April and May Birthday Extravaganza!

Soccer, Sleepovers, and THE FIRST HIKE OF THE SEASON!

 Soccer for THREE is in full swing this spring!  We are hopping!

 Hailey invited Grace and I to their Spring Tea at their church.  So fun.

Janie came to sleep over this weekend!  On the way home the next day we stopped to hike at Antione Peak.  "Let's hike the whole thing holding hands in a chain like this..."  Loved it! 

Jeff and I were cracking up with our whiny hikers.  I finally said that post-hike Dutch Bros only goes to hikers who've said TEN positive things.  "I like the color of those leaves, said with a a grumble..."Micah's not THAT annoying..."  ha! We worked hard to build the hiking stamina! 3.7 miles was a good start!

 

 

He is Risen!

 "The only thing stronger than fear is hope."  A hope-filled day--new life, sunshine, cousin time.  A happy day!  New tradition...?...biking before Easter dinner with the Lochheads/Showalters?

 

The Easter Season

We actually colored eggs this year!  In the past we haven't done this routine because our kids couldn't have eggs, but this year we decided to do it!  Micah helped me, and insisted on adding the Wiebers to our family names.  :)

 We helped out at the West Central Easter Carnival again this year, and it was a big hit!  Micah loved Miss Karen's BABY SHARK, DOOT DOOT artwork on his face.

Terrarium Art

Had lots of GREEN fun filling glass containers with plants and rocks and crosses and...dinosaurs?  :) My Jurassic Park Collection...

Palm Sunday and Uncle Matt's Birthday

Kristie King hosted our Resurrection Garden Party with our 3rd/4th grade SS girls this year.  Grace came to help me with the gardens and we all had a lovely time!  

And then Matthew Duncan had a birthday gathering!  Ice cream and candles...Kai is such the host!  His birthday theme this year was "Gear for his Man Trip of a Lifetime in August" and he got lots of outdoor survival necessities.  He's so excited about his trip!

A Garland Saturday

Milk Bottle shakes, Book Trader reads, and LEGO 2 at the Theater.  Missing our Kai today, Josh sheds a tear.

Mathletes...

MIC Highlights this go-around: 
1) We observed Grace find the answer, but then instead of pulling the string, she'd give the answer to Colin right next to her to pull the string.  Ha!  You've got to have confidence, Jeffy!  (I'm not sure I'd be good at that..)
2) When I showed up to support Grace, it was one of the first times I'd shown up in public with my black eye...I was feeling quite sheepish, but when Grace saw me she ran up to me and smothered me in a pre-teen hug.  THE.  BEST.

Gardening Is Dangerous, Too.

So...while picking up spring debris in the garden, I slipped on one of the mossy, VERY slick railroad ties and hit my forehead on a rock.  Grace was here with me and I'm sure we scarred her for life with the gushing blood of a head wound and a "stay calm" mom hobbling inside with bloody gardening gloves at the forehead.  I had to call Jeff to bring the boys home early from soccer practice because I thought I needed stitches.  The first pic I sent to Mom to ask her...she said GO TO URGENT CARE.  Sigh.  We were just there the day before with Micah.  They were going to think Jeff was a thug.

Yes, i indeed needed several stitches--my first EVER!--and Jeff was appropriately empathetic and supportive.  They did ask me if I felt safe at home--with towering Jeff, they had to question?  I think they thought that if all I could make up was a story about a gardening accident, it must be the truth.  :)

 Poor baby!!!  I sent Mom and Dad daily pictures for a week or so...Quasimodo!

Everyone at work was wonderful--I emailed beforehand to warn them, as I walked right into a staff meeting right upon return to work.  But I found that everyone cared--and didn't care what I looked like.  Looking back now, I think I should've gotten a sub!  Yikesers!

All twelve stages of a shiner...