Skating

*sorry these pictures are very dark*

After we'd finished at EAA we headed to the roller rink for a school sponsored skate. This is the second time the kids have been on skates. It's not so much the skating but the playing with friends that appealed to all of them. Here you can see each of the three and their preferred method of skating. We look forward to next years skate!

Family Flight @ EAA

As is pretty obvious, a favorite Oshkosh destination of our is the EAA museum. In March they had their annual Family Flight Fest. There were lots of extra activities to keep the kids busy for hours.

1. The kids tossing their gliders around the WWII hanger.

2. Lydia inspecting our egg after we'd dropped it from the balcony in our self-made parachute.

3. Evan and his decorated glider.

4. The kids finding the correct airplanes to match the descriptions on the scavenger hunt.

Swimming

As the madness of March continued we added swimming lessons twice a week for three weeks to the mix. This was the first time all three kids were in the water at the same time so I had forty minutes on the bleachers alone. What to do? I crocheted a scarf for a friend. I'm not sure who enjoyed the lessons more, the kids or me.

1. Double trouble. The boys were in the same class.

2. Lydia loved it all except putting her face in the water.

Sock Hop

Early in March our school hosted a community open house with a Sock Hop to kick off Christian Education Week. The entire thing was a fair amount of work but so, so much fun and very worth the effort. Everyone had a great time, young and old alike. As often happens when I'm busy enjoying/volunteering I took very few pictures but here are some highlights.

1. Our family in parked outside of the Eagles' Diner in our sweet ride.

2. The crowd awaiting the costume contest winners.

3. The winners!

Sap to Syrup

Earlier in the March I happened upon a website called tapmytrees which described how simple it is to tap maple trees. While reading I discovered the two maple trees in our front yard would be perfect for tapping. Nathan (who is by now very used to my crazy ideas) happily made me four small spiles through which the sap would flow once I drilled the trees. Empty, cleaned milk and juice bottles worked as my sap buckets once they were wired to the spiles. We didn't start this experiment as early as we could have but we did get sap flowing for about a week. One tap seemed to be much "juicer" than the other three and produced the most sap by far. When the sap stopped flowing we had over a gallon of of sap to boil. The boiling process took a few hours one Saturday afternoon. When all was boiled down we had about 1/3 of a cup of pure, delicious, homemade syrup.

1. Late winter with day time highs above 40 and night time lows below freezing make perfect sap producing weather.

2. A juice bottle wired onto a spile ready for collection.

3. Drip.

4. The final result. Mmm.

Smiley

Nearly everyday Lydia dresses herself. Many days this is an hourly occurrence as for some reason outfit #1 is not longer what she's in the mood for so #2, #3, and even #4 follow. Other days outfit #1 stays on with improvements throughout the day such as hats, skirts or dresses layered over pants, glasses, boots in places of shoes, etc... My favorite part of this is that Lydia suffers no embarrassment for her wacky wardrobe, she simply smiles and wears whatever outfit she chose for that moment. She wore bunny ears for an entire Friday one week-breakfast to bedtime. Makes me wonder what the teenage years will bring us.

No March

Over Easter weekend I was scolded by several family members about not keeping up with this blog. In reply I just flashed my March calendar at them and they understood my dilemma, no time! I considered attaching a copy of it here but decided a few random shots of the kids would go over better. I'll do my best to catch up here especially since there are now Easter pictures to blog about and the kids and I have some spring break adventures planned for later in the week. Until them, know we're well, we're happy, and we're abundantly blessed by our Lord.

1. Lydia dressed herself for Saturday morning dance class. Red tights, pink tutu, lavender sweatshirt, and butterfly sunglasses do all belong together when you're a four year old girl.

2. Hans with his ever present smile.

3. Evan working on daily vision therapy exercises.

4. Who needs toys? Our new comforter came in this box that has been a boat, airplane, school, garage, and currently is a barbie house.

What am I?

a. a paint by number sunset?

b. an asymmetric snowshoe?

c. modern art?

d. a wing rib

Correct answer: d

This was a project of Nathan's from school. It's the first piece of his airplane. Someday, with many, many more parts and even more time, this could become an airplane.

Critter Update

Do you know Ralph S. Mouse? Really I think that is where the first idea of a mouse came to Evan. When Evan was four he and I read aloud the Mouse and the Motorcycle while Hans and Lydia napped. The idea of keeping a mouse in the pocket of his flannel shirt was just something that appealed to Evan. Currently he's working on training his mice to want to hang out there. Sun Cloud tried the pocket out for size the other day and liked to peek out as he was carried around. Peek-a-boo!

