2-27 Real Snow

We finally got some real snow!  It was too powdery to do much with, but the kids had lots of fun playing in it.  Isaiah even walked over to come and play with the kids and Jeff came home from work a little early so he could play in it too.  We were only supposed to get 1-2", but I was praying that we would get more than 4 inches, because it is more fun.  We had somewhere around 5 inches or a little more. 

Then this morning they went out as it was starting to freezing drizzle and they built a snow man.  Everyone was having so much fun this morning that Clark and Quinn were out for more than an hour.  Jeff came in shortly after they did after having a snowball fight with several kids who were out playing from the neighborhood and Kent, Katy and Felicity were out for almost 3 hours.

February 28, 2015

34 Weeks of Clean - Week 8: Living Room

This week I cleaned off the top of the entertainment center and dusted.  Then I cleaned the entertainment center cabinets.  I found several things that we didn't need and could donate, recycle, or throw away.  Jeff cleaned the ceiling fan for me and helped take the curtains down so I could wash them.  I worked on my desk.  It's not finished, but any papers/boxes that were no longer needed are now in the recycle bin.  I had Kent go through the toy basket in the living room and take out all the baby toys.  I weeded out the ones that were to worn to keep and put several in the donate box.  The rest I put away to get out in a few months when we have new babies to play with them.  I also had Kent get out all the playdoh stuff from the drawers in the dining room and I donated about half of the stuff we had.  We never use it all at the same time so I kept the kids favorite stuff and got rid of the doubles and my least favorite stuff and the things that were seldom played with.

Jeff helping with the curtains

Before

After

Ladders are fun

Games before

Games After

 Check out the challenge for Week 9 here.

2-23 to 2-25 Sleet/Snow Pictures

2/23 - Freezing Rain and Sleet

Sledding down a neighbors driveway with friends

2-24  Day after freezing rain/Sleet

Kent and his small fort

 2/25 - Snow

Kent was out in it too, but he came in before I took the picture.

Suanna's Birthday

For my birthday, Katy and Kaomi made me a special place setting.  Katy helped me toast my bagel breakfast.  After Quinn went down for his nap I sewed/mended several items that were waiting for my attention.  Lissie was excited to have me fix a dress that the hem had started coming out of and she's asked me several times when I would fix it.  After lunch we watched "The Princess Diaries."  Then the kids had a short quiet time.  For supper we went out to Fudruckers and the Jeff took us all to Mardel's and I got to pick out a couple pictures that I liked to hang on the wall.  Then we came home and ate homemade gluten free cheesecake that Jeff had made and opened presents.

Suanna's Special Place Setting-2015

From the boys

A New Announcement and Cleaning Week 7

This week has been busy and full of excitement.  We've kind of felt excited like Christmas as a kid, only more so.

Between having two birthdays and Valentine's day we found out that we are going to have twins.  Needless to say my mind has been slightly muddled trying to take it all in and it's been kind of hard to get much done.

About 20 weeks with twins

Wow!  I look huge.  I'm glad I don't feel that big yet.  No wonder everyone's been looking at me strangely when I've been out.


On Valentines day we had hamburgers, purple mashed potatoes, and red juice for dinner.  That was about the extent of our celebration the day following Lissie's birthday.

Purple Mashed Potatoes

As for cleaning, since we just found out that we are having twins I thought I should begin working at getting the guest/sewing room straightened up.  I cleaned up leftover Christmas wrapping paper and projects and spent a while at my sewing machine enjoying mending and finishing several small projects.  There is still plenty to work on in this room, but with most of the mending that had built up over the last few months finished, most everything just needs to be returned to its home.

guest/sewing room before

guest/sewing room before

Since my brain has been quite overloaded this week the normal cleaning around the house had taken a step to the side.  So I gathered my kids and we all worked together to get back on top of some of the things that were bothering me.

Dining room before

Dining room after

 Kent was in charge of picking up and vacuuming the formal dining room/play area, sorting and starting a load of laundry and helping fold the clean laundry.

Katy and Kaomi were in charge of washing the large plastic dishes and lids and items that don't go in the dishwasher.

Dishes after

Dishes before

Laundry all gone!

Clark, Felicity, and I worked on folding the clean laundry (with Quinn's "help").  There were probably about 5 loads total that were folded.  Kent helped us after he finished his first responsibilities.

Laundry before

 I quickly tackled the shelf in the main area where we eat our meals.  I took the activity boxes upstairs and Clark brought one of today's down.  I threw away some trash.  I took the books that we had finished with school from the blue basket and put them away on the proper shelf upstairs.  There are still a few school papers in the blue basket that I need to put in the kids school binders, but it looks much better now.

Half wall before

Half wall after

Next weeks challenge for 34 Weeks of Clean is the living room.  Click the button below to find out the details of the challenge.

Felicity's 5th Birthday

Felicity turned 5 last week.  She is growing into such a little lady.  Our theme for the day was Snow.  We didn't have any real snow for her birthday, but we had fun anyway.  At her place setting I gave her a nice warm "snow" dress that was a hand me down from a cousin.  It was a hit.  She put it on right away.  Then she and Daddy went to the donut shop to pick out donuts for her special breakfast.
          

Felicity and Daddy

Happy 5th Birthday, Felicity!

Special "snow" place setting

After breakfast everyone who wanted to colored a "snow" picture.  Then the girls dressed up their American Girl dolls for a snowy day.  While they were doing that Kent and Clark played trains upstairs and Quinn took a nap.  Then they had "snowballs" for a morning snack.  They were donut holes with white icing.

The girls with some of their dolls.

After lunch, we tried out some instant snow.  We weren't able to make a snowman like the can said, but everyone had fun with their hands in it trying to shape it into something or just squeezing it through their fingers.









Then Grammy and Riley came over for a little while and brought Lissie an "Anna" dress from the movie frozen.

Grammy, Riley, and Felicity

 For supper Felicity wanted to go to Miguelitos and then we came home and sang happy birthday to Lissie and she opened her presents.  It was late and everyone was full from supper, so we saved the cake eating until the next day.

Felicity's 5th birthday, "Snow Cake"