Since we finished our official school year a few weeks ago and all of our activities have taken a spring break of sorts, we have been enjoying some much needed time outside. In addition, work has intentionally been a bit slower in the last few weeks. We have been enjoying a less rushed pace of life. Here are a few of the things we have been up to.
Allan and I have decided that Thursday mornings this summer will be dedicated to getting outside and exercising with the boys. Joshua and I take long walks while he naps and Allan has been hopping on his bike with the Burley filled with older boys to explore our beautiful city. We ordered this bike trailer for Matthew to ride behind my bike so that the whole family can eventually ride together. We considered a regular tag along, but felt that this would be more comfortable for longer rides and long term as we will have several other small children making use of it. Plus it was on sale!
It’s so peaceful strolling along the trails with a little one sleeping in the stroller. Today we walked to the library to return a few overdue books and pick up a huge haul of picture books for the boys and a few (too many) books for me.
Our caterpillars officially pupated and we released them last week. It was such a fun experience and we will definitely be doing it again next year. Matthew found a brand new Ladybug kit at a garage sale a few weeks ago, so we may try our hand at that next.
My North Face rain jacket lining is disintegrating! Has anyone else had this happen to them? When I bought this jacket 5 years ago I vowed it would be the last spring/rain jacket that I would have to buy and apparently that’s not the case. I plan on sending it in to their warranty department to (hopefully) get it fixed!
This little guy is growing by leaps and bounds and (knock on wood) started sleeping through the night reliably this week! Two things that really helped with his sleep were reading this book on sleep (although, we only implemented a night time routine, not the actual sleep training, because Joshua was teething at the time) and this white noise machine. I have committed to dragging myself upstairs by 9:30 PM every night so I can read, get a good night’s sleep and workout before breakfast.
Allan and I celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary on May 19th. He planned a fun trip down memory lane for the two of us – it was SO nice! We visited the spot by the Mississippi River where he proposed, ate outside on the patio at French Meadow in St. Paul and visited the site of our wedding reception along the St. Croix River.
When we arrived at the parking lot of the supper club that held our reception we were greeted by a huge hole in the ground. Only the foundation of the basement remained. Honestly, we weren’t sure what to expect when we arrived because rumors had swirled that a developer bought the property and intended to build condos. The last time we were in town the building was still intact and host to a basement tiki bar complete with real sand on the floor.
Allan and I precariously climbed down into the hole to take a look at the river below and part of the dance floor tiles were still there. Allan popped on the song from our first dance, Fools Rush In by Elvis. and we slow danced right then and there. It was like something straight out of a movie.
I am so excited to start the She Reads Truth Acts study next week. I have enjoyed this week’s countdown to Acts study leading up to the main study that starts next week. With Joshua sleeping longer I have actually been able to spend time in the word every morning. I love having my routing back! What have you been studying lately?
This is a pretty typical supper around here: grilled salmon, diced oven roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli and green beans.
Wowza! Costco has had SO MUCH ORGANIC food lately. With the sheer volume of vegetables and fruit we consume, our budget has been happy that we can buy many of the things we eat regularly in bulk! Also, our cart looks so much different than most people’s carts at Costco. Lots of meat, veggies and fruit.
I have been loving the necklaces that I bought from The Jones Market. I would love to order a few more, as I find myself wearing them even when I don’t have Joshua with me. They are just so flattering!
And that’s it for now. I will be sharing recipes for a versatile Summer fruit salad and my secret burger recipe that got a lot of attention a week ago. Look for those in the coming week.
Any local friends attending the MN Catholic Home Educators Conference? No, we are not catholic, BUT Sarah Mackenzie is the keynote speaker and I am beyond excited to see her speak. She has really opened my eyes to the world and wonders of homeschooling and I am forever grateful for her influence in my life and that of our boys.
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