Monday, March 30, 2015

Zoo Day!

Colby had his Zoo Field Trip on Friday of this week. We have been excited about this and the upcoming Spring Break! This is his second field trip this year. This time the entire school took a field trip to the Zoo. I thought this was so neat for them to do the Friday before spring break! I brought Lindsay with me since she seemed to do really well at the Aquarium. I used to leave her with my parents when she was young but now I feel like she's old enough to enjoy it and not be a burden. I have to admit though there were a couple times yesterday I was wishing I had left her ;)
We got there and the ZOO was so busy and crowded I wondering how it would go. Yes it seemed busy once we were in, but luckily the Zoo is so big it wasn't bad. We were able to go in before most everyone else since we had a Zoo membership. Ella was assigned to me but her mom ended up staying since Eli needed a chaperone since he's in prek. They also had a membership though so we walked in early. We decided to go ahead and let the kids explore. Since we got in before the rest of the school we lost track of the rest of his class and friends. It ended up working out well though. We enjoyed our time with Melissa, Ella, and Eli. It was fun catching up with her. Our kids also get along really well. Colby and Ella have technically known each other their whole lives almost. But they have been friends since preschool. Eli and Lindsay are in the same class on Sundays and Wednesdays for the last year so they are close too. The kids really had a fun time. We did the reptiles and just meandered around at the start. We ended up under the oak trees and seeing the giraffes for a bit. We then did a quick tour through the Swamp and Monkey Hill before lunch. For lunch they made us eat outside the zoo. It worked out well though we had a picnic blanket and just ate on the ground. It was a nice break! We then headed back inside for the playground. Melissa being around 6/7 months pregnant was getting tired so we enjoyed a bench while the kids played. We finally decided to get up and go see the monkeys. After seeing all the primates we found another table and chairs and let the kids just play in a grassy field. We might not have seen the whole zoo but I think the kids had fun. I enjoyed it being low key and not feeling like we had to see every exhibit since we go pretty often. Colby had to ride the bus back so Lindsay and I headed back to the school just in time for carpool. 
We brought Nijel home that afternoon so it was really a busy day! 

