A month to ourselves

We celebrated Clara's 13th birthday this month

It's always a delight to see the Wade Family

And Clayton turned 17! Still can't believe how big my nephew is already.

We bought the Nintendo Switch the Friday the kids got out of school. I decided it was a good idea to have some new forms of entertainment around the house. Not to mention Mike and Alex have been asking for it since last fall. 

We put some carrots, beets, lettuce, and spinach in the ground.

And reinforced our garden fence against chipmunks 

I attempted to take a relaxing bath one evening. I got some visitors that wanted to splash. 

We've been taking morning walks before school. The kids race from line to line

After our morning walks we have reading time

Evan is doing really well at reading

Evan also taught himself how to ride a two wheeled bike this month. It took him 40 min of falling trying to get going, but he did it and he hasn't had any issues since. 

Eliza doing some art work with chalk

Looking for worms on our walk

Alex is also up and running on two wheels. 

We've taken a few family bike rides together

Eliza has started riding her tricycle

The shins of a new bike rider... ouch

Working on one of their morning lessons using the computer

Alex has been helping Eliza learn her letters

Evan reading his Bob Books

Alex learning to type

We've been playing lots of games this month.

The boys helping me make some yummy cheese bread

Finished product, tastes delicious. Too bad we can't find more bread flour.

The kids were excited to see snow when they woke up. We had our morning walk and threw snow balls from one line to the next

Made some snow men because it was great packing snow

and of course a snow ball fight

Eliza has started bringing down all her stuffed animals after naps. I don't know how she makes it down the stairs with all of them.

The kids needed to get out of the house so we traveled to one of the state parks near us. The kids decided to walk in the water with their shoes on, so we went onto the pier, but then they were throwing goose poop, so we went back to the car to throw Frisbee. 

In this strange time we have been washing anything we can instead of using wipes. 

Eliza helping me make the donuts

Everyone wanted to help

Morning walk fun wish shadows while our donuts rise

Donuts are ready to fry

They are ready to eat

Yum!

The beginning of the kids cat cake. We were supposed to have a party for the kids birthdays, but we couldn't because of the stay at home order. So I decided we would celebrate it anyway.

The table we bought last month has come in handy this month with the home schooling. Everyone has their spot and pile of work.

Completed cat cake

Birthday gifts from Aunt Shawn, so much fun!

Happy quarantined birthday guys!!

Alex finally has enough Pokemon cards to play with Daddy.

Nana gave Eliza a bunch of dress up stuff and a tea party set.

Which both Eliza and I enjoyed playing with.

Daddy even got in on the fun.

Alex got dressed up on his own and read the tea party book she got at lunch.

Evan got a new game for his birthday. Fling the flowers in the frogs mouth.

Being creative one morning. Covered the table with paper and gave them colored pencils and crayons. 

More games this one is kids Sequence!

Eliza having the boys race for her

Alex was my private chef one day during naps.

Such a handsome chef.

Alex taking extra precautions from the COVID 19 

A morning bike ride for all of us but Daddy.

Eliza helping me install a kickstand onto Evan's bike.

Evan helping me build a new raised bed in the garden.

Some mustard spinach coming up

I met a few of my MOPS moms for a morning gathering. It was nice to get out in the sun and have a chat.

Eliza was cold one morning on our walk so I gave her my coat. She's so little.

Eliza helping me clean out the garden from the leaves we put in in the fall.

Eliza and Alex helped me plant more carrots and beets.

And we planted some flowers in my newly expanded flower garden area.

More games Ticket to Ride

Morning walk in the rain

Evan helping Eliza with her letters.

Making paper mache balloon eggs

Alex had a nice idea to go visit with Great Grandpa for his birthday. So we picked some of our daffodils and sang him happy birthday.

After visiting with Great Grandpa we went to see my brothers graves. The kids thought that I knew everyone else in the graveyard as well, I did/do not.

Strong Daddy!

Evan is still wearing the costume we got 4 years ago, it's almost up to his knees now. Love his style.

Painting their pinata 

Last night as a 6 year old

Happy Easter! He has risen! and they found their Easter baskets. Alex's was placed on a heat vent... so we had to put his sweet treats in the fridge for a bit. They all got bells for their bikes and Eliza got streamers for her Spiderman bike.

My 7 year old is rolling in the cash thanks to Grandma Jamie and Grandpa Bart.

My goofy girl

I gave Mike a hair cut during nap time. He was feeling rather shaggy.

Alex opening his Harry Potter wand, very excited. 

Eliza did great at hitting her pinata

Evan ready to hit his pinata 

Alex with his pinata

The aftermath

Happy birthday Alex!!

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Finally got Mike's pictures in the album, this has been an issue lately. Please enjoy these as well.

Got to love Evan's expressions

Eliza helping me make french toast bake

Sprinkling on the cinnamon and sugar

Evan ready to play some Tball.

Eliza on her tricycle, I don't have a picture of it, but Eliza has been riding her bike with training wheels and doing a great job!!

Birthdays are so much fun!

