Spring Break/Part 2 & Rhett's Birthday

The second half of spring break was fun too.  On Wednesday we all went to Springfield for the day.  We started with Hurts Donuts for breakfast.

Next stop:  Discovery Center.   Lots of interesting things to see there.

Then we went to SkyZone trampoline park.  The kids have been asking to go here for a while now.  They had a great time jumping!

Finally we finished our fun day with dinner at a Japanese steakhouse, Rhett's choice for his birthday dinner.  The kids all love the food there.

Thursday was Rhett's 12th birthday.  TWELVE.  Hard to believe.  He wanted to stay home on his birthday, and he asked me to make Pioneer Woman's Fancy Mac & Cheese for dinner.  So that's what we did!  He's a great kid.  He's kind-hearted, smart, responsible, sweet and analytical.  He constantly amazes me with the things that he knows.  I'm always asking him for help with my phone or the computer or printer, and he always knows the answer.  He loves to read and remembers every detail!  He's involved in math club, book club, drama club, he likes to hang out with his friends and FaceTime his out-of-town friends.  We are so thankful for him!

We love you, and we are proud of you, Rhett!

3.17.16

This was the week before spring break.  I took him Freddy's for lunch at school.  

The afternoon of his birthday my parents drove up to drop off his new bike because we didn't have room for it earlier in the week.  He's excited to have the bike here, and we always love for Mo & Grandad to stop by.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RGG!

Going for a ride!

Signs of spring

On Sunday afternoon we had R's birthday party with his friends.  We originally planned to have it outside at the park so that the boys could play flag football, etc., but it was 38 degrees so we had to move the party indoors at the RecPlex instead (thankful they had the party room available, and it was during open gym time so the kids could play basketball).

(I missed two friends in the group picture--one had to leave early, and I didn't realize another was still on the basketball court when I took the picture.  Great group of boys!)

It was a good spring break! 

Spring Break Family Time

Spring Break was the week of March 14th this year, and we all went to White River for the first few days of it (Sun.-Tues.).  We were lucky to have great weather while we were there.  It seems like it's usually cold and/or rainy on spring break, but it was in the mid 70s this time!  This was our 5th year in a row to go to the river house:  2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.  Wow how time flies. 

Day 1 - ready to play!

We got there around noon on Sunday and enjoyed a beautiful, relaxing afternoon.  Sunday night my parents and grandparents came over for dinner.  Dad grilled steaks and boiled shrimp, and we also had baked beans, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and bread.  YUM!  For dessert we had rice crispy treats from Mo and cake and ice cream to celebrate the boys' March birthdays.  Rhett requested a cookie cake, and Crosby asked for a red velvet.  Just as we were clearing the table and getting ready to cut cake the power went out!  No worries though, my grandparents happened to have two kerosene lanterns there at the house, so we had dessert by lantern light.  It was actually really fun! (For a little while. :) But we were happy when the power came back on around 10:30 that night.)

Happy 12th to Rhett and Happy 7th to Crosby.

We love you both!

 

The quiet mornings were nice.  The kids have been playing a lot of card games lately.  And I think this is Bogart's favorite week of the year.  He always has a blast getting to be a country dog.

The next day my Dad took us fishing.  It was a perfect day for it!  He took Lane and the boys out in the boat first, then later on Lane and Rhett traded and Alexee and I went out with Crosby.  

The boys caught several fish, and Alexee did too when she went out later.  For some reason I wasn't having good luck, but that's fine--I'm happy just being out on the river.  It's one of my favorite places to be.

Dad let the kids all take a turn running the boat.  They did great and loved every minute of it!  

Alexee loves to read and write.  She spent a lot of time doing both during this trip.

While the boys were out fishing, we took Bogart on a farm buggy ride (Alexee drove and I held on to Bogart because he jumped out last year!) and picked a bouquet of jonquils.  They are such a cheerful sign of spring.

I like Bogart's little shadow in this picture below.  :)

Alexee reeling them in!