Bread

Just a quick pic of my little kitchen helper. Anytime I'm baking I have kids who eagerly help. This past weekend I made a batch of homemade bread and Lydia's favorite part was helping knead. Well, her favorite part was probably eating it warm out of the oven with butter and honey. Mmm. Can't say I disagree.

Critters Continued

As mentioned previously, Hans was reading books to earn a fish. Our school secretary has a beta fish in a vase with a live plant growing out of the top that Hans thinks is really, really cool. He decided that was the kind of fish he wanted. Hans finished reading his books about the same time as Evan but had to wait until we had time to actually get the fish. Sunday was the day. Hans and Nathan headed out for a "Daddy Day" and came home with a fish, squished marbles, and a plant. So far the fish remains nameless but I'm sure that will change eventually.

Critters

Yesterday, after much waiting, Evan got to bring home two mice. He's wanted a pet for as long as he could talk and has had horses, dogs, cats, snakes, lizards, goats, mice, and probably others I've forgotten on the list. With us living in a rental with a postage stamp size yard within city limits most of the animals on the list were crossed off quickly. Other's were crossed off since they creep me out a little too much. Mice I can handle especially with the rule that if they're lost in the house I'm setting a trap. Needless to say Evan promises to be careful.

Once it was decided that Evan could have mice we looked at what he'd need to take care of them. He and Nathan spent time at several pet stores pricing things out. It was determined that $18 would be needed for the minimum necessities (cage, food, bedding, water bottle, wheel) and then mice are $1.99 each. We decided that Evan could earn the mice. We'd like to see him read more so I created a chart for him to keep track of books. Evan had to read 18 books aloud to us to earn all the stuff and he'd spend some of his money from his weekly jobs to buy the mice.

I can't remember the last time Evan was more excited. He's named the tan mouse Caramel and the white with tan spotted mouse Sun Cloud. Hopefully Hans enjoys the fish he is nearly earned just as much.

1. Caramel peeking out of Evan's hands.

2. Sun Cloud taking a climb.

T-Bone

Valentine's Day in our house isn't the national holiday it is in some. I've never given or received lavish jewelry, floral displays that resemble small bushes, or unwrapped a Jaguar. We're not anti-Valentine's Day either though. Valentine's holds a special place in my heart since back in 1997 I sent three small carnations with a "roses are red" poem to Nathan signed "your secret admirer." I give him three carnations and a new poem every year. Our kids exchanged Valentine's with classmates and teachers bringing home a pile of candy to replace the just finished Christmas stash.

The only thing I did special at home this year was make special dinner. The kids dined on heart shaped mini pizzas, sipped pink (strawberry) milk, and watched Over the Hedge picnic style in the living room. Just a little treat for the little people I love most. After we'd tucked them in bed Nathan and I dined on t-bones smothered in onions, baby portobello mushrooms, and cheese, and loaded side salads. Just a little something for the man I love most. Who needs lavish jewelry, giant floral displays, and an over priced car when you've got a happy home, marriage, kids, spouse, and are living happily ever after every day? Happy Valentine's Day.

**Thank you James and Holly for the t-bone. It was part of a Christmas present to Nathan this year and we loved it! And we still have two more packages of steak in the freezer!**

Tasty Tuesday on Friday

The original recipe for these cookies are called Apple Oatmeal in a cookbook I have, but I've played with the recipe to make them very healthy (for cookies) so I think I've earned the right to rename them. They're a soft, cake-like cookie that reminds me of the flavor of a granola bar.This time I doubled the recipe and they don't quite fit in my fancy coffee can cookie jar. Happy baking!

Guilt Free Cookies

1 cup flour (can use 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white)

1tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 rolled oats ( NOT quick cook, uncooked)

1/2 c brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1/2 c apple sauce

1 medium apple cored and grated (I didn't even peel it)

1/2 c raisins (I used golden the first time and standard this time)

2/3 c chopped nuts (I used hickory)

Combine first 7 ingredients. Stir in apple sauce, egg, and vanilla. Stir in apple, raisins, and nuts. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!

Night Hike

This past weekend my parents came over for a visit. Saturday was a beautiful winter day with temps in the mid 20s and fresh snow on the ground from earlier in the week. We took advantage and headed up to High Cliff for a candlelight hike. This was the first time we'd hiked by candlelight in the snow. What fun! The park rangers had luminaries along the 1.3 mile trail, a bonfire about half way to stop and warm ourselves, and another fire in the pavilion upon completing the hike. High Cliff only has this event once a winter so we'll certainly have to mark it on our calendar for next year.

1. My parents, my kids, and me by a luminary.

2. My happy, hiking family.

3. A luminary.

4. The trail ahead of us as we neared the end.