Lunar Eclipse

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The girls woke up at 5 a.m. to watch the Lunar Eclipse. They've been sitting out on the sidewalk watching it turn for the last 2 hours. But then it set behind our neighbor's house. So then we got in the car and we drove up to the highest point in Highlands Ranch, and now it's behind a cloud. I don't know if they're going to get to see it! I never thought myself an Eclipse chaser.

They never saw it. :(

Day Date

We got movie tickets from my mom for Valentines Day so one afternoon we went to see "Darkest Hour".  It has been so fun having Jason home during the day - we haven't dated this much since we were dating!  It has been an adjustment for sure, but I intentionally decided that it was going to be great - and since I decided that it has.  He is my best friend, sometimes I just forget that :)  but he really is and there isn't anyone I would rather spend time with or talk to.

creativity

About 3 weeks ago we changed our family rules about screen time.  Previously they each got 6 hours of screen time a week, this was working well for the most part - but Jason and I knew that we needed to cut back more.  After a gentle nudge/chastening from our stake president we decided to limit screen time to weekends only.  Initially the kids were crushed (a few cried), it actually has been so wonderful - I really don't think anyone misses it (they all THINK they miss it - but they really don't).  This has led to a little more creativity around here. 

Noah made a catapult 

Madison made a trap for a Leprechaun

Her and Jason made a radio

And several other things that are not pictured.  

Valentines

For Valentines I made name poems for each kid and gave them a box of conversion hearts.  Jason got the girls a rose made of chocolate kisses.  Jason and I were both home during the day so we ordered Chinese and watched a religious lecture my friend sent me.  

On the note of love - I just wanted to say how much I love that my kids (usually) love each other.  They hang out, talk, laugh, joke, and cuddle.  One Saturday morning these three were watching a show all cuddled up on the ottoman.  I loved it.

Daddy Daughter Dance

The girls FINALLY got to go to that daddy-daughter dance (last year we were in Disney Land).  It was cowboy themed and it took about 5 different families in our ward and neighborhood to pull these outfits off - but don't they look good?!

They were so excited to go.  They talked about it for weeks and even saved up, and combined their money to pay for it themselves - lucky for them Jason told them that boys always pay for the dates!

They got to ride around the school parking lot in a limo with all their friends and eat cookies.

AND have a chocolate fountain and smore station.

There were places to take pictures and some games to play

Plus the dancing.  Megan and Jason danced - but Madison spent the whole "dancing time" doing the conga line with all the girls - she said she was having too much fun to stop and dance.  I am grateful for how much these girls love their dad - and what a good dad he is to these girls.  They are lucky!

Battle of the Books

This was Brock's second year in Battle of the Books.  I am so unbelievably proud of him for A) wanting to do this, B) Actually doing it and staying with it the whole year, C) never being upset when he doesn't make the team, and D)Feeling like he is still part of the team and going to all the competitions anyways.  This is proof that Brock will do anything for competition.  

This year, though, one of the kids was sick one week so Brock got to step in as an alternate and compete in a battle.  He was so happy.  

On the Lord's Errand

**This is a post from March of 2014, that I never posted**

A lot of crazy wonderful things are happening in my life right now.  Most of which I don't want to share over my blog, yet.. maybe one day.  But I do want to share this:

First off I have been following the promptings of the spirit in many, small, ways in my life - AND I have been doing extra scripture study - I think these prepared me for this oportunity.

I had a temple swap set up for my girls.  I was going on Wednesday and my friend, Christina, was watching my girls, and then I was watching her girls on Thursday so she could go.  I had to drop my girls off by 9:30 and make it to the 10:00 session - so I could pick my girls up by 1:00 because Christina had to leave and my girls had to nap, and I had an appointment with a friend at my house at 1:30.

I knew my recommend expired in March - but before I left for the temple I wanted to double check to make sure it wasn't February - I looked, it was March (phew, I could still go) and INSTEAD of putting it back in my wallet I set in on the counter - why?  I don't know... stupidity.

