I can't believe how fast February has gone by. It has been a crazy and busy month and I am late getting it up.
We have a 5 year old in the house!!!
Desi was so excited for her birthday. When she woke up, she told me, "Mom, I don't feel any older." ha ha. So sweet.
She had a wonderful day of celebrating, opening presents, eating pink cake, and having a great time because it was her special day.
The day started out where she was acting a bit entitled. Because it was her special day, that she counted down to, she felt like she should get everything her way. On the way to the park, where we had a picnic and played at the park, Derek talked to her about gratitude and attitude. We were so impressed with her because she recognized the lack of gratitude and quickly switched it around. She was our happy and smiling Desi for the rest of the day.
Picnic at the park
5 years old!!!
Desi's birthday date with Mom and Dad. Before we went to dinner we went to the park. Desi brought her Minnie Mouse and a little girl was there that had a similar Minnie Mouse. They became instant friends.
If you look closely, they are both swinging with their minnies in the front part of the swings.
It is so fun to have a special date with Desi. She is so much fun!!
The one request she wanted was a donut for herself (not her siblings). When we pulled up and they only took drive thru orders. We did the walk thru! The lady was so sweet! She gave Desi her donut and a lot of donut holes. She ate them ALL on the way home!
A box of Donuts all to herself!
I am loving all these letters from Claire. She is so sweet!
Derek's staff spoils our kids! They are too kind!
The girls made her Valentine Box at Homeschool Group.
They did a wonderful job!
I love how the kids love to play chess together.
Emmett's new restroom: the outdoors
We enjoy our daily walks together. I am soaking up holding hands with my babies that aren't so little anymore!
It was so cute. Saturday night these girls wrote down their testimonies and practices sharing them. Then they planned out that they would get up during Fast and Testimony meeting to share them. They went together as a group and each shared a sweet testimony. We are so proud of their bravery and courage to share their hearts.
Desi was so excited to go to her first birthday party of her friend's from homeschool group. It was at a jump house and this little girl wore me out and I loved every second of it. It is a rare experience for Desi and I to get one on one at an event place. We jumped, laughed, and played lots of games together. It is a memory in the books for me that I will cherish. I am so lucky to be Desi's mama.
Desi got this walkie talkies from Grandma M and the kids have been having a blast.
Emmett just loves school! I have been so impressed with him. He is probably my quickest learner (probably because of 4 sisters). He loves to be like his sisters and do school with me. I pulled out the ABC cards and he knew 24 out of the 26 letters AND sounds! At that moment I decided to start the preschool course of the Good and the Beautiful curriculum. We are currently on letter E and he is loving every second of it.
The kids and I made a package for Granny, Gramps, Kelly, and Chris. They have been sweet in give us a package with goodies and we wanted to return the favor. We love them so much.
The kids have been reading Little Britches and it was mentioned about Birch Beer so we bought some online. It was a hit!
Brinley loves to do Emmett's hair about bathtime. He is a big sport.
We have been doing a Space Science Unit and we have learned about all the planets and the moon. We did a really fun activity with Oreos and learning the phases of the moon. It was great!
We enjoy going hiking! It is a nice day and we wanted to soak up the sun.
Claire is so sweet with her notes. She loves to express her love for others and it is so sweet!
We went on another hike and there was a pile of logs. The girls wanted to cross it and there was little pond of mud. I was nervous for them to cross and Derek gave me a look say," Let them do it if they want." It was fun to see them travel along. At first they were scared and then they started to gain confidence as they took one step at a time. It was a cool experience to see the girls overcome their fear. Then because they all did it, I had to do it, then we eventually all did it. It was a fun learning experience for me to realize that I need to let the girl experience things, let them step through their fear and just have fun.
Desi and Daddy Date
SUPER EMMETT
He absolutely loves this cape. He calls it his superman outfit. Thanks RuthAnn.
Claire and I went on a day date together. She wanted to go to Chick-fil-a and in her kids meal was a stack of questions called Table Talk. We were asking each other the questions and one of them was where Claire asked me if I ever had a secret code. I told her that I did make secret codes with my friends in elementary school. She didn't know what that meant. So we went to TJ Maxx and bought a cheap journal/notebook and we started writing secret messages to each other and we have to figure out the code. It has been so much for to do. It was a great experience to share part of my childhood fun and have my kids experience too.
Emmett wanted to wear his Superman costume to preschool!
We absolutely love the Good and the Beautiful curriculum. I love how is included pastels and cooking into the Language Arts. We have been having a great time learning to do this wonderful art medium.
For Young Women's we did heart attacks for all the widows in the ward. I brought my kids along to get the experience of serving others.
While we were serving, Derek got all of us flowers for Valentine's
Valentine's Bingo
We got a package for some special people that sent us Valentine's cards. Thanks Nana, Grandpa, Trevor, Maren, Sabina, and Aubrey!
