I own a tree!

My mom was telling me how a friend of hers from China came to visit and as she walked around my moms house she stopped at a blossoming tree and said . . . "This tree is beautiful.  I would love to own a tree."   My mom said that it helped her be more appreciative.    I also love trees since they provide shade!!!!  So as I walked around my own yard I felt lucky to have these pretty trees and I thought "we own these trees!"    I don't think of it like that usually - but it's a good feeling.  :)

Science Center Fieldtrip w/ B!!!

Ak comments/story telling . . .

Yesterday Ak was remembering dinner at a friend's house a week ago. . . she said "the mom gave me spaghetti with sauce already on it and then the mom asked if I wanted more sauce and I thought in my head, "MORE sauce?"."   It was so cute how she was telling this story implying she wished that she could get some with LESS sauce.   I guess she knows how she likes her spaghetti!  :)   She uses voice inflection and facial expressions often when talking and story telling.  Cute!

Cold start to Soccer!!!

                                       First soccer game of the season was a little chilly!!!
                                 Ak looked cute in her new bow that our friend Elaine made!  She played well too!     
                                          She's on the older end of her preschool age group and she's been watching
                                                       a few years - so she wasn't shy out there!  :)

                                The older two kids shivered and used D's big umbrella to block the wind while
                   watching Ak play.  :)    Z did a great job too - scoring near the beginning of the game!

                                       He was very excited to score a goal!!! :)

                     B tried to keep her jacket on at first since she was still cold - but it was too hard to see who was on who's team - so she had to take it off and just wear it when she wasn't playing on the side lines.

Western Night

We didn't have much notice - but we heard it was Western Night at Chick Fil A and you you got free food - so I dug out my boots and we called my parents and a friend and went!  :)  Glad my kids like to dress up!

Lost a tooth - 3rd one!

Easter Sunday

Wedding

Ms. G got married!!!  She was B's kindergarten teacher Ms. G's first year of teaching!  :)  And I know what it is like . . . so I was a nice understanding parent!  And I volunteered in her class and got to know her better.   Then the next year Z got assigned a new teacher who was on maternity leave.  A week into his kindergarten experience they figured out they didn't need a new teacher - so all the kids had to be added to other teacher's classes.  At first he didn't look to sure of that idea - then he heard he was going to Ms. G and he was okay!  So he had her the rest of the year and was present when J came and proposed to her during class!  I think he thought he witnessed the wedding since he didn't understand the word "engaged"  :)   Well they were engaged for a year (she didn't have one of my kids that year).  But we already know that Ak will have her next year - but she'll be Ms. M now NOT Ms. G!  :)  Ak expected to have her I think since both of my other kids did.   :)

It was full day and B didn't want to change - I told her to just put on a skirt then . . . . I didn't think out anyone's clothes very well  . . . . once we were there I wished I had.   Oh well - what can you do then.  :)  Nothing  . . . just smile.    We left the church building as escorted . . . but the kids wanted to say hi to her . . . she was inside taking family pictures.  We weren't going to the reception so I took them back inside even though I felt a little like we were imposing.   When she saw us in the back she stopped the photographer and told us to come up there so I could get a picture of the kids with her.  It was very sweet and thoughtful of her to take time out of HER day!  When I emailed her these pictures she thanked me for bringing the kids and coming to her wedding!  :)     We wish her the best!!!   She will always be remembered at our house since she'll be their kingergarten teacher!

Egg Hunt at church

B invited her friend from the bus (lives on the next street) and she came with her 2 sisters!

This big stuffed bunny is a fun prop!   As the kids were waiting for me to clean up after the activity - Ak went into the RS room and started a play - I got part of on video - I thought.  I can't find it, sorry, otherwise I'd post it - it's funny of her singing and going down the line with her different pieces of paper props too.

Package

                             A package arrived from Grandpa Paul & Grandma Debbie . . . . yea!!!

                                       After the Easter gifts were viewed and compared and given a seperate 
                                  corner to claim . . . they started to play with the box!   Creative and cheap!!!  :) 
                                                                    Thanks for the gifts AND the box!

Good Friday Sensory Experience

A local big church hosted a free multi-sensory event where kids were welcome so I took my kids to balance out our other Easter Activities this week. 

Ak really like the handwashing station before entering - people poured water out of old looking pitchers onto our hands and then patted them with a towel   . . .

               Then we walked into their gym/sanctuar where stations set up where we could taste, touch, feel, and smell different things that happened during the Savior's last week.   Then you could sit and reflect the scriptures they listed in their "program" or color the packet they had for kids. 
At the last station they had paper where you could write down something (a sin) that you wanted to "turn over to Jesus" and ask for his healing help . . . I didn't give any suggestions to my kids or say they HAD to do it. . . . Z chose not to.  I was impressed with what Ak and B thought up on their own!  (hitting & "didn't listen to the spirit")

then you could take a small hammer and nail it to a cross they had set up (Z chose to do this part!).



It was worth our time.  Different people could get different things out of the experience.  There was no pressure at the end to talk to anyone - so I liked that.  At the end of  their handout they had a statement that said that we could talk to someone if we wanted to become a child of God.   ?!?!?!?!?!?  I figured they meant "if you want to come to Jesus" or "if you want to learn more about our church" then you could talk to someone stationed by the door.   But I didn't ask for clarification - but I wonder if they think I'm not a child of God because I don't go to their church?  Hmmm.....   then who do they think I am I wonder ?  A heathen? An ailen?    :) 

I believe we already are ALL children of God - whether you believe in Him or not.  There isn't something you need to do to BECOME a child of God . . . your spirit IS a child of God - whether you acknowledge Him or not or whatever name you call Him.  Accepting Jesus Christ, the son of God,  as the Savior of the world - that is separate and is something you can choose to do (which I do!!! Although even if I didn't accept it - it doesn't change that He is.) 
 I believe we are all children of a Heavenly Father (God) who loves us and I love Him!!!  

Click here to learn more about what I believe about Jesus Christ!