindsay loved playing with Mia and Luke.
Thursday Colby had a field trip to the Library. It was the first ever field trip he went on alone without me. I would have gone but they said no chaperones were needed. I think he enjoyed it and it was a nice break from their normal week I am sure!
That evening we had Cubscouts. I think the kids were excited about getting back to that. They learned how to tie knots and were also told about some safety tips. Both kids seemed to have a great time. That night we thought was a normal night just like any other.
Lindsay woke up around 11 crying. I figured it was just her music of lights...this is a pretty common occurrence with her. But when Austin went to check we discovered she had thrown up all in her bed. We had to strip everything and bathe her. Poor girl I felt so bad for her. When we got everything cleaned up we put her back in bed only to wake up about 30 minutes later with the same ordeal? By this time we were out of clean sheets. Luckily we had already started the others washing but we had to sit up with her and wait for them to be finished. During this time she threw up again but this time in the potty.
When we finally got her back to bed around 2 she slept until about 6:30 and no more puke thankfully! We knew school was out for her but Austin still had to get Colby to school. I knew it would be best to stay at home with her all day not knowing if she would get sick again.
She and I had a pretty low key at home. We did get out and take a walk which was so reminiscent of their baby and toddler days when I did a lot of walking in the mornings. We mostly sat around and watched tv and looked at books. My parents picked Colby up from school and we ended up having a nice family evening that included a bike ride and watching Toy Story together.
