1st lost tooth

Olivia lost her 1st tooth (front bottom right tooth) yesterday, Monday, March 24, 2014.  It has been loose for awhile but was finally ready to pull out.  Madi had lost one a few days earlier and got money so Olivia said that she's was going to pull out her teeth to get money.  She wiggled it and wiggled it and then right before dinner I told her to let me try.  I didn't get it at first and there were some tears but then as we were sitting at the dinner table waiting for everyone I told her to watch the TV and not think about what I was doing.  I pulled it right out and she didn't even know.  She just started crying and told me that it hurt, as I was holding her tooth.  She was so surprised when she found out it was already out.

She got her little tooth fairy box from grandma Jensen and put her tooth in.  The next morning she had $1.25 and the tooth fairy left her tooth for her to have.  She was so happy!

Spring Break 2014

It was another cold spring break so we didn't do much. Here is a quick list just for memory sake.

Friday, March 14th Playgroup at the church
Saturday, March 15th we went up to the dollar theater and saw "Nut Job" not what we wanted but it was the only kids show playing.
Sunday, March 16th church
Monday, March 17th Savannah and I did yoga at the Y. Then we all played basketball. Hayden and Makenzie came to play
Tuesday, March 18th played at home and tried the Ivory soap experiment.  It was really cool to watch it grow in the microwave.

Wednesday, March 19th I took the kids swimming at the Waukee YMCA since ours isn't really kid friendly.  Then did a little shopping while we where in West Des Moines.  Later that night we went to DQ for ice cream
Thursday, March 20th  Savannah had Kassidy come and play
Friday, March 21st went to play group at the church, cleaned the garage out while the kids played with their bikes and outdoor toys since the day was kind of warm.  Savannah had Hannah come play for a few hours
Saturday, March 22st  we watched Hayden all day (10:15am-8:00pm) so it was fun to have a friend to play with.
Sunday, March 23rd church, made play dough and were very glad spring break was over.

That is all I remember doing beside a lot of tears, complaining and yelling.  It would had been better if it was warmer.

Jason was actually home early on Wednesday and Thursday and all day on Friday and Saturday but not because he was on vacation.  His lower back was having back spasms and the ER doctor told him Thursday to go home, heat it and lay on the floor until it gets better or he will end up hospitalized.   So that 's what he did.  Sunday he had to work, it was still hurting but he could at least walk.  It still hurts so he just can't do really long surgeries at this point.   

cold cold weather

It has been a very very very cold winter.  The temperatures have been so cold the kids have had to have inside recess sometimes all week.  It is very rare when they get to go outside which means the temperature outside feels like 0 or below.  Then when they get home it is way too cold to go outside and play so they have to stay inside.  On the weekends we stay inside.  Sunday, March 2nd when we went to church the temperature was -9 but felt like -32 because of the wind chill.  We are so ready for spring! 

But just like every winter it makes me appreciate the pioneers that went though Iowa, Nebraska and Wyoming during the winter and the extreme sacrifice they made to escape persecution because of their religion.  I can’t even imagine what it was like out there in the snow and wind.  It is horrible for us and we have warm coats, gloves, hat and boots.  We have a warm home and cars to get us places but for them to be out there in these conditions, I truly think it is a miracle that any of them survived.  Jason and I often say to one another there is no way anyone could survive being outside for very long let alone all night.

We have been truly grateful for our home and cars this season and have been truly thanking the Lord in our prayers each night for these things.  We are indeed blessed and are indeed grateful for the pioneer who sacrificed so much for us.  I’m sure the weather was only a tiny bit of their trials but I know I am more appreciative to them because I have lived here and felt a little bit of what they must have felt.

Family Fun night

 

 

Every year the school does a Family Fun Night Fundraiser.  We have never gone but I decided to take the kids this year since it's been so cold and we haven't gotten out much.  They have little games, bounce houses, balloon people, face painting and food.  They also have themed baskets that each class puts together from parent donations. (For example Olivia's class did Ocean Discovery so they asked for the kids to bring something to do with that theme, so we donated a puzzle with a picture of ocean animals.)  Then you can buy tickets for a $1 and place it in the basket you like for the raffle drawing at the end of the night.

 

I bought the kids wrist band (parent and preschool kids are free) and then bought each of them 1 raffle ticket to put in any basket they wanted.  I told them chances of them winning are not good so don't be mad when you don't win.

 

We went around to all the games and won different prizes at each one.  When we did the pop ring toss.  Austin won 2 pops, Olivia won 1, Savannah and Madi were surprised how hard it was and didn't win any so they went back in line to try again.  Madi ended up winning 1.  It was a fun night and they really enjoyed it.  As we were getting our coats and going over to see who won the baskets I got a text from our old neighbor asking if we were still at the school because Savannah had won the Movie Night basket she had put her ticket it.  She was so excited! and ran over to get it with a huge smile on her face.

 

The picture is a picture of all the stuff they got.  Inside Savannah's box was popcorn, caramel corn, juice boxes, tons of candy, 5 movies, Lego sets from the new Lego movie, Lego movie tee shirt, and $10 gift certificate to Little Caesar's.  It was really exciting for everyone that she won.



Home Depot kids workshop

The 1st Saturday of each month Home Depot has a free class for kids.  We have gone about 10 times in the last year and a half.  The kids really like it, they get to hammer and screw with little tools and then get to paint what every they made.  They have a cute Home Depot apron and get pin for each thing they make.  They really get into it, it's fun to watch them.