The Leprechaun Trap

Let me tell you something about this girl.

She is not easily fooled or impressed.  She had just turned four when she started asking the "Santa" question.  "Is he really real, Mom, like REALLY?"  and "I know fairies are pretend but what about the tooth fairy?

So we were confused and a little surprised when she came home beyond excited about building a leprechaun trap for school.  Fully convinced she was going to catch herself a little green friend.

Warning from Leprechaun's Mom: Leprechauns Beware!

I have to say that before this assignment came home, I had every intention of ignoring St. Patrick's Day.  I know that some moms are super fun and get into these things.  Maybe I'm lazy. Maybe my priorities are just elsewhere but I just don't go big on the minor holidays.  Yet another thing my children can tell their therapist later.  No gold coins and leprechaun footprints.  What a sad life they have.

And yet, when all kindergarteners were supposed to bring in a leprechaun trap to catch a leprechaun over spring break. Darby was ON IT.

Fishing hook attached to a gold coin.  Very Humane.

The week before spring break was a busy one here, so I decided this would be a Daddy project.  And although my studious five year old was harassing us for weeks before it was due we pushed her off until 7:30 the night before.  One day our procrastination will rub off on her. Right? I'm mostly kidding.

After spring break things around the classroom had been moved, there were little footprints, and apparently the leprechauns had used the toilet because the water in that was green.  Our girl was disappointed and blamed herself for not setting the trap quite right. Sneaky leprechauns.  Maybe next year, kiddo. (But please first grade teachers, can we just wear green and call it a day?)

Daddy Daughter Date

Just sent Conor and a very excited five year old off on a fancy date.

 They're going to see Snow White performed by Ballet Austin.  It was a surprise to Darby, we just told her yesterday. :)
She was bouncing off the walls yesterday in anticipation, then this afternoon as we were getting ready, she got very serious.  And nervous.  And wanted everything to be perfect.  Just perfect for her special date with her very favorite person.

She's in dance right now, but I think she likes the idea of dance more than dance itself.  If we ask her if she likes it, she'll say, "Kind of.  I like dance, but you have to stand still a lot and I'm not really a standing still kind of girl."  HA. I love her.
Excited they could have this time.  Such fun and sweet memories for our favorite kindergartener.

Just a February Afternoon...

...jumping on the tramp and looking at bugs

 wearing a blanket as a dress because it's fancy

 and wearing a blanket so we can be like our big sister...

Hours of fun on this dangerous contraption.  Hours and hours and hours.

Can we just take a moment and acknowledge that it is February and we're in short sleeves and tank tops.  I'm not sure I'll ever get over it.

Happy Valentine's Day

We had a great Valentine's Day here!  Full of absolutely zero crafting.  Bittersweet.  I'm learning a lot about cutting myself some slack lately but that's another post. :)

The day before, my friend Emily hosted a wonderful party for the preschool age neighborhood kids who weren't having parties at school.  Well, Kyler was having a party but he was home on Wednesday so he got to come. :)
You'll have to excuse the iphone photos but I had to take pictures of the table.  She's amazing and the kids looooved it.  I don't think Carson had a clue what was going on, except that it was a party and there was lots of candy involved. 
Important lesson of the day: It's okay that I'm terrible at giving my kids experiences like these.  Because I have amazing talented friends. ;)

 Those are marshmallows dipped in chocolate AND white chocolate/sprinkle dipped pretzels. Seriously. 

Yes.  Those are my boys with their hoods up.  I can't explain them.  I don't try to.

Darby and Kyler both had parties at school and all three kids came home on serious sugar highs. 

My sweet valentine woke up and made us french toast and brought me a HUGE triple-shot caramel macchiato (I must have seemed extra grumpy that morning.)  We spent the evening eating Chipotle and hanging out as a family.  Don't worry, Conor and I are going out on Saturday - I can't wait! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Truth in the Tinsel

I. Love. December.
When I was growing up one of my favorite thing about the Holidays was adding an "ornament" every day to a large felt advent tree that we had as we counted down the days until Christmas.  I love the idea of counting down, preparing our hearts, making space.

Last year we bought this(yes, I bought it, lots of ideas on pinterest for making one.  I'm just too lazy)

and every day was filled with a different fun activity or a place to serve.  I compiled a list in November and filled each little door with a slip of paper telling the kids what we'd be doing that day.  One day we shopped for toys for needy kids, one day we read a new Christmas book, or delivered meals, or attended a Christmas program, or made cookies...

This year when we pulled out the house, the kids couldn't wait to get started, and yesterday, on December 1st I realized I hadn't done a thing.  I'm a little disorganized this year.

So our first day I decided to use to introduce our "Truth in the Tinsel" advent.  If you haven't heard of this little e-book, it's an awesome way to tell kids about the story of Jesus as you lead up to Christmas.  Each day you read a Bible verse together, make an ornament, and talk about a piece of the Christmas story.  For example, yesterday the ornament was a candle because Jesus came to bring Light to the darkness(Isaiah(9:2-7).  We really wanted to try this last year, but the ornaments, though simple and created for kids, required a lot of supplies that I hadn't collected. Because I'm disorganized. (sensing a theme?).

BUT this year, they added something just for disorganized, barely holding it together moms like me.

 PRINTABLE ORNAMENTS!  So now, my kids color an ornament and we read scripture and talk about it and clothespin it onto some yarn (with clothespins I haven't bought yet. Surprised?)

We're having fun. :) 

Kyler's 'light'

Yard Sale

Just putting some preschoolers to work.  Learning how to clean a yard-sale purchase is a pretty important life-skill in this house.  Love having these little helpers around.

 

Dear Husband

Dear Husband,
Please come back.  Seriously I think it every time you go out of town.  I don't know how people do this on their own.  Taking care of 3 littles without you is hard.  We're fine.  We're making it.  I'm not pulling my hair out yet.  But the house may not survive. 
When little boys don't nap and there's no daddy to take them outside to play so mommy can catch up.  This is what we end up with.

A very dirty house that I'm blogging about instead of cleaning because after finally getting them all tucked in I'm completely wiped.  We have also borrowed a guard dog for the weekend.  She's pretty ferocious.


Oh and your daughter is sleeping in your shirt.
We miss you!