Road Trip!

On our way to a Train Museum/Birthday party

~3hours away

I've never driven this far away alone with the kids..

you know what that means Sarah!! :D

(Tara, does this count for my smiley smile face)

After lunch and birthday cake in the dinner car,

we explored the train!and the model trains with Kobe at the controlshe also enjoyed this train whistle ...

over

and

over

again :o)

Now for the 3 hours back home with

3 overexcited windblown babies on the verge of a sugar crash

Thankfully,

Art kept the peace

Van Slumber

Sleeping like babies dopeacefully
When we finally got to the park,
I didn't dare wake them

Dinner Delight Night

is a Mama's night out!!

or IN..

whatever :o)

homeschool mama's taking a night for eachother

to laugh togetherand create together..
a new tradition for our little group
each lady brings an ingredient from a menu set beforehand by the hostessthen we prepare the food together

following the recipe cards taped to the cabinets

(Our sweet hostess.. Hi Casandra!)

and we celebrate togetherwhile enjoying great company

and a delicious dinner

don't we just need that sometimes!

Playfulness

I began my morning with a cup of coffee, blog reading

and cuddles with a towel swaddled baby after her bath

which is sweet enough,

but I knew I had to snap a picture when she said to me...

"I'm glad my self is free,

so you can be with me"

~Maya 7 yrs

So am I sweet Maya xoxo

Art Makes Place it engages usand inspires us

Kyle is sporting his new favorite pose

while playing on a portable sculpture by Mike Calway-Fagan

On the way home from the gallery,

I turn around to make sure everyone is buckled

hmm something's different here(just to make sure Mama's paying attention!)

Symphony

At the Symphony Center

we appreciate the elegant building

as well as the concerts

too dark, but it cracks me up the way they posed themselves!

more beauty outside

distracted from the fountain,

Meg gives her little brother this... look

we do feel quite cozy here

Ice Skating

Maya's sweet friend, C, turned 7

and we celebrated with a skating party!

to iceskate
for the 1st time
and to share precious memories with friends

... :o)Happy Birthday C,

We love you!

Chinese New Year

Our library hosted a Chinese New Year Celebration!

We enjoyed yummy foods such as dumplings and egg rolls

We made red paper lanterns

by folding a piece of paper in half

and making cuts along the folded side

careful not to reach the top

Open the paper

and staple the top and bottom together

then fashion a strip for the handle

Maya's Lantern

Each child was given a customary red envelope

containing 1 Chinese Dollar or a "Yuan"

(Kyle asked if it could be used at the dollar tree store :o)and we watched an array of traditional as well as contemporary Chinese dances

the costumes were so colorful and fun!Maya checking out the theatre lighting