Spring Break 2023

Spring break has come and gone. We're down to 8 weeks left of school! I am looking forward to summer. I remember thinking about school breaks and worrying about surviving them. Now, I like having no alarm clocks and a more laid back feel in the house. Although I am sure by mid-July, I will be ready for school to start again.

Joseph had turnaround once again during spring break. So we stayed close by. Although, I don't mind. I feel like everywhere around here is so busy during spring break.

The first part of spring break was our ward campout. Lydia ended up having a bad ear infection that I didn't realize until after we got back from the campout. Suffice it to say, she was miserable. We found out at the doctor the next that that she ruptured her ear drum with the infection so I felt really bad for taking her. As long as she had pain meds in her, she was manageable.

We went to a different place than we normally go our old stake campout each year. We liked the new place and hope to go back again soon. It has a really cool creek running through it. It was the perfect depth to allow the older kids to romp and play without worrying about currents or drop-offs. Gemma handled it pretty well and Lydia just wore her life jacket. We enjoyed hanging out with our ward in a much more laid back environment.

On Monday, I had planned to take the kids to Galveston for the day and do a dolphin cruise. It was supposed to be my one "splurge" of spring break. We drove down and found out it was too windy for the boats. So we did plan B and went to the children's museum in town. I like it; it's small and cheap. The kids like it too. After that, I treated them to a special candy shop where they each got to pick one thing.

Tuesday was Gemma's birthday so we enjoyed all the celebrations that came with that.

Wednesday, I drove up to northern Houston and visited a farm. We went to it last year and I love it. It is cheap and you get unlimited time with the animals, mini golf course, playgrounds, etc. It is the perfect size where the kids can wander to all the activities and I can see them all. Lots of baby goats to pet this year too, which the girls loved. There is a soccer field and a basketball court, which kept Tanner occupied for several hours.

Thursday was supposed to be our beach day but the weather turned cold and rainy. We visited the book store and the kids found lots of good ideas for library books. On Friday, we had a chill day at home. Saturday was Gemma's birthday party. The kids also had Monday off before returning to school. We enjoyed our last day of no alarms and also played with some friends.

Lydia struggled with no naps during the break. With the big kids home and lots of more activities, she didn't get all her beauty sleep. This was her on the couch after a long day.

Gemma is 5!

 Gemma turned 5 earlier in March. Her birthday falls on the school's spring break. I don't know if she'll like that or not as she starts school next year. She was sad to not see her preschool friends on her birthday. However, it allowed her more time to do fun activities. She wanted to go bowling and visit the library on her birthday. She requested chicken salad sandwiches and fruit salad for her birthday dinner. Gemma got introduced to Barbies from Joseph's sister during our last trip to Utah and that is all she wanted for her birthday. So we are a Barbie house now.

Gemma loves being 5. She is convinced anyone that is also 5 is her twin. We threw Gemma a little friend's birthday party. She invited a couple friends from the neighborhood as well as from church and preschool. Her theme was "Leopard, Ballet, Butterfly, Princess." And I think we accomplished all of those themes. We played "Leopard, Leopard, where's your meat?" and Pin the Gem on the Crown. We made a butterfly craft. I made tulle tutus for the friends and we had a ballet lesson for the girls. Gemma had a fun time with all her friends. 

The Sunday before her birthday, I got a call from one of Gemma's primary teachers. She wanted to have our family over for dinner. This woman has three children and lost her husband in a sudden event 18 months ago. We showed up and it was a surprise birthday celebration for Gemma! She had made so much food! And it was delicious- shrimp, chicken, fish, a ton of food. She had gotten an ice cream cake for Gemma with candles and a few gifts for her. It was beyond thoughtful and such an act of service to me.

Parents Came to Texas

 My parents came to Texas for the month of February. They rented a house nearby and visited off and on over the month. They took Ashton and Tanner for their own sleepover and then had a special day with Gemma. The kids loved all the visits and extra attention. It was nice having them nearby for a little bit. We also went to a little Mardi Gras Boat parade at the local boardwalk. Lydia loved reconnecting with Molly, the dog. We won't see them until next winter so it was wonderful to have such a long visit.

Tanner's Basketball Season

 Tanner played on a basketball league for the first time this winter. He had a blast! He wishes he was a little taller, but overall, he enjoyed it. The league broke the age groups by grades so Tanner was with 1st and 2nd graders. The height difference even between those two grades was crazy some weeks. He held his own and scored lots during the games. Tanner is a little leader on the court. He rallies his team, instructs them on who to guard, and helps get subs in and out quickly. His preferred position is guard. He did get a little upset when a teammate scored in the wrong basket, but we worked on that. He lost a couple games but I think came out with a winning season. If you ask him, he can give you all his points and statistics probably.

Now soccer season has started so he's back to that. He will definitely do basketball again next year.

Taking pictures was rarely an option while trying to corral Gemma and Lydia during the games. My parents got better ones when they visited but this will have to do.

Lydia turned 3

 We celebrated Lydia's birthday! She was excited to be 3 and be counted as a big kid in the family.

She picked a Daniel Tiger cake. That makes us 4 for 4 on kids having a Daniel Tiger cake. I think it's safe to say that was the last one I'll make.

Lydia enjoyed opening all her presents and cards. She "read" each card very carefully. Her favorite gift was a purple ice cream scooper. She eats yogurt with it everyday. Lydia also received a magnetic tile ball track, some yummy snacks, cookie mixes to bake with, and a new scooter (after Gemma got one for Christmas, we had some meltdowns over sharing).

On her birthday, the elementary school hosted a Glow Dance Party. We told her it was her birthday party and went to it. All her friends were there (the younger siblings of Ashton and Tanner's friends). It was great! She danced the night away and we didn't have to do anything special for her. Lydia is happy to be 3!