Thursday, March 26, 2015

AWARDS & Company

Well this weekend has truly been a busy one! Its been enjoyable but busy! 
Friday started with Awards Day for my little man. We were so proud of him for earning A/B Honor Roll for the 3rd Quarter. This is his 3rd Honor Roll in the last 2 years. He also got Perfect Attendance and earned Ready Reader in AR. I know he was thrilled to get 3 awards b/c that has NEVER happened! 
The rest of the day we spent cleaning house and preparing for company. 
Austin's family decided to make a trip down this weekend. His parents usually like to visit in the spring and this time they also brought his sister and her 2 girls to visit. We usually get them all a hotel room but this weekend the hotel was booked. His parents are staying with my parents and his sister and 2 girls are staying here. Needless to say we have been busy! I forgot honestly how much work having company is! I know the kids have had fun and its been great but it will also mean we will probably start our week very tired as well. 
So they arrived here about 5:30 on Friday evening. We took the kids outside to play first thing so they could tire themselves out and plus so the house wouldn't get too messed up. With the longer days it was nice to get everyone some fresh air. Lindsay had a HUGE meltdown fit though over shoes so she missed out on a big part of the fun! We stayed out about an hour. As it was starting to get dark we brought the kids in to take baths and wind down. Our Friday nights always consist of movie night so we thought that would be fun with company too. We ended up watching Sleeping Beauty. I think the kids really enjoyed the special snacks of popcorn and cookies too! After the movie we got our kids in bed. They were both pretty tired and fell asleep soon. I ended up sleeping with Colby. We had to put Wendi, Shelbi, and Maggie in his room since he has bunk beds. Poor Austin was stuck with the couch but he might sleep in Lindsay's room tonight with her. 
Saturday morning we were all up and going pretty early. Thankfully I got a good nights sleep and so did the kids! We made them eggs and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. They ate their breakfast then got dressed and ready for the day. I turned on Tarzan after so they could watch that while the adults got ready. We were soon all ready and dressed to leave by about 9:30. We decided to take them all out to City Park. We got there and went first to Storyland. We didn't last long in there...I think the girls were a little bored since they are 10 and 8. We ended up walking over to where the lakes and the playground are. They played for about 20 min before we went back over to the ride part. This was the part they were all really waiting for! We ended up buying a membership which I am really excited about. We will take the kids a lot this spring and summer I'm sure! We first rode the Ladybug. I think Austin, Maggie, and I were the most excited about this! Colby rode it but for some reason he acted scared. He rode every single roller coaster he was tall enough for in Disney but acted scared with this one. I am not sure if its b/c you can see the whole thing from where you wait ...whereas all the ones at Disney you can't really see until you are on them? Anyway I think he liked it but was a little fearful at first. Then we did the Carousel. Lindsay was so excited and wanted to ride a pink horse but as always she ended up getting scared after like a min and wanting off the horse? Then some of the kids decided to ride the Ferris Wheel then we all rode the train. It was fun I really wish we could have spent more time out there but we had planned on going to a place called Parasol's for lunch. It ended up getting a little stressful though. First of all it took us wayy long to get there b/c we kinda went a wrong route then we got there and there were no more tables which left us to eat outside. It wouldn't have been too bad except the sun was right in our eyes. The kids were whining...the adults were whining...we were all just hungry and tired. It was a rather tense moment. Finally we got our food and I think everyone felt much better. We came home for everyone to rest a bit and take potty breaks. The rest of them left again for the Aquarium. Lindsay and I stayed here to take naps. I was happy to stay here and rest with her. I needed a break from all the company. I mean I like being around people but I also need quiet so it was nice to have that time. They all got back around 5. I think they really had a good time so I was glad it worked out. We started dinner right away. The kids played and watched tv while dinner was getting ready. We had a big pot of gumbo which was tasty. We enjoyed eating together. After dinner we got our kids ready for bed. It had been a long day and with church the next day we knew our kids needed some rest. We got them to bed around 8. I tried to relax some that night but everyone stayed up kind of late. 
Sunday we were all up early. Company was getting ready to head back and we had to get ready for church. It was a bit of a hectic morning but it all worked out and we actually got to church EARLY! I taught 1st service and then we left. I know we haven't stayed for church all month but March has just been crazy! I hope to get back into that routine in April. Our little class has grown we had 13-14 kids again! They were all pretty well behaved though! I am so thankful Lindsay has so many little friends! 
After church we just went to eat at Chili's. With having company we were all exhausted but I didn't want to mess up the kitchen either. We enjoyed a low key afternoon and some family time with just us before starting another busy week! 

Saturday, March 21, 2015

STORYLAND & Conferences

I had the privilege of taking Lindsay on her very first field trip this week! So Thursday she had a field trip scheduled to Storyland. I was afraid we were going to miss it though. She started complaining of an ear ache Wednesday afternoon. She was up half that night! Thursday I thought she woke up with a low grade fever so I decided to go ahead and get her to the doc. We called her pediatrician but they were booked up. I went ahead and took her to an urgent care. I wanted to know if it was her ears or not and to possibly get medicine so we wouldn't be in the same place we were the night before. 
We really were lucky. We got to the clinic at 8:45 and walked right in. We only waited about 15 minutes before they saw us. We finished up quickly with ear infection diagnosed. We got our prescription and were on our merry way. I asked her if she felt up to the field trip and she said yes. I figured since it was ears and she wasn't running over 100 degree fever we were ok to go. Plus since I would be with her the whole time and could tell if she were feeling bad. On a normal school day she would have stayed home but I figured this was different. Anyway I am so glad we went! She acted fine the whole way and had a blast! 
They started out at Morning Call. They ordered beignets for the kids and milk. Lindsay didn't eat or drink anything. I am not sure if she was still full from her chocolate milk at home or with being sick it just wasn't appealing. She ran around under the oak trees with her friends though! 
They then walked over to Storyland. We hadn't been in awhile and she has never been without Colby I don't think. It was so neat having flashbacks of Colby's 3 year field trip there! She was mostly concerned with finding princesses. She really liked Rapunzel, Snow White, and Ariel. But she did also enjoy the pirate ship, Whale, little houses, animals, etc. She even went down the Dragon Slide alone! She played some towards the end with her little friends. It was mostly her and I just walking around talking and exploring! Wow again how is she 3? I remember taking Colby on this field trip! She was a baby and now she's the big girl going on field trips! As I always say I am treasuring these preschool moments b/c I know how fast they will fly! I am so thankful for Mrs. Abby and Aurora though! Its been 5 wonderful years of them helping to raise my babies!! 

