Eliza and I had our mini paintings displayed at the library this month. There are some amazing artists in West Bloomfield!
Mike took the afternoon off and joined me for Alex's district festival and heard Alex's band play. We also got to hear them sight read a song which was interesting. They ended up getting a I, which is the highest rank.
We got a photo of the group after, and Alex is standing with two of his friends Keaton and Malcom. They were all very proud.
The alarm clock in the boys room is on the fritz and turns off every so often, so we took one out of another bedroom to see if Evan liked that clock's alarm sound, he did not, and we took the analog clock out of a room and didn't know where to put it and Alex said he liked the ticking, so the boys room does not lack for timepieces.
Rosie taking a nap on the boys D&D books. I'm sure she's having pleasant dreams of Orcs and Elves.
Eliza attended a birthday party at a roller skating rink. She did really well and eventually didn't even use the helper bars. I decided to try to roller skate as well... Eliza was so kind and stayed right by me and gave me motivating words. However, right when I got into a bunch of girls I fell and one of the other girls ran into me. Thankfully I didn't hurt myself (or the other girl) too bad just a bruised hip, twisted wrist and a bruised ego.
For two Mondays I went to Evan's school and helped in gluing the paper on these huge piñatas that were for our Multicultural night. They were huge and looked so great after they were done, sorry I didn't get a picture of them at the party.
Evan got older this month. He enjoyed his key lime cupcakes and is now 11.
Eliza also got older as well. She had lemon cupcakes with strawberry frosting.
Evan had two of his buddies over to hang out for his birthday on a Sat. He really enjoyed having friends over to hang out.
Alex had to wake up early and head downtown Detroit to his Honor Band experience one Monday. I am so grateful for the Douglass family taking him so I could get the other two on the bus for school. He got to spend the whole day at the DSO and learn from other DSO musicians.
Alex got to perform on stage at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra hall and play 4 pieces for us. He got to play with 5th - 7th graders and is hoping to go again next year and play with the 8th grade band.
Alex was supported by so many of us in his adventure. Oma, Clayton, Enoria and Shawn all joined in on the fun of seeing him play and we were so happy to have them.
Good job Alex!
Eliza won tickets to whale watch in California from her art work you can see, which is based on the picture above it. We decided to check off some of Eliza's bucket list by going on a plane, and perhaps going up in a skyscraper while we are there. Evan studied the Golden Gate Bridge this year and Alex studied the Sequoias and Redwood trees a few years ago, so everyone has something they want to see in CA in June.
I volunteer in Eliza's class every week and help the teachers with anything they need help with. One week I got the potato circuit stuff ready for them to do two days later. So when Eliza came home that day I asked how it went and she said they couldn't get it to work. So the next week I asked about it and I asked if I could re-setup the experiment to see if I could get it to work, and I found a box to put around the LED and got it to work. Then I called each group one at a time to come see the light and let them turn it on and off by touching the LED wires.
I headed to the Middle School and listened to Alex and a few of his friends do a presentation on different things they had to study, compile information and then present. Alex did his on... gosh I don't remember. It had to do with different stones and their frequencies maybe?
We headed to our favorite library and did an instant noodle taste test. They had 7 different types of noodles with different flavor profiles like chicken, seafood, vegetable and spicy taco.
This is the reaction the boys had to the spicy taco flavor, not their favorite.
After the library we headed to McDonald's to get a Shamrock Shake because the kids have never had one. While we were waiting for our order Mike snapped this picture of Eliza and I dancing to the music.
We headed home and split our 2 large shakes between us and everyone thought it was pretty good. I think it needed some Andes Mints in it for texture or girl scout cookies.
"Rosie the destroyer" has been eating my snapdragon plants, so I moved them to the second shelf and put a box all the way around in hopes of her not being able to reach them. So far so good.
Eliza got a Lego Bonzai tree for her birthday. She was very happy to get it and put it together. Now it sits on the shelf in the playroom never to be touched again.