That afternoon Rhett went birthday shopping with Dad.  Mom and Dad had told him he could pick out a new bike for his birthday.  He came back with a really cool red and black one!  Now the kids all have bikes that fit them, and I can use R's old one.  We want to convince Lane to get one so we can all go for rides together.  

Monday night we had burgers and sat by the campfire.  The kids played football.  After dark we looked at stars and identified constellations using an app on Lane's phone.  The sky was so clear!  It was such a pleasant evening.  I didn't want it to end.

My cousin invited us to go out fishing with him the next day!  It was another fun afternoon.  The kids caught a lot of fish, and it was great to get to spend time with Keith.  We were really thankful he took the time to take us fishing--he was a great guide.

Crosby was quite the fisherman!

Rhett was complaining about being hot...so Keith helped him out by pouring a pitcher of cold river water on his head!  :)  Rhett is all about comfort when out on the water...this takes priority over catching fish.

Keith and Alexee with her nice trout!

I enjoyed having the time away with them.  It seems like we stay so busy running from one activity to the next these days.  It's nice to slow down and have a chance to just spend time together.  They are growing up way too fast. 

Spring Break

2016

Rhett (almost 12)

Alexee (9)

Crosby (almost 7)

Bogart (12.5)

Lane & Jamie (old)

Welcome, March

Spring seemed to arrive a little early this year!  I was out in the yard on March 1st and noticed these hyacinths blooming by our fence.  I had completely forgotten about planting them last year, so it was a pleasant surprise.  It did make me regret not planting tulip bulbs, too, as I'd planned.  Maybe this fall!  

March 2nd was the elementary school spelling bee.  Crosby was the alternate for his 1st grade class, but he did not get to step in for the competition this time.  Alexee was a 3rd grade class representative. She studied really really hard, but unfortunately, it didn't go as well as last year.   I don't know if it was nerves or what, but she stepped up to the microphone for her first word and was asked to spell "chimney".  She hadn't missed that one a single time in practice, but for some reason it came out as chE instead of i.  :(  She was very very disappointed, and I felt terrible for her because she was so upset.  We are really proud of her for working so hard and for being brave enough to stand up in front of a large group for the competition.  I was nervous just sitting in the audience!  A wise friend suggested a therapeutic disposal of the spelling list, and you know what, Alexee did feel better after sending it through the paper shredder that evening!  :)

March 5th was the regional math competition that Rhett and several of his friends qualified for back in January.  We had to get an early start that morning, but the boys didn't seem to mind.  They had a lot more energy than I did!

                            

It was a nice day, so the boys ate lunch outside then played football during their lunch break.  R's team placed 2nd in the 6th grade team division, so that was great!  

Lane was working that day, so my parents let A & C spend the night with them Friday night.  They could have gone to the math competition with us, but I knew it would be very boring for them.  They had a lot more fun in Flippin.  The first thing they did was build a bluebird house for us to place in our yard.  They signed the bottom of it--I'm so proud of it!  I need to hang it up this week, and hopefully a bluebird will move in.  That night they camped out in the living room with glow sticks. and the next day they went to see their cousins play basketball, which they loved!  I'm glad they had a good weekend!

This picture was funny to me.  Bogart heard me start the water in the laundry room sink (which usually means bath time for him), but the door was closed so he quickly came up with this hiding spot...the cubby of the Alexee's locker!  I don't think he'd ever climbed in there before, but he must have felt desperate.  

Alexee earned a show-and-tell pass in her class, so she asked me to bring Joey by the classroom. This was Joey's third trip to school.  He skipped 1st grade, but has visited her K, 2nd and 3rd grade classes.  The kids all liked him and fed him lots of vegetables.  :)

March 6, afternoon playdate at the park with Alexee's friend, H.

March 7, science night at the kids' elementary school.  We met up with two friends after gymnastics, stopped by Chick-fil-A for a quick dinner then went to the school for the event.  The kids had fun with all the experiments!