That afternoon I had parent/teacher conference. Honestly I probably didn't need to go but I am that parent that even when my children have good grades I still like to meet with the teacher and just hear their perspective on how my child is doing. And this year Colby has had 2 different teachers so I haven't had much of an opportunity to hear from this teacher how things were going. She had all great things to say about him. She had very little concerns. He ended up making the A/B Honor Roll this quarter. He struggled a little with reading and phonics at the end but with the teacher dropping the lowest grade it still allowed him to be on the Beta Honor Roll. She said he's very sweet and respectful. She also reassured us that even though he's young with a July birthday that both academically and socially he's doing great! All that was great to hear! I just cannot believe he's almost finished with 1st grade though! 


Wednesday, March 18, 2015

St. Patty's Day

Tuesday was St. Patty's Day. This holiday never meant much to be before having kids but with young kids every holiday is a fun time! Colby didn't really have a party but they had spring pictures so he was able to get in on the action by wearing Green to school!
Lindsay on the other hand had a full out party! Gotta love preschool! She doesn't normally go to school on Tuesdays but since it was PARTY day we had to join in the fun. It did mean I was a little late to Bible study. She looked adorable in her green frock! I finished up Bible study and went to go hang out with the princess at school. I know these days are numbered so I am truly trying to soak in the preschool years. They were at recess. I loved watching them all play!
That night Lifegroup was cancelled so we were able to have a nice family night. After a busy day it was for sure needed!! We have lots going on the rest of the week with school, church, field trip, conferences, and awards! So look for lots more to come!!

Monday, March 16, 2015

Girl Time & Productivity & Rest

So this weekend has actually been a pretty restful one for the most part.
Friday was a busy day though. Both the kids ofcourse had school. I had also volunteered to help in Colby's class. So after I brought Lindsay to school I went back up to Calvary. When I arrived they were taking their spelling tests. Basically I helped her get their classroom library back in order, re-arrange book shelves, and sharpen colored pencils. They had a snack break after the spelling test so I was able to walk around and visit with the kids a little as well. I just enjoyed being back in the classroom but also being in Colby's class and seeing how him and his peers interact. After their break they had a phonics test. When the kids finished the test they had to work on a language page so I tried to walk around help out with that as much as possible. I left when they went to lunch.
That afternoon Lindsay and I rested. Colby was going home with my parents so we didn't have to get back out which was SO nice! I just enjoyed the girl time. I always miss him but sometimes the quiet of 1 child is lovely too! We watched The Little Mermaid that night for our movie time.
Saturday Austin was off. So as soon as we were all dressed and ready we went to pick up Colby. We were anxious to see him and move on with our day. We had to go to Lowe's to order a new dishwasher and also to get our seeds so we could start our garden. The whole ordeal took WAYY longer then we expected but the kids were pretty good despite the long wait. Afterwards we wanted to eat lunch out. We stopped at the Mexican restaurant. Eating out with 2 kids still isn't easy but it is getting better =) We came home to enjoy our afternoon and relax. That afternoon we planted our garden and just enjoyed some outdoor time together.
Sunday Austin was back to work so it was just the kids and I. We were due to stay for both services but I just wasn't up for trying that alone with both kids plus due to us being so busy and Lindsay being under the weather we decided to just stay for the first. I am so anxious to get back into Worship service though! We had 11 kids in preschool. It was slightly hectic and we had mostly active boys! This time of year I think kids just get spring fever! They are ready to be outside with the weather warming up. It was good though I am thankful we are seeing so many families bringing their kids to church. That afternoon was nice just for the kids and I to relax and play. Colby and I also have been working on some school stuff. His grades are slipping a little in reading and phonics. Things are really picking up this 3rd quarter. I hope our review time at home will help him feel more confident on his tests. Right now he has As and Bs and 2 C+s. I am still proud of him though. Honor Roll really isn't a big thing to me but I hate for him to be sad that he doesn't get it. He's only gotten one award this year. I just hope he understands that he is still doing great and he just has to work hard maybe and get it for the 4th nine weeks =)
It was a great and restful weekend and we are gearing up for quite a busy week!!