We had a HUGE snowstorm in TX and we had the pleasure on snow. Because of the snowstorm, Lufkin and many cities where out of water and power. We had a fun experience during the power outage as a family. Derek and I were so impressed with the kids, with their optimistic attitudes and because we having be doing digital minimalism for awhile now, we just read books all day long and the kids were great about it.
I never thought I would see snow in TX and already in 2021, we have seen it twice!
The kids loved to eat the snow!
Another pastel lesson...so FUN!
We love our Tuesday Dates! With the power outage and lack of water we thought things would be closed. Derek came into the house and said, "It's Tuesday! Let's go on our date!" I totally thought he was joking, but nope. The streets were a bit icy and we were on our way in the truck. It has been fun to see Ashlyn and Brinley finding joy in babysitting.
We are enjoying the weight set we got. It is funny how much Derek and I missed our daily routine of going to the gym in the mornings, but we are grateful we have the option to do it at home (which is not as easy to be motivated).
Icicles
Our backyard
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I think we are prepared...ha ha
A food storage Derek and I got for a wedding gift.
MEALTIME
Desi put on 15 pairs of socks!
Our solution to stay warm during the power outage.
BEDTIME
Claire really wanted a baby alive doll and she work extra jobs to earn the money and then Desi followed her lead. It is fun to see the girls work so hard!
They love their babies!
Claire and her crazy tricks
Volcano
Part of Brinley's curriculum is learning how to draw. We drew windows together. I love how the girls love to get me involved with their artwork. It is a fun one on one time together.
Making bath bombs
During the power outage, Ashlyn completed her handwriting so she can start her cursive.
The JOY of being a KID
Ashlyn loves to teach. She enjoys preparing and doing FHE. We are preparing Brinley for her baptism that is 6 weeks away!
Desi completed her handwriting
We were on a family walk, and I saw that a wire was hanging for a neighbors house around the corner. I asked them how it is going. He told me that they don't have power and because of all that has happened with the snowstorm, the power company didn't know when they could come around. At this point, our power has been on for at least a day. I offered help and he said that he was good. I offered dinner and he said that his partner wouldn't like help, but he hinted how much dinner would be appreciated. So we made them a chicken parm dinner and he was so appreciative that a stranger (neighbor that he didn't really know) would be kind. So he came over the next day and gave us these beautiful flowers and delicious banana muffins. It was so kind.
The girls wanted to do the polar bear plunge. It is funny because it is 80 degrees outside, but the water is so so so cold because of the snowstorm. I honestly don't know how they did it in that cold water!
Who cam keep their feet in the longest competition
Oh how much we love books!
We love her curriculum. Part of the Language Arts, Ashlyn has recipes she makes. She has a unit about a country and then their are activities like pastels or cooking. She learned about Italy and she made gnocchi for lunch. YUM
The yard was a mess from the storm so we had a family clean up day. One by one we trailed off, but these three worked so hard! Many hours of labor and hard work. We were so impressed with how hard Claire and Desi worked, we paid them $10 each.
Look how many bags they filled up!!!!
Emmett is learning about the difference with little b and d and they have a cute way of teaching the d. You draw a donut and then down. So we went to get a donut as a family. He was so so excited!
Brinley's math has been involving a lot of donuts too.
Our favorite place right now for date night is Macklemores and Derek's favorite is called the NAC Burger.
Emmett is being more independent and one way is dressing himself in the morning. It is so cute to find his shirts inside out, and many times backwards. ha ha. We are so proud!
We have been feeling cooped up into the house with the storm and it being really cold. This past Saturday was the first really nice day and so we spent the afternoon at the park. We went to Pecan Park and played on the playground, catch, and coloring.
While we read before bed, Ashlyn and Brinley will do each others hair.
Brinley had Great to be 8!
She is so excited to get baptized!
She got this beautiful ring
Aunt Maren and Ashlyn (and the other girls) have been pen pals and Maren drew this for Ashlyn and Ashlyn colored it. It looks so great! Maren is such a sweet aunt!
This girl is crushing her reading. She finished the 2nd grade level of Hooked on Phonics in a few days. She did one book (which is 17 lessons and 5 long books) in ONE DAY!!!! She was so motivated to finish. This girl is a rock star!
Paint day at homeschool group. It is a chameleon.
On Tuesday evenings while I take the girls to dance and I walk at the gym, Emmett, Desi, and Daddy have a weekly routine! They have so much fun getting the bounce house out and playing together. Derek will put Emmett down for the night and then Desi and him color together. Our sweet neighbor Evelyn brings over her newspaper with the funnies and coloring page. They love to do the coloring pages together! It is so sweet!
I am reading the book Tiny Habits and January 1st started to tackle my list of photobooks that I have been so far behind. I set a goal to do at least one page a day and it has been amazing. I have completed 2018, 2019, and 3 Disney Trip photobooks! in 2 months!!!! I cannot believe it!!!!
YYYAAAAYYYYY!!!!!!!!
Derek and the girls made a box house
Love this girl
More Hiking!
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