The Spring Weather is Here...

So, the kids had another Monday off school but the weather wasn’t the best. It was a little cool and rainy for a lot of the day. The kids did get outside some. Jackson got a job helping Zach pick up limbs around the McIntire’s property and it took them around 2 ½ hours. And Ellie thought she was getting to bunny-sit for Kate’s new bunny while they went to the movies, but they ended up not going since Zach wasn’t done with the limbs yet. She had it for several minutes and the twins were excited about it.

I spent a lot of the day trying to figure out my email issue. My emails will totally disappear off my phone and then I’m ot able to access them online either. Then they will randomly come back. It happens several times throughout the day and it is a tad annoying. I eventually got a ride and run in and tried a bit of the yoga again. I also filled out a lot of paper work-signing kids up for various camps, permission slips, and the huge kindergarten registration packet for each of the twins. So crazy to think they are getting ready to go to kindergarten. They still seem so young! After dinner and cleaning up, Jackson and I eventually made our way to Wal-Mart to get some snacks for his bus ride to Young Christians Weekend later during the week and we picked up some cheap tennis shoes for him to have around for an extra pair. We also picked up some cleats for Lincoln since I couldn’t find any that fit him in our bunch of old cleats. He saw the ones I got for the twins from Wal-Mart and thought they were pretty cool, so I got him the same ones. And since they were only $10, I don’t get as frustrated with how little they are used before they grow out of them. Jackson and I also had to run by my parents to get Bennett’s pillow that the left in their car from the weekend. Jackson immediately went to their pantry and was disappointed to find they didn’t have any candy. We don’t really keep any around our house, so he knows he can always count on Papa. Dad did try to share some Irish chocolate with him, but Jackson wasn’t a fan.

Tuesday was another dreary day. Lincoln rode to school with Andrew and Jackson since he goes early on Tuesdays to help his teacher set up the computers with his friend Miguel. The rest of us dropped off a couple bags at the thrift store on our way to drop Ellie off. I got another ride and run before picking up the twins from school. After lunch, I had them work on decorating their quilt squares for Will’s quilt. I showed them the pictures of Will that came with the squares since they don’t remember ever meeting him. They decided that he may like playing video games, so that is what they drew-pictures of Will playing different video games.

I worked on mine and Andrew’s next and got stuff ready for the other three to do theirs when they got home. They noticed in the pictures that Will played football and basketball, so that is what they went with. Jackson drew a big football and Lincoln got real creative and did the same thing Jackson did 😊. Then it was time to head outside and play. At one point, the boys went to Alex’s house and the twins have never been there. They asked if they could go, so I checked to make sure Leah was at home and she was actually heading out for a bit. They were disappointed but kept an eye out for her to come back. Unfortunately, when she did, the other boys were all the way down at Josh’s house, so the twins had to wait until they came back. And they finally did, so the twins made their way over to Alex’s. Leah sent me a text saying it was cute how excited they were to be able to go over there. They jumped on the trampoline and played inside for a little bit before I had them come home because it was almost time for dinner. That night, after dinner, Ellie wanted to make shakes. I told her she had to put her laundry away first, so it was a good incentive to make sure she actually got that done in a timely manner. The kids enjoyed a variety of shakes, vanilla, chocolate and cookies and cream, while Andrew slaved away on the bike. And then Jackson ended up staying up later to finish a project he had for homework. I’ve noticed him doing more homework after everyone goes to bed. I think he likes less distraction.

Wednesday morning I had hoped to go for a swim but we had some thunder and lightning, so I knew the pool would be closed. So, I started cleaning bathrooms and then took the kids to school. There were long lines at drop-off. The rain continued off and on throughout the day, so the kids weren’t able to get outside. I spent a lot of time on the phone with Microsoft again, trying to fix my email. It has consumed a lot of time lately. Jackson had weights after school and then we thought Ellie had an extra dance practice for competition. But when we got there, it didn’t look like anyone was there, so we left. Later, I got an email from her teacher wondering if Ellie was coming. Andrew ended up taking the twins to his office for a little bit and I finished up the house cleaning. Then later that evening I went grocery shopping because the twins really wanted their mac-n-cheese 😊. They all came out to help bring in the groceries when I got home, which is always nice.