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Overwhelmed and Tired

So this week I have felt myself reaching my overwhelmed and exhausted breaking point! This happened a little last week which is why we took off last Wednesday from school and church.
So Monday Austin was off but it was busy with getting kids to and from school and grocery shopping. We had a pretty low key afternoon/evening though which was nice!
Tuesdays are always super busy for me. I bring Colby to school...drop Lindsay off with my parents then return for Bible Study. I love Women's Bible study though so its very important that I do this for myself. I love getting to see and interact with so many different women but also to take the time to study God's word without interruption. That night we had Lifegroup but b/c of us all dealing with colds/allergies we thought it best to stay in. I still don't feel 100% and Austin needed the rest as well as the kids. I hated to miss though! I miss our Lifegroup friends when we don't see them mid-week. Plus since my parents usually keep the kids its almost like a mid-week date night!
Wednesday I had a dental appointment scheduled. Well the more I started thinking about how busy my day was and how tired and bad I still felt I decided to cancel. I really hated to do this b/c I knew it would be hard to reschedule but it was scheduled for 10 which meant I would drop Lindsay off and have an hour to waste then barely have enough time or any to come home. I have been gone so much lately I really felt like I needed some time at the house. Plus with church that evening I really wanted to be in the right frame of mind for that too! So I came home and worked around the house and got to also work on some Bible Study. Its what my sould needed! That evening we did go back to church. Oh and I took a 2 hour nap so after that I felt totally refreshed and honestly felt the best I had felt in a week! So church went really well and I was happy to be there! I realized how much I missed visiting with everyone. I think the kids missed it too. We had 5 in our preschool class. Lindsay really loves playing with Genevieve.
Thursday I had volunteered to help Laekan and some other ladies put together these baggies with the dry ingrediants to make cookies. They are going to give them to the children on Sunday. It will have some type of spiritual application like how salvation is a gift. It was fun chatting with the girls. Lindsay and Jackson had a good time playing in the activity room. We got home around 10:30 so it was nice to still have a good bit of our morning at home. That evening Colby had the Blue and Gold Banquet for Cubscouts. They earned their Tiger Badge. It was also for the Webelos who promoted to BoyScouts. It was neat seeing this tradition. After the little ceremony they had a little reception with food and cake. The kids all had a great time being with their friends and eating! It was a late night but worth it! I am again so thrilled we decided to do Cubscouts with him. They will continue to meet through May so we are hoping to finish some of the extracurriculars.
Its been a busy week but love all the fun stuff we have going on! The rest of this month is going to be fast paced so I will have lots to tell about!

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Weekend

As always we look forward to our weekends around here!
Friday was a busy day for me. Well I was actually supossed to work/help out in Colby's class but his teacher was out with sick kids so that got postponed until another day. So I ended up meeting Stephanie for coffee. I was so glad to get to hang out and re-connect with her. It was fun just having girl time for a bit. The rest of the day was getting kids from school. That afternoon we were able to play outside and enjoy the lovely weather. And ofcourse we had our FRIDAY movie night.
Saturday Austin was working so I planned a simple trip to the park with the kids. Spring is always a great time to get back into going to the park. My parents met us at the one in Belle Chasse. Somehow we end up doing this every March! Anyway its always fun to see the kids progression. They had fun and it was just nice for them to run around and get some energy out. Afterwards we had lunch with them at a pizza place. That afternoon we hung out at home and played outside.
Sunday was a BUSY BUSY day! We had first service at our church. Austin had to welcome people and I taught the children. We had about 8 kids...a lot less then the week before but that's expected with the time change. We had a good class though. It was slightly less hectic then other weeks so that was good. After church we had to head to Aurora for lunch and Stop Hunger Now. We got there just in time for lunch. They had red beans and rice and offered hot dogs for the kids. It was just a nice feeling being there for one of their Sunday lunches. We saw a lot of people we knew as well. Afterwards we help pack food bags. The kids did pretty well but could tell they were melting down pretty quick with such a long morning + time change. We were able to stay through the packing for 15,000 bags which was neat though! It also counted as a cubscout activity for Colby. That afternoon we were all so excited to nap and rest. We stayed in the rest of the day and just enjoyed some down time. We did get to take a walk that evening and enjoy some lovely spring weather! Now if we could all shake this allergy stuff we have!!

