Beaver Diorama WIN!

This fall it was Ts turn to do a diorama for her big first grade project.  She was assigned a beaver.  As it turns out, a beaver was a pretty good option!  She had LOTS of ideas of what to do with her shoebox.  We had to rein her in a bit, but she did include a waterfall.  She wanted to put treasure behind the waterfall, but we told her that she was supposed to make a home for a beaver, not a leprechaun.  

I helped make the play-doh and make and paint the beaver.  I also helped gather the moss.  Brandon helped with the actual diorama.  T did the work, but he aided her and encouraged her as she worked. 

T: First you have to paint the box. 

T: It takes a long time to paint and dry. 

I added some rocks that would become a waterfall eventually. 

T was sure she needed moss in her diorama so we drove to various places in town to collect moss.  I was scouting for it on walks.  We found a pretty good harvest.

T: Look at this great moss!

T: The project is coming along.  Daddy added a light to see better. 

T: Painting the up and down part was hard. 

T: Do you love it??? 

Can you spot the waterfall, the dam, the lodge, the beaver, the moss, and the trees in the background?  Just like M's T had some unique painting twists.  Did you know that the brown above the waterfall is a squirrel?

T: I love my diorama.  

Magna Doodles never get old!

M was given this Magna Doodle when he came home and it has been a fun toy for eight years!  I love toys that kids continue to love many years later.  

M: This is my Lion!

T: This is my Beaver!

Project Completion!

Sometimes home projects take a while to complete.  Over two years ago we got a partial fence installed in our backyard.  The fence didn't go all the way to the ground so we purchased some pavers and waited a while ... a couple of years to be exact.  This fall the project was completed.  We didn't even know a work crew was coming to do it until they were in our backyard.  T and S decided to help.  The fence looks finished now and we are so thankful for everyone's help in making it happen. 

T: We've got this!

Nothing like a little manual labor on a Sunday afternoon. 

T: I shovel and you sweep S!

They work hard and they look good doing it. 

Snow Day (Cold Day) Number Three... and FOUR!!!

Seriously it is SO COLD HERE!!!!  After having Monday off, the kids did have school yesterday.  I was scheduled to have an eye appointment but had to cancel as the school called at 10:30 and asked me to pick up T.  She is on the tail end of a cold and needed to come home.  Oddly, she seemed fine the rest of the day.  Thankfully she is back in full force today.  The kids had no school today (our third snow day of the year) AND we were already notified that there is no school tomorrow as well.  The current wind chills are in the -40's!  Brrrr!!!

We had two brave mamas and kids here this morning and three friends over to play this afternoon!  So far we are surviving quite well.  Hopefully we will continue to come up with fun things to do tomorrow!  I think everyone is going a bit stir crazy.  As one mom reminded me this morning, we have been home 7 of the last 9 days (and 5 of the last 7 typical school days)!  This is a lot of time to be cooped up.  The library is closed, we have no big malls or spaces around here and you can't play outside.  The warm temps this weekend will be a welcome gift!

On a positive note, the sun is bright and the snow is sparkling!  It is beautiful here, like I remember the winters in Fargo looking!!  I am so thankful to be cozy and warm inside.  Our furnace is working well.  We have power and internet.  I know many are not so fortunate.  We have so much to be thankful for.

Adoption Event Super Weekend!

This year my parents came to spend the big Super weekend with us!  It also happened to be my dad's Birthday.  My parents helped watch the kids the afternoon before the event and on the event day.  It was so nice to have an extra set of hands. They arrived with prepared food so it was quite simple to heat and eat.  So thankful!  

Their time here went really fast.  They did get in some good cuddle time, kitten time, and time with our family.

The kittens with Grandma Kathy!

T: I love it when they come!

T: It is fun to read books to Grandma!

The kittens with Grandpa Daryl.

Super Saturday is here!!!  This is our big annual event which raises funds for adoption grants and orphan care.  It was a beautiful day for a 5K and the auction and bake sale were a huge success.  We added a petting zoo this year which was great fun for families!

The walkers are off!

My parents starting the walk! Happy Birthday Dad!

T: I decided not to do the walk this year, but I still had lots of fun!

M: I finished strong!

Classic Sprint Finish!

They made it!

M: I like the new additions to the ninja course!

T: Strike a pose!

T: I love the warrior course!

I really wanted to try too!

I am good at balancing!  (Note the lack of Forever Families shirt and  practical shoes)

We went out to eat for dinner and T told the waitress it was his Birthday.  I know my dad probably wasn't thrilled to be sung to, but he was a good sport.  Apparently the free cake they give is pretty good too so it wasn't totally a bad deal for him. 

T: I loved it when they sang to Grandpa Daryl

So sweet!

M: I love my Grandpa Daryl!

Fall Fun!

  Here are some various photos of things the kids were into this fall! 

The BOTH are loving LEGO's and the creations keep multiplying! 

T loves to dig through the recycling and find things and create with them!

Do you like my mask and shields? 

Brandon bikes indoors when the weather isn't nice and all winter.  T often joins him in the basement while he bikes.  She finds many things to play with down there.

T: I did one of the hardest ones!

I built a fort with these blocks too! 

One night I was working at church and T wasn't sleeping and wound up sleeping on the couch. 

T loves rearranging her room almost daily!  This was the look of the day!

M spent many hours on his map project!  Family projects are Brandon's speciality! 

Our reader is seen with his nose in a book most of the time!  A couple of free minutes before school means he can get some quality reading time in!  

The "Babies" are growing!

Another post filled with adorable kitten and kiddo pics!  All these pictures were taken in September and October.  The cats grew a lot in this time period! 

This is where the expression "under foot" comes from! 

Sermon writing buddy!

They were so tiny!

Three sleeping boys!

Hmmm, one was pretending!

Attacking the corner of the rug!

This is still the Best.Toy.Ever! 

Reading buddies!

They are getting bigger!

The next picture really happened.  I have worn the kittens in the Ergo many times.  Sunshine doesn't really like it, but Buttercup loves it.  I wear him for long periods of time while I am doing things around the house.  I have had him on my back or over 30 minutes while washing dishes. These kittens crave human interaction and love and apparently I crave their affection so I transitioned from baby wearing to kitten wearing!

Two babies in the Ergo!

We often wonder "how is this comfortable?" 

Two cats and two kids is the way to go!

The cats liking each other is a good example for the kids!

T likes to carry their beds around randomly!

She also likes to cover them up, even though we tell her they don't need covers. 

The are buddies!

A better pic of the cats on Brandon's lap during sermon prep. 

The day I accidentally opened the window in their room and left a chair too close by!  So thankful they didn't fall out! 

Buttercup was sleeping and Sunshine just curled around him.  A daily occurrence. 

The one handed hold so we can still get things done (they are getting too big for this now). 

They crawled in on their own!

T: Take my picture with them too!

Endless cuddles!

Endless kisses!

The best remedy for a long day!

Again with the covers...

Sometimes at night I want to go to bed but I am trapped :)  

See T, they do like to play in your room!

We have noticed many connections between T and the cats.  It is funny when she experiences with the cats what we often experience with her!

T: He was totally in my personal space! 

Love!

Happy Cat.  Happy Girl!