Evan and Eliza had their annual checkups. Evan had to get three immunizations so I bribed him with donuts, and he took the bait. Who doesn't love donuts?! Alex missed out because he just wanted to stay home and read. *scoff*
We had a beautiful day here a week or so ago. All the neighbor kids were over and having a good time. Evan and his friend saw a gardener snake in the woods. Eliza and our younger neighbors went into the woods and on the way back the youngest who is 3 got into the mud and started crying because his hands were covered in mud, and then the older brother went in and lost his shoe in the mud (he found it and pulled it out) and I asked Eliza why she didn't just go around on the dry spot and she said they didn't want to.
Alex woke up one Sat. morning and found the US Atlas and started his California planning. He was looking at the maps figuring out where things were, how long the drives between destinations were. The planning has begun!
My flowers needed to be put in bigger pots, and I finally got Nasturtium to sprout (first time in 3 years) and I got some tomato plants started that Eliza has already helped me put into larger pots. Garden 2026 is coming along nicely.
Birthday sundaes at Red Robin for the youngers. Lucky dogs!
Anyone need dill seed? I got plenty!
Mike had to get his finger fixed because I broke it in an argument we were having... just kidding he had to have it worked on because he had a cyst on one of his knuckles and it was time to get it cut off. He did well and it went well and he's doing his PT and healing up. Mike and I had to leave the morning of surgery before any of the kids were off to school. The boys got on the bus no problem, but Eliza's bus was super late and I'm so thankful for our neighbor being home to watch Eliza and text with me about the bus location or Eliza would have missed the bus with how late it was. That was a stressful morning.
Eliza made a stage and puppets out of paper one day. The larger animal can double as a cat and a dog. :) She's so creative!
Alex made the Honor Roll this year and he's being inducted into the National Junior Honor Society on Monday.
We were trying to make sure Evan's telescope is still working and he got some pretty good pictures of the moon during the day of it.
After a visit with Uncle Alvin and Aunt Joan we headed to McDonald's for the second time this month, which is totally totally strange for us. But the kids enjoyed their burgers, nuggets and random mixed selections from the soda dispenser.
The kids helped on Palm Sunday with the Stations of the Cross and reading to the congregation. Evan read about the 30 silver coins, Alex read about Witnessing Palm Sunday and Eliza read about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.
After church we headed to the Wade household for birthday fun. Evan got to bring his new giant RC car and play with it with James. James was quick to get a ramp out and a few of his own RC cars to play with.
James's face tells you everything you need to know.
Who has the fastest? Who will win????
Alex has a solo in a few weeks at a Solo and Ensemble Festival and Clayton was kind enough to play the accompaniment for him so he could practice. It was really fun to hear them play together.
All the people that have a birthday in March. Evan, Eliza, Enoria, Clayton, and Clara. Alex snuck in because he's just a few weeks after March.
Maggie made a lovely and delicious vanilla cake with strawberry filling for everyone.
More practicing but this time it's hymns.
We brought Evan's telescope along to the Wades on the hopes of the night sky clearing up, and for the most part it did. James took his camera out and got a picture of Jupiter and its moons and also of the moon. We are looking forward to seeing the images after he's done processing them.
Busy morning at the Baker house during Spring Break. Mike took the week off but needed to check in one morning. Evan was in the home stretch of finishing this gem art, and Eliza loves to color and draw.
Alex was in the kitchen painting figures Mike has printed using the 3d printer.
We headed to see the Mario Movie and it was actually pretty good. I did not like the one from last year, but this one was quite enjoyable.
A cool balloon display at the movie theater of the movie we saw.
So the microwave that came with the house finally died over break (it was 22 years old!). Lucky for us Alex is big enough to be helpful, so he helped hold the microwave as we took it out and put in the new one. For some reason the old microwave was attached at the top with a hook, so we had to literally pull it off the wall to get it down. But the new one is working out pretty well. It's so quiet we don't even know it's running.