Friday, March 6, 2015

Sick Day

So this week has been another busy one. I have felt myself getting tired and stressed lately. I could also see the stress building up in Colby...this happens every fall and spring when life gets busy and school has just been going on and on.
The week has been a pretty good one though filled with our regular activities. Monday austin was really late getting home and I think that started our week with me feeling exhausted. Then Tuesday was really busy with school, Bible study, homework, carpool, and Lifegroup. We got in late that night. The kids were up late and Colby was grumpy and acting sickly. He's had a cough since Sunday and I could tell it was getting worse. Its been 2 years since his last "reactive airway" episode. I was worried it might get worse so Wednesday when he woke up looking flush and just not seeming like himself I decided skipping school was a must. Lindsay went on to school since she was well and excited to see her friends. I took her and ran errands while Austin stayed home with Colby. I think Colby really enjoyed the day off...and honestly I am ok with that. We all need a sick day sometimes ;). Once I got home he and I did a math lesson. We worked on the tens family and the doubles. We also did a test review. He enjoyed watching tv and playing as well. That afternoon we all just relaxed as a family. I worked on spelling that afternoon with him. I love homeschooling him like this! Not sure I would want to or could do it 365 days a year but once in awhile is fun! We cooked tacos and had a nice family time. We were supossed to go to church but we skipped that too. We instead did a family ice cream run! Those are always fun and with the warmer temps its just felt necessary!
Thursday was back into the groove. Colby didn't seem 100% but I felt like he needed to get back so he didn't miss too much. Lindsay and I also had a lunch date with friends. We went to the mall early and did a little shopping then had lunch with Lindsey and April. It was nice to just visit with some friends. After school Colby had a Cubscout meeting with Pastor Michael. One of their activities was to meet with a local religious leader. Well since all the boys attend Calvary Pastor Michael was the obvious choice. I think they all enjoyed it and it went really well. He first talked to them about what his job looks like on a daily basis how he prays for the congregation and does hospital visits. Also how he helps to run the school. He then took him to his office to show his sermon prep. I thought it was really cool for them to see the behind the scenes of what being a pastor means. He then took them on a tour of the worship center. This was really cool. They got to see a lot of the behind the scenes stuff: the stage, sound booth, baptistry, and other nooks and crannies. I think the boys thought it was super cool. The whole thing lasted over an hour. I was so appreciative of his time and humor with the boys.
Thankfully we were able to skip our normal meeting so when we got home we were in as a family for the night! We are now looking forward to a pretty restful weekend!! YAY for Fridays!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

WEEKEND

So its finally Friday after quite a busy week! Although we haven't slowed down. Today we volunteered to help out one of the children's leaders at church with a project for Sunday. And since Austin was off he got to come too which was great! We finished in about an a hour and a half. We did get to go into the cafateria and catch a glimpse of Colby and tell him and his friends hello. I just love the "feel" of his school. The kids are so well behaved and the teachers and staff are so fun and friendly. I also love how so many of my "friends" are up there so I feel like Colby is being left with family. So thankful for our school! So then it was time to pick up Lindsay. We picked up po-boys and came home to rest. We had a nice afternoon then Austin got Colby. We were able to spend some time outside which was really nice. We had a home cooked meal then did our usual movie night. I just love stay at home Friday nights with my sweet family!
Saturday we had Austin at home again! We decided to take the kids out to the Zoo. We try to do big family things when Austin is off. Usually he used to work most Saturdays so the kids and I always did little adventures like the park or going to my parents. Since we can't really do the Zoo on school days anymore Saturdays are our best bet. And luckily the Zoo is so big it doesn't feel crowded. We all slept in which was wonderful after a busy week! We got to the Zoo shortly after it opened. The kids decided they wanted to spend time in the Swamp so that is where we headed. Although we stopped to enjoy all the exhibits on the way there. They enjoyed Monkey Hill and the old oaks. It was just a beautiful day for them to be outside and enjoy God's creation. We spent awhile enjoying the turtles and birds and giraffes. That seemed to be some of their favorites as well. When we got back to the swamp we probably spent about an hour back there. The kids were very attentive to enjoying the animals which was nice. They weren't begging to play on the playground or ride the train! I love those things too but I really love when a ZOO trip is all about the animals!! I feel like they even learned a lot b/c both were asking tons of questions. That afternoon we enjoyed relaxing and having a nice family night.
Sunday Austin had to go to work so it was just the kids and I. We planned on attending just the first service since we have been so busy lately and have not been able to come home early in awhile. It was refreshing to come home especially after a busy morning. We had 14 preschoolers! I was so happy to see so many but it is also very tiring but they were mostly all very well behaved. A friend of mine also came which I was very thrilled about! I hope they return sometime!
Anyway it was a great weekend of some down time and family time! As always they go by too quick though!