Thankful

Hazel starts track on Monday! 

So this week is just so fun! Soaking up the now! Although I know track will be terrific too.

Willem and Oren are both at practice right now. The kids helped me clean house today. 

Hazel was inspired by a cake that Aunt Natasha made... she saw a picture of it. Reese, Tasha, and the girls will head this way tomorrow and spend the night. Reese has hay to look at and the kids thought it would be fun to get some cousin time in. 

 

Tuesday of spring break!

 

It has been such a good day. 

No alarm clocks being set! This is such a cool thing!

Mavs had a strong win in East Wenatchee tonight. 

Oren had a fabulous day at Miles! Nathaniel was also there! Three good friends having a great time together.  Cheers to spring break!! 

The Skagit Family Tulips are certainly on my bucket list! I have never seen them! Maybe spring of 2025 - -

Our weather today was sunny, 77 degrees. It feels really wonderful. 

Lately...

Our work week/school week does not allow for a lot of this. But now that spring break is here, we are taking full advantage!!

Our week includes weeding, Vance finishing up on a salvage project, baseball, horse and critter fun, and some TV watching maybe. 

The more I work, the more precious spring break is!! 

 We sure missed Merit at Easter but Lane was here!

Wednesday -

Laguna Beach

Two days was not quite long enough. Merit has his head on straight. I think he is doing well. 

I needed one more day. 

It was good to be down there. 

Irvine, baseball, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach... we miss this kid like crazy.

Mavs won yesterday in a TIGHT game!

Today was a great day! I was back in the fifth grade class I love! It has been a joy to be in there this week. 

It rained all day and things just perked up.... it all seems so green out there.  

Jersey Mikes for lunch! 

I enjoyed a nap on the couch at about 4:30.

Oren, Hazel, Willem, and Vance had a good day, praying Merit did too.

Spring break is next week! 
 

 Cali was good! Too quick! Merit is good for the soul.

I have taught since I got back - 5th grade. Missing the horses a bit. 

Chiefs won last night - squeaked out a win! 

A Wednesday update

The weather today is gorgeous! I went outdoors with the second-grade class I was teaching today. We looked for a ring a student had lost (and found it!) and we played a quick few rounds of duck, duck, goose. 

Our fifth graders have been taking swim lessons from our HS swim students/instructors this week and last. This program is so cool! I was asked to take photos of our Longview fifth graders swimming yesterday. It was a cool thing to be a part of. 

I then taught kinder for the afternoon and headed to Willem's game in Pasco after. Our Mavs won 15:0 !

 

BOOK IT!

 I have posted about this before, and I giggle a bit each time. One of those memories that sticks with ya.... 

My Brother Matt is 8 1/2 years younger than me and my brother Phil is eleven years younger than I am. When they were in elementary school, they had the opportunity to earn free pizzas through a program called Book It. After reading so many hours, readers would be awarded with a Book It pizza certificate - compliments of Pizza Hut!!  The reader could redeem the certificate for a personal pan pizza. 

We did not have a Pizza Hut in Lynden, so when the boys brought these certificates home, I was so excited and suggested to my mom that we go to Pizza Hut - in Bellingham! I said "The pizzas will be free!" She laughed and said each of the little boys getting a small personal pan pizza was far from a free lunch... we talked her into it. We drove all the way to Bellingham, my mom and us five kids... My dad will eat pizza, in the form of take out, but I am not sure he has ever gone to a pizza place. It's not his thing really. 

The boys proudly redeemed their certificates for their personal pan pizzas! We all ordered sodas - a special treat - and ordered pizzas for those who did not have the Book It certificates. We sat in a big booth!  I spilled my entire Pepsi or diet Pepsi in my lap. When my mom got her bill, her eyes were wide.

As a kindergartner, Oren earned a Book It personal pan pizza! I was thrilled! And the memories, well they came flooding back. 

Now, guess what is back?! The personal pan pizzas! A reward for reading! Oren is our reader who earned the certificate! Thank you Pizza Hut! We will be going this weekend hopefully!

Country roads... baseball

Yesterday was a great day. The lighting was incredible for some "country road" pictures. All of these shots are within 3 miles of our house. But before we took the backroads home, the Mavs had their first game of the season. I think I love basketball until baseball starts. Man, I love baseball.

 Merit is playing right now. Bottom of 8 they are tied 5 5 - They need to win both games today for a play-off run - if I am understanding it right. So I am praying for competitive spirits and great game play. They are playing La Sierra at La Sierra - about an hour from Irvine. 

 More soon... but a little Tuesday goodness

Saturday!!

Today has been a full fun day. 

Vance flew to Portland, Oregon this morning for a barge launching - quick trip with good memories. They were back in Moses Lake by 3:30 p.m.

Cousins came over this morning! 

They ran and ran in the cold. Nova was down to a tank top! 

We bought Oren his baseball cleats. He is very excited for this season. Try outs are this week. 

Willem had an inner squad baseball scrimmage today. 

Hazel, Oren and I went to the Home and Garen show!

Willem and Raegen are off to the Sadie Hawkins Dance!

Fun on the farm with cousins!! 

It is so fun to be out with these critters. 

Sadie Hawkins! I hope these two have so much fun tonight!!