How March Went for Us

 March was a quick one for us. But, as I went through my pictures from this month I realized it was such a fun one. The sun is coming out again and we are just so ready for spring and all the outside time we can get. In fact, we kicked this month off with a park trip:

We even went on chilly days:

The kids also started soccer: 

                                                       

We got new chickens! Just four babies and are so thrilled with them and it teaches kids so much about their life cycle and how to care for them:

                                                         

One day this month, Monte took Riley on a little outing. Bowling for just the two of them. They even got to eat pizza as well, Riley couldn't have been any happier, he was on cloud 9 for days:

Ice cream outside. There isn't anything better, am I right?

Also, so grateful that we can still eat all the fun stuff even with food allergies. Gratitude for this will hopefully never be lost on me, we just have to find the ways to make it work.

One night we went for a drive after a few days of rain. We found a rainbow and got the most beautiful pictures:

Riley got out and got to shoot his bow and I just love watching him practice.

Riley also enjoys the challenge of putting together puzzles. He's been pulling out all that we have and putting them together as quickly as he can.

St. Patrick's Day was also a fun time around here. Payton got dressed up for school and the kids enjoyed a scavenger hunt our leprechaun left. 

The boys made a lucky rainbow and colored some leprechaun pictures for preschool:

Riley got a hair cut:

I got Payton's picture back from the father daughter dance. Such a sweet memory for all of us:

We had a birthday party out of town and so we got a fun girls day out of it! One of our best friends and her mother (one of my best friends) took the day for some fun. There were a lot of laughs and even more when I forgot my wallet and so my friend had to spot me all day. We will probably still laugh about that 20 years from now.

We spent an afternoon fishing! Jayden was the only one to catch anything but the real fun was in being together doing something we all enjoy.

Even on a few colder days, we still went to the park. It's just one of the top things the kids ever want to do. We love our parks here so much and appreciate them greatly.

The boys and I clean on Friday mornings and, a few times this month, for a change of pace we had a park date after cleaning. We completed this outing with a stop at our local coffee shop that makes lots of treats:

As always, lots of time was spent outdoors at our house. We love our little space in this world. My husband build raised garden beds and I love our kids being a part of the process.

If the above picture(s) don't say country kids, I don't know what does. Dirt road playing, frisbee with metal circles, and chickens all sum up so much of our life out here.

Picnics outside have also been requested whenever the temperature is slights above freezing (and sometimes when below freezing and they get so bummed I say no):

                                                           

I found this gem of a picture Riley left for me on my phone:

I have been working hard at making all the food I can and making it so Jayden can eat. Here is our scotcharoos that are allergy friendly for him, can you tell he's excited?

During the pandemic our library has had virtual lego club and one challenge was to build a flying vehicle:

To pass the time, we are trying to get out and explore more areas nearby that we rarely go to. It's been fun to venture into newer territory:

We still do church at home and Payton has started to take notes each time. After church, we discuss and she reads her notes to us. She then cuts her notes up and gives us each pieces to use for inspiration during the week. I just love this idea she had:

Riley is really into the Magic Treehouse series and in it one of the characters has a notebook he uses all the time. Riley has started to do this as well. He can be seen below writing and drawing notes at the park:

I just love watching how creative he gets!

We got creative with our art this month and decided to make some Easter decor. 

                                                         

We are hoping to make some eggs for the kids to paint to go with the bunnies. But, for now, they have been painting their art creations from nature:

                                                 

Here are some other preschool pictures I have:

I am starting to really savor these days as it won't be long and Riley starts school. He has kindergarten round up next month and I just don't want to send him. But, the time has come. 

Riley and I did get out for a special date this month and went to a mother/son paint class followed by lunch as the place of his choice (he chose Chinese food). We had the best time together. 

                                                 

We got to see my parents briefly. Although, it wasn't the same kind of "normal" we are used to, it was so, so good to see them for the time we got. 

It was another month of good homemade food. The kids requested banana bread and pie:

My extended family and I took on a bible study and met via zoom. It was probably one of my favorite bible studies to have ever done. I highly recommend: 

Lastly, we all got a stomach bug. Well, the kids and I did. My husband was spared. It hit us hard and was gone quickly. As I type this today we have good health and for that I am extremely thankful for.

Onward we go for another month ahead at full blast! Happy Easter!