It was raining again Thursday morning, but we didn’t have any thunder or lightning, so I was able to get a swim in. It rained off and on throughout the day. Although, I know need we rain, I was wanting to see the sun again. We got our taxes all squared away and it is always nice to put that behind us for another year. And along with that, Andrew brought home work from the office that I worked on. With Jackson leaving the next day for Branson, we had to get all his stuff ready and get his luggage to the K-Life house Thursday evening. We also worked on making sure we had everything Ellie needed for her dance competition. And Ellie had her last dance classes before her recital. Her recital is next Saturday, but rehearsal is on Thursday so they won’t be having class. I brought Jackson with me when I picked her up and then we ran by the K-Life house so he could drop off his duffle bag.

Andrew took the older kids to school Friday morning and I did a run. Then the twins and I ran a few errands after lunch and also went by the K-Life house to give Jackson his bag to take on the bus with his snacks and get his backpack and lunch box from him. He was helping load up the bus when we got there and he gave a me a quick hug and went back to work. They got out of school around 12 to leave, so he was excited about that. They had a bus full of middle-schoolers and then they brought the high school kids later in a couple vans. This was the only picture I was able to get of him.

After we picked up Ellie from school, we went to Lincoln’s school to get him and check out his artwork in their art show. He was pretty proud of it and really wanted to look around at all the other students’ work.

Then we took Ellie to her friend, Ella’s house, for them to hang out together. Back home, I packed Ellie and I up for our trip to Des Moines for dance competition and got dinner ready. The Chewbacca mask made it out again. At one point, it was laying on the floor in the family room and it would kind of scare me every time I would come out of the laundry room.

Ellie got home around 9 that night and got to bed. We left the next morning around 8:30. Andrew’s mom actually ended up coming in to watch the boys because Andrew had a random appointment for work in the morning when we needed to leave. We made it up to Pella in a couple hours and Kaitlin got busy doing Ellie’s hair and makeup…with Lola’s assistance. I’m so grateful I have sisters that can do that, because I’m horrible at it. The dance competition was in Des Moines, so almost an hour away by the time we got downtown. As we were getting close, I got a call from another mom saying they were running ahead. So Kaitlin quickly dropped us off by the building and we ran inside and up to the practice room. She got a quick practice in with her group and then they headed to the competition area. Kaitlin and Lola got there just a little before they started. They did their Circus number first and Ellie did a great job. Then it was off to change costumes and do a quick practice for their next number, Burn it Up. We had to wait a little longer while they got the prop moved in and upstairs. Ellie was nervous about this one, but ended up having fun with it. Their groups are definitely not the same caliber as many of the others there, but I appreciate that Melody opens up competition to anyone and there are girls that would probably never have a chance otherwise. While the others there try out for their spot on the competition groups and spend a lot of time and money to do it.

With the schedule varying so much, we ended up hanging out for a while waiting for the awards ceremony. We watched some of the dances and then went and got some snacks and chatted for a while. The awards took longer than I was hoping because I knew Lola was ready to go. We finally got out of there around six, went by a Target and then tried to eat at a Mexican restaurant they like there, but it was busy. So we just ordered food from a restaurant in Pella and picked it up on our way home. We got home about 8:30, ate dinner, hung out for a while and then went to bed. The next morning, we went out of breakfast before we headed home. Lola loved having Ellie there and was always right by her side. Even in our booth at breakfast, she scooted up as close to Ellie as she could. She even tried to do Ellie’s hair and I had to work for a while trying to get all the knots and the rubber band out 😊.

Andrew and the boys were gone when we got home. They were out at the ranch and Andrew was helping work cattle. I got laundry started, cleaned up the house, ate some lunch and then did a bike ride. Ellie was right back to the dancing. I think the competition inspired her. With her recital being much sooner than it has in the past, I think she feels a little rushed with her dances, especially her tap routine. She loves tap this year and really wants to get it right. She recorded her group doing the routine on her Kindle at her last class. So, she put her tap shoes on, went to the storage area of the basement with the concrete floor, set up her Kindle and got busy practicing. She did it for over an hour.  

Jackson got back into town around 5 and I picked him up at the K-Life house. It was great to hear him talk all about his weekend. I had him start from the beginning and tell me what all they did. He said he had a lot of fun but was pretty tired. He thanked me for letting him go and I was excited they all had a good time. Andrew and the other boys got home a little after I got home with Jackson and it was straight to the showers and baths as they were muddy. Between their clothes and towels from baths and Jackson’s clothes from the weekend, I added three more loads to my laundry. I was almost caught up from just being gone one night too. After everyone got ready, we went to my parents for dinner and to watch some of the Cardinal’s home opener. Then it was back home and to bed-we were a tired bunch.