I drop my girls off, went to the temple, and discovered I didn't have my recommend - I drove all the way home to get it and then I notice my car is really, truly on empty and I NEEDED gas NOW.  At this point I have already missed the 10:00 session and am now risking missing the 10:30 session (we live anywhere between 6 - 15 minutes from the temple depending on traffic).  I decided that I have to do initiatories.  I got gas but when I finally got back to the temple  it turned out that I DID make it in time for the 10:30 session - but I had already gotten excited for initiatories.... what do I do?  The thought came to my mind, all this happened for you to do initiatories.  Really?  It sounds like my craziness is why it happened (for got my recommend, ran out of gas, etc).   So I thought, session.  no, initiatories, no session, no initiatories.  Finally I just made up my mind, initiatories - it wasn't a strong prompting - but I just knew I wouldn't feel peace doing a session.

I got out of the temple earlier than expected because I did initiatories rather than a session, I kind of thought I might go get a quick lunch, since it was 12 and I was alone.  Then I got a text from the Sister missionaries telling me that they had a woman with 2 little girls that the were teaching and she wanted to come do a temple grounds tour right now with her 2 girls.  They thought I would be perfect to come with and bring my girls.  I ran back to my friend's house and picked up my girls and ran back to the temple and pulled in at the same time the sisters did.  We spent a great afternoon at the temple with this investigator talking about the church and watching our girls play with the fountains and flowers.  Had I not forgotten my recommend, or needed gas, I would have gone to my 10 o cock session, picked up my girls at 1:00 and gotten a voicemail from the missionaries about how they needed my help... but it would have been too late.

We never know when we are on the Lord's errand.  I have found that He is better able to use me when I am DOING things and have a PLAN and being PRODUCTIVE - he typically inserts things into my day and ruins MY plan and things get off track - but to me that is a sign I am on His errand.  If I don't plan things and I am just being lazy or flying by the seat of my pants he usually doesn't bother with me and I end up only doing things that NEED to get done.  This was a good day.  A day to remember that He is in charge - even when it seems like He isn't.

Preschool supply room

As promised my preschool supply room.

Girls' boutique

During Winter Break the girls turned our 4th bedroom into, what they called, a boutique.  They invited all of the neighborhood girls to come over and have a Grand Opening.  They took it very very seriously and planned every last detail.  They took these pictures.

They were honestly so proud of themselves.  They put the blanket down because the needed a fancy rug. :)

They planned fancy outfits, with jewelry and wanted me to curl their hair.

"American Girl healthy hair and fashion"

They even had a ribbon cutting.

Winter break

We had such a great winter break! It was pretty good weather, but it was mostly so great becasue it just seemed calm and peaceful. We did try to fit in a few fun things, too. One of the best things actually was that I seem to get to spend special alone time with each one of the kids. I didn't set out doing this but about four or five days in I realized that it was just happening naturally. It was really great to reconnect with each one and spend some together.

We did a lot of reading of Christmas books. Since I have my preschool I have tons and tons of Christmas books. And the kids just love reading them all through the whole month of December. One morning me and the girls are reading the Nutcracker in bed.

We also have a pseudo-tradition of reading The Worst Best Christmas Pageant Ever.  We don't read it every year - but we have read it probably 3 or 4 times.  We read it again this year, I would usually read it while everyone worked on the puzzle.

We went to dart wars 2 or 3 times. 

We went swimming a few times and Megan got to try out her new mermaid tail.

We did finish the puzzle

On New Years Day we got together at the church and played games with a few other families.

We played a lot of board games.  Risk mainly.  In the end Brock and Dad made an alliance and took out Noah.

Noah's face is the best in these pictures!

I am in the Primary Presidency now and I was in charge of getting birthday presents for the kids.  I found a great deal on some journals so we got these.

The book strap needed to be put around them though - so one afternoon the girls and I watched "The Parent Trap" (the new one - we had watched the old one about a year ago) and they helped me turn them all around.  I love that they are getting so big and able to help me with so many things.

I can't remember now what I did with each kid.  But I did take a picture of me and Megan going and getting a Frosty.