February Recap- dates, an Anniversary, Valentine's day, and a Visit with Extended Family

 February is a big month at our house. Valentine's Day, our wedding anniversary (12 years of wedded bliss this year), and our annual date night with the father/daughter dance and mother/son date. I put up a blog post all on its own for the annual date night because it's just that good and important to our house. Those events make for a super fun month of planning, preparing, celebrating, and savoring. 

So, let's get to it, here's all we did this month:

We actually saw some extended family. But, we drove 30 minutes to see them and I didn't realize, until I got into our vehicle, that our kids thought we were driving to their house 3 1/2 hours away. They packed for a long trip and planned on naps!

                                    

It was so good to see family, a luxury that we haven't been able to do much of since the pandemic began. We went to one of our favorite spots, the children's museum. We also made it another time earlier this month. Two times in a month is a record for us any more:

Didn't get much for pictures but fun was had by all, that's for sure. 

Back at home, we started to work really hard on Valentine's day. We had lots of themed activities for preschool and Riley made a beautiful heart canvas for his daddy to give him as a gift. 
                                                 

Payton had a unicorn Valentine's day box for school and even pulled out her box we made last year as well. I was so surprised that made it the whole year!

I worked hard on making my own special gifts (along with homemade cards, part of our library take home kits we can do monthly):

And the kids made gifts for us. Hours and hours of labor with crafts, all wrapped up:

After they went to bed, we set their spots up:

                                                         

                                                         

We had the best time opening all the crafts and celebrating our love for one another.

Payton asked that we dress up in red and I was happy to oblige:

We made heart shaped homemade pizza and heart shaped jello for dinner and spent the evening together for a pizza/movie night. 

Our anniversary is also this month. To celebrate 12 years, the boys helped me make fruit pizza. The hubby and I also opted for mimosas.

The sun came out a few days this month and we jumped on the chance to get to the park. 

The rest of the month was cold and snowy and we mostly played outside around the house. Our special place:

Inside where it is warm, you will find us completing lots of preschool activities and crafts:

We even had Payton home for a few days with snow days from school! I love my bonus days with her so much!

Riley has been quite my little helper and we spent lots of extra time together this month. He helped me make fruit pizza (mentioned earlier) and also puppy chow. This was the first time making and he loved it!

Payton had about 8 dress up days at school this week and I managed to take a picture for 2 of them. aaaaaagh. Some times, it just happens. But, I documented chore day (for ag week) and camo day:

Riley has found a new obsession with live, sports and action tv. Here he is watching racing and was sooo excited to get a picture taken of his new fav show:

And then we just continue to have so many beautiful and quiet days at home doing just as we want to do: spend time together exploring what our home has to offer:

Quiet, all day at home kind of days are just the best. We've been blessed with so many during the pandemic and I am extra thankful for that!

On to March we march! 

Father/Daughter Dance and a Date Night with My Boys

 Every year, our daughter gets so excited for the father/daughter dance our ymca hosts. While writing this post, I went and found the past blogs about as well. See 2019 here and 2020 here. Payton talks about this dance all year long. She picks out her own outfit (from her closet, she gets lots of hand me downs which we love) AND she picks her dad's outfit for the night. I help her get ready and dad "picks her up" after he gets ready. It's just such a special time and a total event at our house. 

She had the best time. As usual, not many pictures are taken at the dance but these two enjoy each other to the fullest. Here is the return picture I got:

This year there was a build a bear like setup and Payton got a unicorn (with a special dance tshirt) along with a bag of loot. She saw some friends from school and the community and loved talking to them. She danced the night away with her dad! She gets to stay out late, which she also loves since we rarely make an exception on this.

I take advantage of this night as a date night with my boys. The boys pick what we do and that has stayed the same over the years as well, a date night picnic in the park and a dance party at home. It's so cold (and snowy) here so we ate our meal in the van at the park. The boys love this! LOVE THIS. Then we came home to dance in our sitting room and then the boys took an extra long bubble bath before bed.

Riley also picks our outfits out and that is super important to him. 

I hope we get so many more years together doing this event because it's just the best thing for my mama heart. I don't take pictures on my date night with the boys as well so that I can BE in the moment with my boys. It's just the best experience ever. I look so forward to this night.

Here's to hoping this continues as an annual event.