Evan pulled out the kid microscope and I brought out my polished stones for them to look at under it. Eliza was wondering if they all smelled different, they didn't.

As always the kids had a good time at their Valentines Day Party at school.

I even got to go to Alex's party which was a special treat. He even came home with me for the first time.

On our monthly visit to Costco they had free samples for honey. While it was nice of Evan to share.... I should have thought that through more.

Evan has a lovely habit of getting up right next to your ear and whispering in it. It not only is very ticklish, you never know when he's going to do it, and he usually has a lot to say.

Our monthly visit with Uncle Geoff. This place burned down last year, but they have rebuilt and we have our old booth back. 

After breakfast with Uncle Geoff we headed to the movies to see Sonic. Alex was less than pleased that we didn't get popcorn with the movie he wanted to see for the last month, but we just had breakfast. *sigh*

Alex is becoming a really avid reader like is daddy. 

With Midwinter break all the kids and I traveled to see Oma and visit the Dexter bakery for some yummy baked goods. 

After the bakery we headed to Oma's house to see her three little kittens. The kids were so happy to play with them. Evan also was very excited to sled down her hills on her sleds.

This is the last month for the boys in swim class. They can both swim across the pool in more than one way (back stroke, free style, flutter kick, etc) as well as tread water for a minute, so we figure they might like to learn something new. 

We traveled to the local Marshbank park this month to explore a bit more. Eliza lost her glove off the side of the walkway we were standing on, so Alex had to be turned upside down and lowered down to get the glove. Glad he was tall enough to reach it. 

I've started attending a crocheting group to learn to crochet. Uncle Geoff is kind enough to host it at his house and teach me how to crochet. We are making blankets to donate to people that need them at Hospice of Dearborn.

After my crocheting meeting I met the rest of my family at Nana's house so we could all go out to dinner at Big Boy. Haven't been there in a while.

I've been polishing my Amber jewelry during naps and when Eliza comes down she always asks to put one on. 

We tried a new class for the boys and they loved it. It's a combination of gymnastics, warrior ninja, and something else. They ran around in circles for 50 mins and they loved it. 

The kids were kind enough to clear the driveway while I was getting ready one day when we got 6" of snow in a day. Such helpful individuals I'm raising. :) They did a great job too, granted it looks a little disjointed in this picture. Eventually they got the whole thing cleared. 

Later that night the whole family went out and cleared the snow that fell during the day. 5 shovels made short work of the snow.

What are these colorful rocks I see on the boys floor?

Eliza and Evan helped me sew Aunty Em's towel bibs. They handed me pins and used the peddle to drive it while I guided the fabric through the machine. They were very good about stopping when I asked them to.

Eliza is spending a lot of time in this toy bin lately, granted from time to time it is to poop. *sigh*

We bought a new table and chairs because we needed chairs for our dinning room table, but we are using the new table as a game table in the library and it's working great! We've been playing games a lot more often and we don't have to clean the kitchen table to do it.

We had our neighbors over for our Cul-de-sac party this month. We had a pretty good turn out, and a nice time visiting and catching up. The new chairs came in handy for sure!

Our neighbor Mark always has a new magic trick for the kids at our gatherings. In this one he was able to keep the water in a water bottle, and then he put wood pick up sticks into the bottle! He also did an amazing card trick.

Evan hiding out in the mattresses at Art Van. I guess this happens a lot there.

The kids were having a lot of fun with the beds that raise themselves. They had to show me how it worked.

Evan disrobed while going up the stairs and they looked like a ghost was crawling up the stairs when I came around the corner. 

They are getting so big! And they all have an umbrella now.

Eliza is doing well at swim class. She's not just slapping the water now, she's pulling it more.

Had some help picking up Alex from the bus stop. Eliza is almost too big for the cozy coop. 

Happy and angry faces while the boys are swimming.

Alex visited the dentist this month. No cavities! Eliza needs to get in that chair pretty soon.

The boys racing cars into the kitchen.

My friend Emily (Aunty Em) is expecting her little girl on April 10th. Very exciting and she had a lovely baby shower to celebrate. 

While I was at the baby shower the rest of the gang was playing ticket to ride. 

Alex read 21 books for the Pine Cone reading thing his school was doing, and in doing so he got a free meal from California Pizza Kitchen. He also got a free book! He's doing so well at reading.

The kids are sitting in the middle of the road watching Daddy try and get a frizbee out of the tree with a Tball bat. It took many tries, but he got it out eventually.

Evan on his 5th birthday!

Evan at swim class on his birthday. He's 5 and Alex is 6 going on 7!

We went to a new restaurant after swim to celebrate and they gave Evan a free piece of cake for his birthday. He was so elated! He was kind enough to share with his envious family. 

Eliza had crazy hair. She looked like a cave woman. 

The kids and I made a mistake of going to Costco on Wed after the Governor declare a state of emergency due to the Corinavirus. We should have just turned around and left, but we didn't and we stayed in the mile long line with our 4 items that didn't include TP, water, or paper towel.

Last night as a 2 year old.

Eliza is 3 today! And they are smelling the flowers and they smell delightful.