How to have fun when most of your toys are packed

We are almost all packed. That being said, that means that cabinets are empty and most of the toys are packed (no fear, we have left some out for them). Anyway, the little girls have been crawling into the cabinets but everytime I ran to get the camera they were out before I got back. I caught them this time. Enjoy!

This weekend the older kids participated in the Awana Games. It's local competition between churches. Our church came with the most kids so that our group had to be split. Our kids selflessly (or they followed their good friend H) volunteered to go to another team. Their team didn't win, but they don't know that. They had a great time and played well.

I'll do ANYTHING not to pack!

Yep, I'm posting as a way to avoid packing!
No, seriously though, I had to post this. Lydia has been ill for the last couple of days. Just running a fever, no other real symptoms, but she says her head hurts...a fever usually comes with a headache, I suppose. Anyway, this morning Bella (yep, I'm pretty much expendible) dressed her in a hoodie. Lydia felt compelled to wear her hoodie, first because her head "was cold," but later she told me that she had to wear it because her "porehead would blow out." That's some headache. Happily, the ibprophen has kicked in and her headache seems not to be bothering her.
Anyway, back to packing!

Kids and packing

Our approach to this move has been filled with potholes! I've been sick. The kids have been alternately sick. And Ellie decided that last night she was going to be a party girl. She woke up at 11:30 and stayed up PLAYING until 2:30. So that Elijah and Tim (and I suppose the people upstairs) could sleep, I got up and partied with her.

Lydia, poor, poor thing, started running a fever last night. No one knows why, just a random fever. So today she is quite pitiful!

Elijah, on a happier note, had a very exciting morning. He read all his math directions by himself. It's a big step for kids when they transition from just being able to read in their reading book to reading other things. He was very proud of himself.

Hopefully, I will have more pictures this weekend as Elijah and Isabella will be competing in an Awana Olympics. Bella was flying low profile this morning...no worries, she'll be back in a later post!

The Simple Things

I get convicted that I get really "busy" doing things that I feel are important and often neglect the little, simple things. Today, in Isabella's reading she read about a little girl who had a tea party with her mom. The mom let her use her best China and spent all afternoon with her. I feel like a lot of time I don't drop everything just to spend some time with the kids. So we had a tea party while Ellie was done for a nap. I got down the cups and saucers. Boiled a little tea, added milk and sugar. And of course we had to have a little "cake," which was actually those little 100 calorie brownies (no, our cups aren't that big, those brownies are really that small). So cheers to a few simple minutes spent with the kids! Enjoy your loved ones today.

"I don't like it!" Big surprise!

Pinkies up!

Wild Animals

Monday, we had freak weather for February. It was partly sunny and 70 degrees. This, of course, necessitated a trip to the zoo. So we packed up our wild animals to go see their wild animals! Some of the smaller animals were not out because it was still too cool for them, but the larger animals were out and about. In fact, it was the most active I had ever seen them. The kids really got a good look at most of the animals. Usually it's a little difficult to point them out as they are hiding in some shade. Anyway, I took lots of pictures of our little wild things. Hope you enjoy.

This is Ellie watching the penguins. This was the only thing she really took notice of since she's too small to see most of it. She was absolutely taken by them. She kept pointing, squealing and saying "this," her word for anything she is interested in.