investing in Clorox

Over the past six weeks, HR has had strep twice, two ear infections and the final round was hand, foot and mouth disease.  I have washed laundry almost every day to keep his sheets fresh and his lovie bear that he sleeps with free from any germs.  LE and I have spent hours (while Boo babysat) sanitizing EVERY single plastic toy and surface that we own more than once.  When I got to the lego bucket I almost cried and then it came to me let's bathe them.  So, during nap time I dumped all of our duplo blocks in my soaker tub with a bleach/water combination and let them sanitize themselves.  Let's just pray this is the last go-round with these germs in our home.  Hoping as summer nears all the cold germs will die and Little Man soon outgrows putting things in his mouth.

updating the fence

Ben has installed us a new fence (pics will come when he finally gets to stain).  With all of the old pickets (+the help of pinterest) he created me some fun new elements for the house.  The top left pic he made for my kitchen wall.  LE says it is b/c I'm tired of saying the word, so he created a reminder.  The other three photos are of the downstairs bathroom that is under the stairs.  It was a uber dark brownish-red color that I never liked.  He painted it a light blue that my friend had in her entry way and then created a rustic wall behind the toilet for me.  He also replaced the light fixture and created a frame for the mirror.  It has so much more personality than the old bathroom.  He is also learning he has more skills with saws and hand tools than he thought.

our homeschool Easter Party

This month has been so crazy busy.  I have been the leadership liaison for our April Mom's for the events they have planned.  This past week they held the first Easter egg hunt for the group.  We were able to participate b/c park day was at an earlier time that didn't interfere with nap time for the boys.  We had a potluck picnic lunch, Easter egg hunt, story time and a Resurrection craft.  I was responsible for the story time and craft.  We read the Tale of the Three Trees.  We made this craft I found on pinterest and well as one I did when I was teaching.   At the egg hunt, a squirrel stole one of HR's eggs.  He bit a hole the size of a dime in it before I could get it back.  He made it half way up the tree before dropping the egg.

wordless Wednesday - the worker

Richards' Fort Progress

Almost finished...the finishing touches are still in progress.  It needs to be stained and the front curtains will be installed when that step is complete.  The beam for the swing was delivered yesterday.  The slide has been installed and the furniture has been put in place.  Then a sandpit will be put underneath.  Presenting our fort/playhouse/pirate ship/pioneer home/school escape.

Our inspiration came from this bungalow I found on pinterest.  PawPaw extended the roof over the front porch to help with the Texas heat and we decided to add a swing out one side.  We also decided to stain ours instead of painting it white and made our shutters operational.  It is raining today, so I'm not sure we will be getting to the stain this week as was planned.

a state champion

Landry won first place in her age division (6-10) at the Texas State Knife and Hawk Competition in Malakoff over the weekend.  She won $60 in trader bucks and a new trophy.  She traded them in for a Dancing Jack doll, a Chinese umbrella, two wooden knives and sheaths for her little brothers, a necklace for me, and bag made of badger skins for her sister.
We are so very proud of you, Sister and I am pretty sure your PawPaw was even prouder.

State Knife and Hawk Throw

LE and PawPaw are at the state knife and hawk throw today.  My girl is tearing it up.
Unfortunately, Daddy and I cannot be there to root her on.  HR has strep and hand, foot and mouth disease and looks like Mommy is breaking out in HFM as well.
I guess with these skills, it doesn't matter how good of a shot Daddy is.  Girl is going to able to stand her own ground with the boys.

message from Leonardo

Our friends, Mel and Diane were here recently and I asked them to take something back for Elsa and Leo.  Today, I received this special email...

On a sad note, Elsa is no longer with the project.  She chose to not participate any longer, which broke my heart.  We chose to sponsor another girl, but at our friends, Isaac and Carol's in Maputo's care project.  

day 2 progress

Far less work is being done by little hands and having to be tackled by the professionals.  Getting closer to completion, do you have it figured out yet?!

making progress

photos by Boo.

taking guesses

Just your average home school lesson, any takers on what's going on in our backyard?
photos by Boo.

AcTioN!

fire in the hole

best. field. trip. EVER! Stunt Camp

I had the most amazing time this past Friday.  I am the leadership liaison for our April Mom Team this month and one of our moms hit it out of the park for our monthly field trip.  We went to Stunt Camp.  I am pretty sure my girls had a blast, but this Mama had way too much fun.  I zip-lined, platform jumped, did stunt jumps, ropes course, kidding, but not really.  The girls loved it and the perk I got to tag along too.  This field trip was the absolute bomb.  It was a science field trip complete with explosions, pyrotechnics, steam machines, pulleys, and other simple machines.  We did get to jump off a platform, which let me tell you was HIGH!!  The girls didn't go all the way too the top, but with them chanting my name I climbed all the way to the top and jumped into a large inflatable mat.  My knees were shaking hours later.  Then we zip-lined from a tree across a field.  Followed by a picnic lunch and then the ropes/obstacle course.  Stunt men Adam and Aaron did a demonstration with pulleys and then we were launched backwards like stunt men onto a large mat.  The kids were blasted with snow in April in Texas and then the finale was an explosion just like the movies.  This was not on the cheap side, but oh so worth the experience the girls and I got to share together.  I am so proud of them for conquering their fears and butterflies.  It was a day this Mama will never forget.