new play space...

this area has long been unused...while browsing play spaces on pinterest I saw
an idea for a road for matchbox cars using paving stones.  I knew that with some tweaking
that idea could work for this space.
First I needed to find the pavers, a rather difficult task.
the calendar may say spring but most stores didn't have much in the way of garden supplies on their shelves finally found these at walmart.  I orignally was going to paint that dotted line but when looking at some duct tape at the hardware store Anthony pointed to the white tape and wondered if that would work...indeed it would the perfect width and all we had to do was cut segments...simple.
I love simple.  So we layed out the road, built in the tunnel filled the area with new mulch and
there it was...a road for cars.  I filled a basket with trees, mushrooms, rocks and cars to the kids can build their own play spaces again and again

 

 

 

sand box...

 

required some filling before she could play in it...
but once it was full she jumped right in rediscovering all the fun waiting to happen.
it is almost as tho she simply doens't know where to play with all the places taking shape outside
it has been a long, long winter.  I think we are all happy to rediscover the outdoors.

water table...

 

they scrubbed the water table yesterday...
and today someone has been playing in it most of the day.

spring clean up...

from this...

to this!
I've spent the weekend cleaning up the play space yesterday we hauled and dumped 34 bags of mulch... we have had no luck getting grass to grow in this area and I'm just tired of all the dirt and mud so this year I decided to give this a go. I am liking how clean and fresh it looks, and love that it is now mud free...

Regional Science Fair...

he qualified to go to reginals with his science fair project...
Saturday was the day, Kevin and Anthony headed out at 7 to get to mankato to register and get set up.
He placed 2nd in his division...not bad for his first time attending reginals.

well hello spring....

so nice of you to finally appear...
monday brought a snowstorm by friday the temps were nearing 70 and we were outside!
Reyna was most excited for the mud kitchen to be set back up...

the best thing to see is a driveway full of toys...
we have missed the fresh air, the sunshine and the warm temps...

and despite all that snow green is making its  appearance...

winter storm...#3

april brought yet another winter storm...yes another.

this one once again coated yards and fields in a layer of white and ice...
and in days it was gone...trusting that winter has finally had it's fill I know I certainly have.

26

yesterday he turned 26...how can I be old enough to have a child that is 26??
He outgrew me early, towering over me by his early teens...often when I was upset with him I would stand on the step just to be able to look him in his eyes. (not that he was in trouble a lot, he was and continues to be laid back, and easy going)
When he was born I became a mom to a son...and he made this parenting thing quite easy.
He has weathered drama and sisters (there are a lot of sisters) with an easy going attitude
teasing them as only a brother can, and yet without a doubt he is there if anyone of them needs him
He is amazing like that. 

 

 

 

being his mom is one of my greatest gifts!
Happy Birthday Josh...so proud of the young man you are today,
so honored to have been the one to watch you grow up.

Josh's birthday

 

 

 

gathering with friends and family
eating cake and being serenaded by happy birthday

Snow storm round two

a week later we were once again watching snow fall outside our window, it no longer looked like april
outside our windows but closer resembled weather in say.... february

school was released early on thrusday and we had yet another snow day on Friday.
we have had more snow days in april than we had for the entire winter...how crazy is that?

thankfully april snowfalls do tend to melt quite quickly...

scout o'rama

Anthony was able to attend the reginal competition for derby cars. Kevin, Anthony and Rosie attended this year.
it was held in windom this year.  It is a fun day filled with car racing of course and activities.
He took second in the reginal derby car race.
and pictured above is his marshmallow shooter

and the duct tape wallet rosie made.

 

kiwi crate

 

a crafting kit I ordered for the kids...this month was on recycling and saving the earth
with the crazy weather we have had these past few weeks it's nice to have some
kits like this on hand to entertain and keep this crew busy, since outdoors is a bit of  a challenge
these days...

coloring eggs....

with silk...

eggs wrapped and tied and ready to be steamed..

steaming the eggs...

and one of the finished eggs..
the girls liked that it was material that colored the eggs, an unexpected surprise.
this was part of a kit I ordered from etsy.  A spring crafting kit put together by fairies
(which completely captured my girls' spirit of fun and love fairytales)
there was a lot of discussion about how the fairies special material had the magic to color eggs...